Hull City broke their transfer record to sign shaggy-haired central midfielder Jimmy Bullard from Premier League rivals Fulham on Friday.

Bullard, who broke into Fabio Capello's England [Images] squad this season, joined for a fee of 5 million pounds, the northern club said on their website (www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk).

Hull have suffered a dip in form over the last two months after making a superb start to their first campaign in England's top division and manager Phil Brown said Bullard would help steady the ship.

"We're trying to improve a squad that has been competing in the Premier League and that just needed a bit of bolstering," Brown said. "Jimmy is a good player, end of story."

Bullard, well-known for his industrious midfield play and his delivery from set pieces, was called up by Capello in August but is yet to win an international cap.

He joined Fulham in 2006 from Wigan Athletic but suffered a career-threatening knee injury weeks later and only returned to first-team action last January, playing a major role in keeping Fulham in the top flight.