Hull City legend Dean Windass tells graduates 'live your dream'

Dean Windass tells graduates to 'live your dream'

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University of Hull/Mike Park Former footballer Dean Windass was awarded an honorary degree for his contribution to sport

Former Premier League footballer Dean Windass has told new graduates to "go live your dream" after he received an honorary degree from the University of Hull. The former Hull City, Bradford City, Aberdeen and Middlesbrough forward was awarded for his significant contribution to the field of sport. In a speech at the Connexin Live arena in Hull, Windass, who revealed earlier this year that he has stage two dementia, said: "I've been called a lot of things in my life but not a doctor. Wow." The 56-year-old is one of three people being recognised by the university, including broadcaster and self-described "eco-futurist" Alan Raw and motivational speaker Jaz Ampaw-Farr.

Windass played for 12 clubs during a professional career spanning 19 years. Following the news of his dementia diagnosis, he revealed in May he had also been diagnosed with ADHD. Windass was part of the Bradford City side promoted to the Premier League in 1999 and wrote his name into Hull City folklore with a wonder goal in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in 2008, which saw Hull City promoted to the top flight for the first time in its then 104-year history. He also had stints at Aberdeen, Oxford, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United during a career that saw him amass more than 700 appearances and more than 230 goals.

Reuters Windass scored the winning goal for Hull City in the 2008 Championship play-off final

During his acceptance speech for his Doctor of Letters (DLitt) award on Wednesday, Windass told students graduating at the university he had an "incredible journey" from being initially rejected by Hull City at the age of 18 to proving his critics "wrong". "Ironically, I got my break just before my 21st birthday with a manager called Terry Dolan at Hull City and he gave me that chance. "I worked on a building site while playing non-league football and then I didn't want to go back to that building site. That's what spurred me on." He told students and academics in the arena to "go live your dream" and said hard work, sacrifice and daily attendance were among the qualities for success as well as trying "your hardest" and respecting others. "Yes it's been a journey, yes it's been tough but I would never change anything in my football career. "All I tried to do in my football career was to prove people wrong. I've made mistakes of course, we all do but I own my mistakes."

Windass said his family and friends had stood by him especially during his dementia diagnosis

Thanking his family and friends, he gave a special mention to his fiancée Kerry Allanson, who Windass said had stood by him through his dementia diagnoses. "She's been my rock for the last six years. I've let her down a couple of times but we're getting married next year." "I'll prove to my fiancée that I'll be a very good husband," he added.

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