London  - Hull City's hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a blow on Tuesday when the club confirmed that midfielder Jimmy Bullard will have surgery on his knee.

The 30-year-old, who joined the club from Fulham in the January transfer window, has suffered a tear to the cartilage.

"Jimmy Bullard will be having an arthroscopy on Wednesday to deal with a small tear in his cartilage," a statement on the club website said.

"Hull City agree with Jimmy that the best man to perform this procedure is the surgeon who dealt with his knee injury while he was playing for Fulham.

"Jimmy will therefore be going to Denver, where the surgeon is based, for this treatment."

Bullard didn't play at all in 2007 after tearing a cruciate ligament playing for Fulham at Newcastle United in September 2006.

Although Hull lie 12th in the table, they are only six points clear of the relegation zone and have not won in nine league matches. (dpa)