Tigers confirm Windass exit

Hull City hero heads list of released players

Last updated: 2nd June 2009  

Tigers confirm Windass exit

Windass: Tigers hero released

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Hull City hero Dean Windass heads a list of players told by manager Phil Brown that their services are no longer required.

Windass will always be held in the highest regard by the Tigers faithful after he scored the winning goal for his hometown club in the 2008 Championship play-off final which secured their place in the Premier League.

The 40-year-old became frustrated at a lack of first-team opportunities in the top-flight and fell out with Brown, ending his Hull career in the reserves after a loan spell with Oldham was cut short.

Windass has already agreed to take over as Darlington's player-coach under new manager Colin Todd for next season.

France

He will be followed out of the Hull exit door by midfielder Ryan France, one of four players to have played in all four professional divisions with the Tigers.

France turned down a loan move to Blackpool earlier in the season in order to compete for a place.

Former Sunderland and Leeds striker Michael Bridges is also leaving along with John Welsh, who ended the season on loan at Bury.

Reserve players James Bennett, Joe Lamplough, Matthew Plummer and Tom Woodhead have also been released but Will Atkinson, Steve Gardner and Ryan Kendall are retained.

Youth team products Nathan Hanley and John Leonard have been awarded one-year professional contracts and young player of the year Tom Cairney has signed a two-year contract.

Karaoke

Meanwhile, Brown has no plans to take a more low-key approach next season, according to his assistant Brian Horton.

Brown attracted some criticism in the last campaign with his antics, which included a final day karaoke session at the KC Stadium after survival was secured.

Horton told the Manchester Evening News: "I think he has been great for the Premiership.

"He is a character who might get under the skin of some people with his comments but he is only speaking his mind. There is nothing wrong with that.

"Earlier in the season Phil asked me if he should adopt a low profile. I told him to forget it.

"By being what he is, Phil has helped put Hull on the map. I told him bad publicity is infinitely preferable to no publicity."