"It never seemed to ease up. The manager gave me until the morning of the game but I just knew that I wasn't well enough," he told the Bristol Evening Post.
"It was in the best interests of the team. If I had played, it would have just been for selfish reasons. I wasn't anywhere near fit.
"This would have been the biggest game of my life and it meant so much. I tried to think of it as 'If we win, it doesn't really matter'. But to lose is a double blow."
Dean Windass' volleyed goal gave Hull a 1-0 win and earned the Tigers a place in the Premier League.