Ian Ashbee

{{Infobox Football biography | playername = Ian Ashbee | image = | fullname = Ian Ashbee | dateofbirth = (1976-09-06) 6 September 1976 | cityofbirth = Birmingham | countryofbirth = England | height = 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Hull City | clubnumber = 4 | youthyears = | youthclubs = | years = 1994–1996
1996
1996–2002
2002– | clubs = Derby County
→ [[ÍR|Íþróttafélag Reykjavíkur (loan)
Cambridge United
Hull City | caps(goals) = 001 0(0)
008 0(3)
204 (11)
224 0(9) | pcupdate = 21:47, 13 May 2009 (UTC) | ntupdate = }} Ian Ashbee (born 6 September 1976 in Birmingham) is an English professional footballer currently playing for Hull City. He previously played for Derby County and Cambridge United, and has also played in Iceland, on loan to IR Knattspyrnudeild.

Purchased by manager Jan Mølby in June 2002 in League Two he suffered a nightmare start to his Hull career as he was sent off on his debut. This was, however, due to his no-nonsense approach on the pitch and he soon became a firm favourite with Tigers fans and management alike, with both Mølby and Peter Taylor making him Captain.

The goal he scored against Yeovil Town was the goal that promoted Hull to League One and he was also instrumental in the Tigers' successful promotion campaign to the Football League Championship in the following season.

Ashbee was, however, cursed by an old injury in the subsequent Championship campaign, being diagnosed with an osteochondral defect, a degenerative bone condition in his femur. He underwent surgery that involved drilling fourteen holes in the bone to stimulate re-growth. He was warned by his doctor that this injury threatened not just his career, but his ability to even walk. Ashbee was on crutches for four months and was ruled out for the majority of the 2005-06 season, nevertheless he remained a favourite amongst many Tigers fans, receiving a standing ovation at the last game of the season against Watford despite being sidelined.

He was also retained as captain by Hull City's next manager, Phil Parkinson, and his replacement, Phil Brown. But with a poor team performance in their second season in The Championship, finishing just one place outside the relegation zone, Ashbee as captain received a large share of fans' criticisms that were aimed at the team, despite the outgoing Chairman Adam Pearson suggesting him as a potential Player of the Season.

The 2007-08 season saw vastly improved performances from the team as a whole, culminating in the club reaching its first ever Wembley final, taking on Bristol City for a place in The Premier League, a game which they won 1-0. This means that Ashbee has captained City to promotion from the bottom division of the Football League to the top. Andy Dawson, Boaz Myhill and Ryan France are the other players to have helped take Hull up through the four divisions. On 16 August 2008 Ashbee was captain of the Hull City side that won its first ever top-flight game 2–1 against Fulham, completing an achievement thought to be unique in English football: captaining the same team in all four divisions of the Football League, bottom to top. He has proved to be an outstanding player and captain as the Tigers have confounded critics and bookies by making a superb start to the season. Most notable of a number of outstanding performances being the victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, only West Ham having previously managed a victory over the Gunners at the stadium since the Gunners moved there.

Honours

• Division 3 (IV): Runner-up 1999, 2004
• Football League Trophy: Runner-up 2002
• Football League One (III): Runner-up 2005
• Football League Championship (II): Playoffs 2008
• Football League only player to captain same team in all english football leagues

External links

• Ian Ashbee profile on Hull City official website
• Ian Ashbee at Soccerbase