In what was described as "a win-win situation" by manager Phil Brown, Anthony became the Tigers' seventh close season signing as we prepared for our inaugural top-flight campaign.

The England international defender originally arrived at the KC Stadium from Tottenham Hotspur on a loan deal until January.

However, having quickly settled into his new surroundings, two days before our Premier League debut, Anthony agreed a permanent move to the Tigers for a new club record fee of £2.5million in a three-year deal.

A former English Schools sprinter who stands at a strapping 6ft 5ins, although his height is perfectly suited to the centre-back role, his speed allied with his ability on the ball as often seen him employed at left-back.

Initially a centre-forward or left-winger, Anthony started his career at Port Vale and made his debut against Sheffield United in October 1998.

Current City assistant manager Brian Horton subsequently became his boss at Vale Park and it was after 44 appearances for Vale that he earned his £1million move to Spurs in January 2000 when he was considered the long-term replacement for Sol Campbell.

Anthony had to wait until March 2001 for his Tottenham debut against Derby County while injuries restricted him to just 40 outings in his first three seasons at White Hart Lane.

The majority came in the 2003-04 - a momentous season in his burgeoning career.

Already capped at Under-21 level, Anthony received his first call-up to the senior squad from Sven-Goran Eriksson for the friendly against Denmark in November 2003.

He was also in the squad for the following March's game against Sweden in Gothenburg, and this time won his first senior cap when he replaced John Terry at half-time.

It remains his only England senior outing to date.

The 2004-05 season was hampered by a series of niggling injuries but the 2005-06 campaign saw Anthony strike up a strong centre-back paring with Michael Dawson (of course, the brother of long-serving Tiger Andy Dawson).

His Spurs injury jinx was to strike again in 2006-07 when, during the FA Cup quarter-final with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, he fell awkwardly and fractured his fibula.

Anthony returned for the start of the 2007-08 but was soon to be sidelined again by an ankle problem.

Unable to force his way back into the White Hart Lane reckoning following the appointment of new manager Juande Ramos, Anthony went out on loan to Everton during the January Transfer Window but failed to make a senior appearance for the Toffees.

Through the highs and lows of his career, Anthony has benefited from the support of a sporting family.

His mother was a Staffordshire County champion sprinter who competed a national level. His father had trials with Leeds United while he played in the same Port Vale as cousin Carl who has since played university football in the USA.

In openly admitting he had a point to prove, Anthony believed his move to the Tigers would provide the perfect opportunity after his initial meeting chairman Paul Duffen: "He told me what was expected of the club this year and about the buzz which is around the city.

"He asked me whether I wanted to be a part of that. I thought about what is happening in my career and about the opportunity of coming to Hull City to play some football.

"I made the decision to come here."

Injury curtailed his involvement early on and his season came to a premature end when X-rays showed he fractured four vertebrae at the base of his spine in the FA Cup Quarter Final tie at Arsenal.

However, determined to put questions about his fitness to one side, Gardner made a strong start to the 09/10 season although a subsequent two-month absence with a knee injury raised a few doubts.

He returned fitter than ever but he was unable to do anything about the alarming number of goals the Tigers were conceding. Still, City were well within reach of survival when Gardner suffered ankle ligament damage in a February defeat at West Ham. It was a blow to all concerned and by the time he returned in late April, City were fighting a losing battle.