Monday 11 July 2016 17:10, UK
Hull boss Steve Bruce has been dealt a double injury blow ahead of their return to the Premier League after Allan McGregor and Alex Bruce, the manager's son, were ruled out for up to six months.
The Tigers are currently in Portugal as they continue their pre-season preparations and the manager confirmed goalkeeper McGregor and defender Bruce are set for extended spells on the sidelines with back and Achilles injuries, respectively.
McGregor featured on 44 occasions for the club during their Sky Bet Championship campaign last season but an injury to his back forced him to miss the play-offs, which saw Bruce's side defeat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 to secure their place in the top-flight.
But the former Rangers and Besiktas player must now have surgery to rectify the problem, a step Bruce admitted he hoped would not be required.
"We gave Allan a rest over the summer having missed the best part of the final month of last season, but he hasn't really progressed," Bruce told Hull's official website.
"As soon as we stepped up the training on Sunday, it was no use and it looks as though he will need an operation. Surgery was always going to be the last resort with Allan because it's a horrible, complex operation.
It's unfortunate because the pair of them are going to be out for between four and six months.
"We hoped that the rest we gave him and the programme we put him on would be sufficient - we had to give him that rather than just put someone straight under the knife."
Bruce was used more sparingly by his father, making just 17 appearances over the season for a club he joined in the summer of 2012.
"Alex has damaged his Achilles so much so that he also needs an operation and he will have that on Thursday," added Steve Bruce.
"It's unfortunate because the pair of them are going to be out for between four and six months, and as you can imagine they are both distraught at the moment.
"They're severe injuries and you don't want that at this particular time, however with the way medical departments work these days we wish them both a speedy recovery."
Eldin Jakupovic filled in for the two-legged play-off semi-final triumph over Derby and the win over Wednesday in the final at Wembley, but McGregor's extended absence may force Hull into the transfer market.
Bruce may have lost two of his most experienced players but a number of key personnel have committed their futures to the club in recent weeks.
Tom Huddlestone, Ahmed Elmohamady and Jakupovic have all signed new contracts.
See Hull play champions Leicester in Sky Sports' first live match of the new season on August 13.
