Bullard missed 16 months of football after sustaining an horrific knee injury while with Fulham in 2006 and, having completed a £5million move to Hull in January, he is now on the sidelines again.

He played just 37 minutes for the Tigers before going down with another knee injury and he has been referred to American doctor Richard Steadman for a reconstruction, ruling him out for the season.

While Hodgson revealed the club had no reason to believe Bullard was at risk of further injury when they sold him, he conceded that the midfielder's age and medical history did give pause for thought when it came to contract talks.

Bullard wanted the security of an improved four-year deal but the Cottagers were wary of offering that length of contract.

"The truthful answer is it (his knee) was a consideration," said Hodgson, whose side host West Brom on Sunday.

"I don't think it was a major consideration to be fair because I think when Jimmy came back from his previous injury he played in virtually every game afterwards.

"In that respect we had no reason to doubt his knee. We couldn't say 'we're not giving Jimmy a new contract because he has a bad knee', that wasn't the case at all.

"But, of course, if you are looking at a player - and this applies to any player who has had a very serious knee injury and has been out for a long period - and thinking about a contract lasting three or four years, it would be dishonest to say that doesn't become a consideration.

"Certainly we didn't know about about this. When I heard he was going to America for an operation it took me totally by surprise.

"But if we hadn't given it a thought we wouldn't be doing our job. We're not talking about a 22-year-old here, it's a player who's 31 this year. In four years he'll be 35 anyway. Four-year contracts when you're 31 will be put under the microscope."

He added: "If there are suggestions that we knew about it then we didn't, but I can't say when you are dealing with a potential four-year contract and a 31-year-old that you don't take it into account that he's had a serious knee problem."

Hull have been criticised in some quarters for breaking the bank to sign Bullard when his medical revealed a torn meniscus, but Hodgson has defended the club.

He believes that Hull were aware of the risks involved when they decided to move for Bullard and even claims Phil Brown got a bargain price for a player who was starting to gain recognition from England boss Fabio Capello.

"All signings and sellings of players are balancing acts," said Hodgson.

"If a scan shows a bit of this or a bit of that the question is how manageable is it? Is it going to be a deal breaker? It's the same with every player," he added.

"He mentioned it (before he left). He said he felt something with his knee. That's not unusual though.

"When Hull took him they knew they would have to manage the knee. They knew they weren't signing someone who was 22 and never had an injury.

"I actually think the think they got him cheaply. I think £5million for a player of Jimmy's stature was, if anything, cheap rather than expensive."

Hodgson also backed Bullard to make another brave fightback from the treatment room, waving away suggestions that the player's career could be in question.

"I don't have any doubt that the man I know is strong enough to come back. His passion and his love of football is so great that I can't imagine him throwing the towel in.

"No doubt he'll be back and the sooner the better."

ends