The game again highlighted Bullard's wonderful character

Richard Steadman. It was originally expected that he would only be out for nine months, but that soon stretched to 13 months. It would be 16 months before he would pull on a first team shirt for Fulham.It is no coincidence that Fulham's precarious position around the relegation zone in 2007-08 was rectified by Roy Hodgson's ability to play Bullard in the second half of the season, and it was fitting that it would be Bullard's cross to Danny Murphy to score against Portsmouth that would keep Fulham a Premier League club for another season.The next season, Fulham was performing very well, but because Bullard's contract was nearing completion with only 16 months left, he entered negotiations with Hodgson and the Fulham management team.Bullard felt that Fulham weren't offering him the contract he deserved after the successful second half of the season in which he had helped Fulham survive.Bullard said of the impasse with Fulham:"I had sixteen months left on my contract, which to meI've been out sixteen months, I know it isn't a long timeand I wasn't willing to play with sixteen months... with one year left on my contract, and I did tell them that, I made that clear, even though I am under contract. "Also I didn't feel I had the backing from the club, so I felt like it was time to move on. I felt like Fulham didn't want me and it was as simple as that really. I was in talks with Fulham over a contract and I was told I'm not getting a new contract and I can leave in January. "So for a player to be told that was quite harsh, you know, and I came up to speak to Hull and it was totally different, and it sort of made it a lot easier for me.

The signing of Bullard for 5,000,000 by the Tigers was a club record, and a huge risk for an injury prone 31-year-old player.Unfortunately, Bullard was injured after only 37 minutes in his Hull City debut, and even though he had started well, his Hull City tenure came crashing to his feet as he had a reoccurance of his right knee injury. The initial feeling was that it could be less severe than his last serious knee injury, but after consultation with Dr. Steadman, it was learned that he would need more surgery on his knee and be out for an extended period yet again.Bullard returned to the Hull City ranks in the reserves with an outing against the Bolton Wanderers the next season, scoring a thunderous long-range effort a few days before making his long awaited return for the Tigers. His inspirational form was the catalyst in the 2-1 victory over Stoke City, with him having a hand in both of the Tigers' goals. The club'sresurgence, and Bullard's, seemed complete as the Tigers earned a well deserved draw against Mark Hughes' team of multi-millionaires, with Bullard scoring from the penalty kick to tie the game.The game again highlighted Bullard's wonderful character. In a return to the scene of one of one of the media's much hyped Phil Brown gaffes, Bullard, with the help of his teammates Stephen Hunt and Paul McShane, set out to satire the on-field half-time team talk that was a media lead monkey on the back of Phil Brown. His hijinks were a cathartic exercise for the club that had struggled greatly since the last time they played at Eastlands.Brian Horton, the Hull City assistant manager, told Sky Sports,"You never want to praise one player because it's a team game but he's an infectious lad.

He's crackers at times, but he's so lively around the place and I really do think he's taken us to the next level on the training pitch."Bullard's fine performances, and his hand in Hull City's climb out of the relegation zone, won him the Barclays Premiership Player of the Month Award for November 2009.Unfortunately, the next game was to be a return to old ways in more ways than one. After much treatment from the Hull City physiotherapist Simon Maltby, he attempted to run the injury off but needed to be helped off the field with tears in his eyes.Bullard is alleged to have said, "It's fecked", as he passed the Hull City bench.This recent injury is very unlucky, but luckily it is not his right knee, which has had two extensive repairs in the past, but a new injury to his left knee. Phil Brown on the Hull City's official website said,"Jimmy automatically saw the downside because of the effect the last 12 months have had on him. The fact that he came off thinking he was going to need an operation straightaway is testimony to that."The club, with the team's doctors, has discovered that his new injury is a medial ligament sprain.