Hull defender Michael Dawson admits he did not expect to be involved in a relegation battle when he signed for the club.
Dawson joined the Tigers in August, ending his long association with Tottenham, and saw enough quality in manager Steve Bruce's squad to predict a season of mid-table security.
That has not transpired, with Hull sitting just a point above the bottom three after 25 games.
Having spent most of his Spurs career chasing European football, that has been a shock to the system for Dawson, who has nevertheless impressed enough to inherit the captain's armband.
"It's all been a new challenge for me," Dawson told the club's official website.
"It has been a different experience being down near the bottom of the division, but I'm here to fight for the team.
"When I came here, I believed the squad that we had would be fighting in the middle of the table rather than against relegation, but as long as we stick together and fight for one another I believe this squad is good enough to climb this table.
"It's no good talking about it though. We have to physically do it and get enough points on the board to get us to safety."
Saturday's home clash with fellow strugglers QPR represents a big chance to record successive Barclays Premier League wins for the first time this term, and Dawson realises the importance of the tie.
"We're very much looking forward to it and hopefully we can put together back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season," he said.
"It's a big game. There are lots of teams in and around us in the table and it's a very tight division.
"It's all about winning our home games. Earlier in the season that is something we weren't really doing, certainly against the teams in and around us, and that makes this Saturday a big game.
"At this moment in time, it's all about winning. How that happens doesn't matter, it's all about winning."