AARON Mclean has warned his Hull City team-mates they face a stiff examination of their automatic promotion hopes at Ipswich Town this afternoon.
Mclean has been part of Mick McCarthy's Portman Road revival since he was allowed to leave the Tigers on loan for the rest of the season in January.
The last three months have witnessed an upturn in fortunes for Ipswich and, having pulled six points clear of the relegation zone with a fifth game unbeaten last weekend, just one more win would almost guarantee Championship football for 2013-14.
Mclean is ineligible to feature against his parent club in today's all-important fixture, but is acutely aware of the tricky task facing Steve Bruce's side.
"It's a team first and foremost that stays solid," Mclean told the Mail.
"Mick McCarthy has drummed it into the players to have a solid base and that makes them very hard to break down.
"Everyone is willing to work hard and that starts with defending from the front. With each game the lads are getting more and more confident too.
"They were probably a little worried before in the way they'd approach games, but they have rocketed up the table and that breeds confidence.
"If you look at the form table since the manager took over in November Ipswich would be up in fourth. The form speaks for itself."
Ipswich have made a brilliant recovery since the bleak final weeks of Paul Jewell's reign saw them lose 2-1 at the KC Stadium on October 20.
Nick Proschwitz's brace proved to be the penultimate fixture of Jewell's tenure, but McCarthy's appointment a week later triggered the turnaround.
Despite taking just seven points from their first 13 games of the season, Ipswich have dragged themselves off the bottom of the Championship with a gradual ascent up to 16th.
Mclean has not played the lead role he would have wished for when leaving the Tigers, making just four starts and scoring one goal, but he has been reluctant to give his Ipswich team-mates a helping hand this week.
"They know I'm still a Hull player and respect that, so they haven't been asking too many questions," he explained. "But they know Hull are second in the league for a reason and know all about their strengths.
"Hull are one of the best teams in the league and I imagine the lads here are very clear how hard the challenge will be.
"I'm expecting an entertaining game between two good sides."
On his remaining hopes for the Tigers this season, Mclean added: "All my friends are still there so it's brilliant to see them doing so well.
"Provided they can continue what they've been doing all season, I've got every confidence they'll win promotion."
City's fate will be monitored closely by Mclean as he faces a potential return to the KC this summer.
One more year is left on a three-and-a-half-year contract signed upon his £1.3m move from Peterborough, but manager Steve Bruce has admitted City will be open to offers this summer.
Mclean said: "I'm not too sure what will happen. I'll get this season out of the way and speak with the manager and my agent in the summer.
"I've still got another year left on my contract but I want to be playing football. Every player wants to be playing regular football and that's the same at any club.
"I'm not worrying about it yet. I'm at a great club but if something comes up, we'd have to consider things."
