Ashbee blow for Hull

Hull have been dealt a huge blow as skipper Ian Ashbee is out for the rest of the season.

Championship newcomers Hull have suffered a major setback as skipper Ian Ashbee is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

The midfielder has already had surgery after tests showed he had been playing with a fractured knee for at least the last three games.

It is a huge blow for the club and manager Peter Taylor who has seen a number of players in his side pick up injuries so far this season.

"We're absolutely gutted. We're gutted for Ashbee and gutted as a club," he told the club's official website.

Both Taylor and Ashbee, who played the full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw against Leicester on Monday, had not realised the seriousness of his injury.

"We knew that he'd been struggling with his knee and it became a problem after the Wolves game but he was determined to carry on and we thought we'd take a look at it during the little break we've got now," Taylor said.

"We'd hoped it would be something straightforward like a cartilage trim which would only keep Ashbee out for a couple of weeks but then we got the news and it was obviously a lot worse than we thought it would be. "

Ashbee will be sidelined for at least six months with injury and could be out for 12 months.

"I can't believe the injuries we've already had this season. We've had terrible luck and hopefully that's it for now," Taylor added.