After Hull were promoted back to the Premier League in May, Steve Bruce walked out amid uncertainty over the club’s ownership and takeover talks are still showing little sign of reaching a conclusion.
A club record-equalling six straight defeats in the top flight prior to Southampton’s visit had dragged Phelan’s men into the bottom three and increased their relegation fears.
During an awful opening 45 minutes yesterday, apathy and disinterest reigned among a set of supporters who had seen their team lose their previous four matches on home soil.
To make matters worse, Hull lost strikers Abel Hernandez and Will Keane to groin and knee injuries respectively during the opening quarter, dealing further blows to an already paper-thin squad.
Southampton led 1-0 at the break courtesy of Charlie Austin’s penalty and the Tigers were booed off.
But sometimes in life you get what you deserve and the match-winning impact of substitute Robert Snodgrass encouraged hopes of defying the odds and beating the drop.
The Scotland international claimed a sweetly-struck equaliser in the 61st minute and his educated left boot then delivered a fine free-kick which allowed captain Michael Dawson to claim the winning goal two minutes later.
Asked to sum up his emotions, Phelan said: “There is a bit of everything – relief and happiness but concern over injuries and the amount of players we have available.
“Hernandez and Keane will be looked at on Monday but both of them will be out for a period of time.
“After the first half, losing the two players like we did, it felt like deja vu again.
“Dieumerci Mbokani and Robert Snodgrass hadn’t done much work leading up to this game, so it was certainly a risk to put them on at that point.
“But credit to both of them because they showed their qualities and professionalism.
“We’ve been on the end of some soul-destroying defeats but the whole team rose to the occasion and the rewards were great.”
Southampton had beaten Inter Milan in the Europa League three days earlier and during the first half they popped the ball around with a swagger which suggested a long afternoon ahead for Hull.
When Curtis Davies clumsily tripped Maya Yoshida inside the penalty area, Charlie Austin stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick and put the visitors ahead.
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The double injury blow then disrupted Hull further but Snodgrass gradually began to weave his magic as the game wore on and he fired home a superb left-foot leveller from Sam Clucas’ low delivery shortly after the hour.
Moments later, Snodgrass flighted in a free-kick which Dawson greeted with a header which flew past Fraser Forster.
Phelan said: “Most __football clubs have a player who can produce something a little bit different. Snodgrass is one of them and he managed to find everything that is required of a good player.”
The visitors rallied hard but Hull goalkeeper David Marshall and his team-mates repelled everything that was thrown at them in a defiant rearguard display.
Saints boss Claude Puel said: “We lost concentration and I think it was a good lesson for us for the future. We can do better.”