Ian Ashbee

Nine seasons after joining Hull City from Cambridge United for exactly one-thousandth of the fee paid by Liverpool for Andy Carroll, Ian Ashbee moved on a free to Preston North End on transfer deadline day. During this time he achieved the ...unique feat of captaining the same club in all four divisions, including the top one for the first time in Hull City's history.

At the start of each of those nine seasons, it became a ritual among Tigers fans to wonder whether Ashbee could cope with the step up following a promotion or retain his place in a team upgraded by summer signings. By the end of most of those seasons his habitual response was to carry a flagging promotion or relegation struggle virtually single-handedly over the finish line, usually topped off with a rare but crucial goal, such as the exquisite I-didn't-know-he-could-do-that-sort-of-thing curler on the last day at Yeovil that sealed the 2004 promotion from League Two and got the journey underway after several false starts.

The seasons when Ashbee missed the run-in generally coincided with the few years over the last decade when things did not turn out well for the Tigers. These were the times when he was away having his leg bolted together again – a limb the doctors discussed amputating at one stage when the thigh bone had "died" and stopped regenerating. Ashbee's overall indispensability was a reflection of his effect on individual games. Ashbee is a holding midfielder who is even less aesthetically pleasing than the average incumbent of the role. But whenever he was absent, the defence would suddenly look vulnerable and the attacking players became less creative.

Worse still, concentration and confidence would be mislaid and panic would set in under pressure. All of this would miraculously come flooding back when Ashbee returned to scuttle around the midfield. His focus on the hard, unglamorous work meant that despite Ashbee's astonishing achievements, he was still sometimes under-appreciated by the less discerning among the Tigers following. Often, it has to be said, these were the Johnny-come-latelys who were baffled by City's failure to win the European Cup straight after promotion to the Premier League and who lacked the diehards' grounding in watching players who genuinely were not up to professional standard.

The majority of Hull fans sense in Ashbee's departure the final curtain coming down on the club's most successful ever era and have reacted emotionally to his being nudged out of the door. But based on cold calculation his move to Preston makes sense for all concerned. At 34 and with his injury record, there cannot be many miles left on the clock. He was also on an inflated contract awarded during the Premier League spell, although that should be offset against the rather more modest ones he was on for most of his time at the club. This was due to expire in the summer and was not going to be renewed by City in the midst of their rebuilding under new management and ownership. Preston, by contrast, offered an attractive 18-month deal and will get an experienced, if slightly battered, leader who is probably the best bet available to drag them out of the relegation zone.

Legend has become a cliched, overused word in football but for his part in leading a moribund club with a history of failure on an unprecedented rise from the bottom division to the top flight, overcoming some horrific injuries along the way, it seems fair comment in the case of Ian Ashbee. His modest technical skills when compared with Raich Carter or Ken Wagstaff mean that it has never sounded right to describe Ashbee as Hull City's best ever player. But it is hard to argue with calling him the greatest in terms of achievement and influence.

Now that Ashbee has left town, the only trace of recognition is the Ashbee Burger on the menu in the Weir Bar, a well-known footballers' haunt in a smart suburb of Hull and the venue for most of the usual tales of their misbehaviour (real and imagined, invariably involving Jimmy Bullard). Fine and filling meal though it is, it seems an inadequate tribute. Some people are talking seriously about a statue. Time to start sculpting, I reckon. Paul KnottSee more

This is a cut and paste and the words are not my own. But I fully support and endorse every word.
Strange really, I was never a big Ashbee fan.

 

Not sure about the statue bit though.

 

I think that sums things up rather nicely. Where'd you cut it from then?

I think a statue would be a good idea too. He's the equivalent to us of other teams with statues legend wise.

 

I disagree Deano deserves a statue before Ashbee does! He has done more for the club than Ashbee has, even so living people very rarely get a statue!

 

Deano is, and I suspect always will be, my favourite City player, but I still think Ash is more deserving of legend status due to being here all through the bad times and being so instrumental in the good times. I was gonna suggest maybe a setting with them both in, but the more I think about that, the scarier it becomes in my head.

 

How have you come to that decision.

 

I'd forgotten we were a moribund club!!

 

I saw this on When Saturday Comes, hopefully meaning it'll be published in the latest issue. Agree with every word, Ash has to go down as a legend, not just of our club but of the game itself - no other player has ever captained the same team in all divisions and I doubt that any one else ever will. I hope he gets the reception he deserves on Saturday.

 

Ash v Deano is not a contest

Both have done things for this club in very differing ways.

What bugs me about Ashbee is that the club supported him through both his long term injuries, gave him a further year on his contract after relegation and he still put in a transfer request half way through the season in order to get a further year (18 months in total) somewhere else...not exactly what one would call loyalty is it.

I know he is thinking of himself as many would but he was not thinking of the club was he.....HE SHOWED NO LOYALTY LIKE THE CLUB DID HIM THROUGH INJURIES

All in all, Ash did what many would do under those circumstances but a statue for god sake...get real, he was a footballer who earned an awful lot of money in the past 3 years and was simply doing his chosen job....

Deano, well that volley for me is more deserving...and would make a beter statue all be it a rather ugly one.

Adam Pearson is more deserving, he has shown as much loyalty to this club if not more than any player.

UTT

 

Its not hard is it really......

A captain who fair enough gave us excellent service, but one that we offered a new deal to on a lot of money in comparison to other and stuck with him through injury, he then jumped ship as soon as he was in and out of the team and the new manager didnt like him, why not show us some loyalty?

Or

The striker which first time round at the club saved us from administration and by his own admission was forced out and didnt want to leave. Then he was asked to re-join his home town club which he refered to as a 'joy' to do so. Then first season back his goals saved us from relegation. Second season he fired us toward the playoffs along with others i know. But once their he banged in THAT volley which was not only outstanding skill but under that pressure was superb. He then sticks with us when out of the team in the premiership and comes off the bench and becomes the premier leagues oldest ever scorer. He is still seen round the club today and shows his love for it.

Not really hard to come up with really is it?

 

dont get me wrong however I do love Ash he is a hero for the service he has provided i just think a statue is too far. I hope he gets the welcome he deserves also.

 

If he'd of stuck out this season then he would of been a city legend, but the way he left has kind of damaged that.

 

I'd like to see a statue that commemorates our greatest moment ie. Wembley.

You could have a statue of that iconic moment at the match where Deano and Nicky were sat cuddling each other like a couple of TurdJockeys.

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Maybe you could also have Ash stood behind lifting the Trophy:

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Now THAT would be a cool statue to have outside the KC main entrance.

(You might have to change it so that they are smiling - miserable sods!!)

 

I agree with all of this.

 

Don't think Deano went that gracefully when he could not get a game in the Prem. Think when you have a very short time left you do have to think about yourself a bit and both have.

At the end of the day your captain is your figurehead and is there to lead by example. Ashbee stood up to all in his time at City but his time ran out and he knew it. Lets remember where we where when he joined and where we have been since.

To say One mans goals saved us and one goal got us promoted takes it away from all the others who contributed.

At the end of the day it has to be length of service and success in that time.

Dean Windass was a joy for us and love him to bits as he is a Hull lad who cares about the club and City he is from. But for me Ash is ahead.

 

My god you have nailed to solution. Buy into this. Agree with the not smiling bit. Looks like a scene from "Last of the summer Wine".

 

Ian Ashbee 246 appearances for Hull City

Dean Windass 236 appearances for Hull City

Not much differeance to say one offeres better service? You dont have to be a captain to be an inspirational person or leader? You wouldnt captain Rooney but i would say he inspires his team mates by his pure passion to win and work his arse off

 

I think it is important for our Club Culture, for the generations that follow, that links are retained with the past.

I'd like to see statues that commemorate MASSIVE achievement like the first time in the Top Flite (as above) and for Loyal Servants to the Club ie. Jock Davidson, Gareth Roberts , Waggy and Chillo.
There should also be a place for a Hall of Fame / Museum somewhere, maybe next door to the Club Shop where Old pictures/ Memorabilia etc etc can be maintained as a formal History of the Club.

If we are going to go ahead with this "Big Club" thing by having a 38,000 seater stadium we need to act like a Big Club.

Mind you we could start by dumping the crass reading out of the Match Attendance figure and sacking that nob Jordan and his Embarrassing "This Is The KC Stadium" and "West" "South" & "East Stand" shyte!!

 

Ashbee knew he wasn't going to get a new deal here though so why would you want to stay somewhere where your not wanted? And about THAT goal, would we have actually been at wembely at all if Ashbee's goal against yavil didn't get us promoted? In fact if we are going to talk about who deserves a statue I think we should build a trio of Ashbee, Deano and Barmby. 3 players who have been here for years and have seen us through thick and thin.