Ashbee was laid low by a career-threatening rare degenerative bone condition in August 2005 which left him stranded on the sidelines and facing an uncertain future.

The 32-year-old midfielder then embarked on a painstaking recovery and returned to action just over a year later. Now he has his sights set on becoming the first player to captain the same club in all four divisions in English football.

When the Tigers face Bristol City in the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final tomorrow for a place in the Barclays Premier League it will be a hugely significant moment for Ashbee after overcoming his own injury hell.

"I'll be immensely proud to lead the team out at Wembley," said Ashbee, who joined Hull from Cambridge United in 2002 and has clocked up over 200 appearances for the club.

"Some people don't get the chance to do that and I've got the chance now to hopefully lead Hull into the Premier League.

"I think it means more to me because of what I've gone through. I might not have been walking again, never mind playing football again, and now two years later I may lead the team out at Wembley. It means a great deal to me and I've got a lot of people to thank for that."

On the severity of his injury, Ashbee added: "I felt it maybe a year before, but it was just like a niggling knee injury and it wasn't stopping me playing games.

"As it went on the bone eroded away even more. I didn't think it was going to be as drastic as what it was. I thought maybe a clean-up and a couple of months out, but when they drilled the 14 holes in my knee it was a different story and I was going to be out for over a year.

"I think a lot of players have had to retire from this injury."

Ashbee's steely determination has helped him battle back from the brink of retirement and is now more evident than ever as Hull bid to reach the top flight for the first time in the club's 104-year history.

"I've been here six years and enjoyed two promotions and live among the fans so I know exactly what this means to everybody," added Ashbee.

"Hull is close to my heart with me being here so long and I've been looked after by the club and hopefully I'm paying bits back.

"I'm confident we can win, you have got to be confident.

"We've been confident going into every game we've played this season. This game is a little bit different, but we've got to be confident. We've got to respect Bristol City but we won't fear them.

"Once the glamorous side of the game is stripped away it's 90 minutes of football for us."

Ashbee also feels gaining promotion via the play-offs is the best way to go up, saying: "My best friend Gavin Mahon was at Watford when they did it [a 3-0 win over Leeds in May 2006] and I think they finished sixth that year.

"He said it was a brilliant day and the best way to go up. Hopefully we can do the same on Saturday now."