Hull manager Phil Brown has promised striker Caleb Folan a “clean slate” on his return to the club. The Republic of Ireland international will be back at training next week after a three-month loan at Middlesbrough.

Folan and Brown had a frank exchange of views when the 27-year-old joined Boro, with a view to a permanent move, in September.

Folan was criticised by Brown for failing to score in Hull’s first four games of the season and the player responded by labelling the manager’s remarks “laughable” and “childish”.

It seemed Folan had played his last game for the Tigers but a hamstring injury denied him the chance to establish himself at Middlesbrough and he does not appear to be in new manager Gordon Strachan’s plans.

Brown said: “He has accepted whatever has happened and I have. It is water under the bridge as far as we are concerned.

“I am looking forward to working with him again.

“From Monday onwards is a clean slate and we start again.”

Folan became Hull’s first €1 million player when he joined from Wigan in 2007 but has struggled since the club’s promotion to the Barclays Premier League.