Hull City icon Dean Windass has issued a heartbreaking public appeal to his son Josh on his 32nd birthday
Hull City legend Dean Windass has made a heartfelt plea to his son Josh on his 32nd birthday, expressing his regret over their lack of communication. Dean took to social media ahead of Wrexham’s FA Cup match against Nottingham Forest to wish Red Dragons forward Josh luck.
However, he also used the opportunity to make an emotional appeal for contact. Posting on X, he wrote: “Just want to wish my Josh happy 32nd birthday. Gd luck tonight against Nottingham Forest in the FA cup from a very proud DAD. Miss yeh. Life’s too short Josh, this is breaking my heart. Please get in touch.”
Josh is set to play for Wrexham as they face Premier League team Forest, with the Red Dragons aiming for another memorable cup upset. Dean, 56, is a beloved figure at Hull, having scored one of the club’s most famous goals in the 2008 Championship play-off final at Wembley.
Since retiring, Dean has remained a well-liked personality in football, often appearing on TV as a pundit and speaking openly about his life post-football. Last January, it was revealed that the former Premier League striker had been diagnosed with dementia, a condition he has since confessed scares him.
However, it was later discovered that Josh was unaware of his father’s diagnosis until a Sheffield Wednesday teammate casually mentioned it to him.
Speaking to The Sun back in March 2025, Josh revealed: “I found out in a coffee shop. Max [Lowe] said, ‘Sorry to hear about your dad’s dementia’ and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s news to me.'”
At the time, Josh suggested their contact wasn’t frequent, mentioning he spoke “sometimes” to his brother, who was monitoring Dean’s condition. He also noted that despite the diagnosis, his dad still recognised his name and was “sound”.
Since then, Dean has emerged as a prominent campaigner for dementia awareness and the risks associated with heading footballs, candidly discussing the emotional impact the illness has had on him. Josh, on the other hand, is concentrating on his playing career at Wrexham following his move to the ambitious Welsh side last summer.
The ex-Sheffield Wednesday and Rangers striker has proved crucial as Wrexham aim to cement their place in the Championship, notching seven goals and four assists since arriving. Talk about his future surfaced in December, with reports linking him to Rangers, where Josh previously spent two successful seasons in Scotland.
Dean himself seemed to hint at those rumours through a cryptic post on social media, showing he remains closely invested in his son’s footballing journey. Despite their difficult relationship, Dean has previously spoken about the immense pride he experienced watching Josh turn out for the Glasgow club, recalling emotional scenes at Ibrox that moved him to tears.
He said: “When I first went to watch him at Glasgow Rangers I was the proudest man. People say when I scored the goal at Wembley that my dad was the proudest man in Hull. I went, ‘Yeah whatever’. I realise now. My dad’s not here anymore.
“I think it was the Aberdeen game when they played at Ibrox. When I went there and they started singing Penny Arcade and that…I’m a cry baby, me, and I had tears in my eyes.
“Watching my son walking out for one of the biggest clubs in the country, with the best fanbase that you’ll probably ever meet in your life – I was so proud.”