Hughton's side will tonight aim to pull off an FA Cup fifth-round replay shock against visiting Chelsea who sacked Andre Villas-Boas after just eight months in charge. It is a scenario Hughton is familiar with after being dismissed as Newcastle boss when lying mid-table in their first season back in the Barclays Premier League 15 months ago.
He said: "The days of when Sir Alex Ferguson could wait nearly four years to win his first trophy at Manchester United are well and truly gone I think. The biggest change in the game now is that it's a different sort of owner at football clubs."
He added: "The days of the family involvement, a family board who wouldn't get involved on the football side very much, who gave the manager time, have gone. The owner is very much involved, a financial involvement and the club is run more as a business these days.
"I think the pressure from the media is greater than it has ever been. The game has changed. There is more pressure on everybody and it's a far cry from how it used to be."
Hughton can empathise with Villas-Boas after his own dismissal by Newcastle.
He said: "The fact your professional pride has been dented, that's probably the biggest area, the biggest hurt. He will be hurting. He's used to going into work every day and the fact he's embarked on a project and 70% through that first season has lost his position will hurt.
"At this stage, his managerial career has taken a real backward step because of what's happened. It's very much up to him to resurrect that. He's young enough, he's certainly got the credentials. He wouldn't have got as big as job as he did without having pedigree."
Hughton was sacked at Newcastle after a 3-1 defeat by West Brom who were managed by Roberto Di Matteo - the current Chelsea caretaker boss.
Birmingham will have a side decimated by injuries and ineligible players in action tonight, but Hughton said: "We have got quite a few injury problems but I have no doubt we will field a very committed team and you just hope to get that little bit of fortune."
Source: PA
Source: PA