Hull City skipper Ian Ashbee expects Dean Windass to have a major say on their survival prospects this season.

Ashbee, who has played for the East Yorkshire club throughout three promotion-winning campaigns, realises they will be among the favourites for relegation but believes the locally-born former Bradford frontman can help them defy the odds.

"We've got Dean Windass, haven't we?" said Ashbee. "He's the man. He's been there before. He's been around the block a few times.

"But when you've got him in your side, you've always got a chance. The gaffer has brought quality in as well."

Speaking in Sunderland at the north-east launch of the Premier League's 'Get On With The Game' programme, Ashbee insisted age will not be a barrier to Windass on his return to the top flight.

"The gaffer has tried to give him days off and he won't have them," said Ashbee.

"He works hard - he's never been the quickest so he's not lost his legs in that respect - and he sets standards in our football club.

"It would be typical of him to score the opening goal. People say at Wembley it was written in the gods that he would score and he went and did it.

"In the previous year he scored a goal at Cardiff that kept us in the Championship. It's probably going to be him who is going to score on Saturday."