WHUFC.com
An ankle injury has brought Dean Ashton's career to a premature end at the
age of just 26
11.12.2009
West Ham United regret to announce that Dean Ashton has been forced to
retire from professional football through injury. Following independent
medical advice, the 26-year-old England striker has reluctantly brought an
end to his career due to a long-term ankle problem initially suffered in
training with the national team in August 2006. Despite undergoing surgical
procedures and intensive rehabilitation, Ashton has been left frustrated in
his considerable and sustained efforts to return to full fitness. With
warnings about his long-term mobility, he has been left with no option but
to retire. The club has been meeting with Ashton and his representatives
regularly in recent weeks with the main concern being his long-term future.
West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said: "This is a sad day and our thoughts
are with Dean. I would like to place on record our thanks to him for all his
efforts and wish him the very best. I would also like to thank the fans for
their patience and understanding during what has been a difficult time."
Prior to arriving at West Ham, the Swindon-born player had come through the
ranks at another famous footballing Academy at Crewe Alexandra, making his
debut as a 17-year-old in October 2000. After scoring 74 goals in 177 games,
Ashton moved to then Premier League side Norwich City in January 2005,
scoring 18 times in 46 matches for the Canaries. Ashton joined the Hammers
from Norwich on 22 January 2006 for a then club-record £7.25m fee. The
forward's first half-season at the Boleyn Ground was hugely promising, with
the 22-year-old bagging six goals in 16 league and cup appearances,
including two in an FA Cup quarter-final win over Manchester City that paved
the Hammers way to the Millennium Stadium. In the final itself, Ashton was
in form again, scoring once in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool before
the Reds triumphed in a penalty shoot-out. After narrowly missing out on a
place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, Ashton was named
in new England manager Steve McClaren's first squad for a friendly against
Greece at Old Trafford in August 2006.
As Ashton, a former Under-21 international, prepared for his senior England
debut, disaster struck when he suffered a badly broken ankle in training.
The injury caused the striker to miss the whole 2006/07 season and, although
he returned to make 35 appearances and score eleven goals in 2007/08 and
make his England debut in Trinidad and Tobago on 1 June 2008, the pain and
discomfort in Ashton's ankle caused by the injury, never completely went
away.
After beginning 2008/09 with a prolific pre-season and two goals in the
opening-day victory over Wigan Athletic, Ashton was again forced to the
sidelines just four matches into the new Barclays Premier League campaign on
15 September 2008. Again, it was his troublesome ankle that caused his
absence and, finally and unfortunately, his retirement.
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Parker looking forward
WHUFC.com
Scott Parker is optimistic that West Ham United can leave Birmingham City
with a result
11.12.2009
Scott Parker wants West Ham United to show what they are capable of in
Saturday's game with Birmingham City The Hammers have shown their true
potential only sporadically of late and find themselves on a run of form of
two wins, three draws and two defeats in their last seven matches. Parker is
determined that he and his team-mates now up the ante at St. Andrews and
show that they can reach the heights on a consistent basis. "At the moment
it's hard for us, it's clear to see. We've got key players out, which hasn't
helped, so the sooner we can get players back the better. But that isn't
making excuses, we've got the quality to beat the teams we need to be
beating and that starts this weekend."
Although Parker was frustrated at losing to Manchester United last time out,
the November SBOBET Player of the Month is now only looking ahead to the
trips to Birmingham on Saturday and Bolton Wanderers three days later.
"We've let in some sloppy goals lately but we've just got to look at this
weekend's game now. If you get something out of Man United then it's a bonus
but we've got to look at Birmingham and Bolton away as they're big games
that we've got to win." "This weekend is crucial so we need to prepare
properly and give it a go."
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West Ham striker Dean Ashton retires because of injury
BBC.co.uk
Ashton injured his ankle while training with England in August 2006. West
Ham's former England striker Dean Ashton has announced his retirement at the
age of 26 after failing to recover from a long-term ankle injury. Ashton
broke his left ankle while training with England in August 2006, ahead of a
friendly with Greece. He underwent several operations but was unable to
return to full fitness and has followed medical advice to retire. West Ham
chief executive Scott Duxbury told the club's website: "This is a sad day
and our thoughts are with Dean."
ASHTON'S CLUB CAREER
Season, club, league apps, goals
2000-05 Crewe 159 (61)
2005-06 Norwich 44 (17)
2006-09 West Ham 46 (15)
Ashton scored 19 goals in 56 appearances for the Hammers after joining them
from Norwich in a £7.25m move in January 2006. The former Crewe striker
earned an England call-up for the friendly with Greece in August 2006, but
he broke his ankle in training for that game and missed the whole of the
2006-07 season. He returned to play 35 games in 2007-08 and made his England
debut under Fabio Capello in June 2008 when he faced Trinidad & Tobago - his
only appearance for the national side. Ashton signed a new five-year
contract at Upton Park that summer but sprained his ankle in training
September 2008 and did not play competitively again. He made several
attempts to return but concerns that continuing his career would affect his
mobility later in life led him to decide to end his playing career. Duxbury
added: "I would like to place on record our thanks to him for all his
efforts and wish him the very best. "I would also like to thank the fans for
their patience and understanding during what has been a difficult time."
Crewe manager Dario Gradi, who gave Ashton his professional debut at the age
of 16, was not surprised by the announcement. "We'd all seen it coming for a
long time," Gradi said. "He's been injured for a while and I think that Dean
was prepared for it. "It's a shame for Dean but it's a great shame for
England. They are crying out for a big striker and that is what he is. "The
saving grace for Dean is that he has had a bit of a career and will have
made enough money not to have to work again."
Ashton's agent Darren Bossons declined to comment on reports that Ashton may
look to take legal action against Shaun Wright-Phillips, who caused the
striker's initial injury with a challenge during an England training session
in August 2006. And Professional Footballers' Association chief executive
Gordon Taylor hopes Ashton does not go down that route. Taylor said: "I hope
it doesn't come to that because nobody would think that Shaun
Wright-Phillips was a malicious player at all. "At the moment we've been
speaking to his [Ashton's] representatives and the situation is about
looking to get proper compensation without discussing any player-v-player
action."
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A career cut short
Ashton was restricted to one appearance for England
By Aimee Lewis
BBC.co.uk
Alan Curbishley, who managed Dean Ashton at West Ham, has described the
striker's retirement as a sad day for the player, his club and football. The
25-year-old decided to end his playing career after failing to recover from
a debilitating ankle injury. Curbishley told BBC Sport: "I saw enough to
show me he was going to be around the England team for some time."
Dario Gradi, his former boss at Crewe, said the West Ham player was "the
best finisher I've worked with". Ashton broke his left ankle while training
with England in August 2006 ahead of a friendly with Greece. The fixture was
meant to be the start of a glorious international career. National coach
Steve McClaren had based part of that Tuesday's training around the then
22-year-old, who was set for his international debut and had already drawn
comparisons with Alan Shearer and been lauded by World Cup winner Sir Geoff
Hurst. But halfway through the session Ashton collided with Shaun
Wright-Phillips and fell to the ground, his agonising screams bringing the
rest of the squad to a standstill. "We all looked round," recalled John
Terry, who had then just been named the new England captain. "He was on the
floor and all of a sudden everybody was rushing over."
The former Crewe and Norwich City striker spent the next 11 months
recuperating, and although he did play again - scoring 13 goals in 40
appearances for West Ham - he broke down once more in September 2008 and did
not play competitively again. In between the injuries, Ashton did manage a
solitary England cap, a 45-minute appearance against Trinidad and Tobago in
June 2008, but the player - and England manager Fabio Capello - would have
yearned for more. Curbishley certainly wished he could have called upon the
services of West Ham's £7.25m signing more frequently. On the former
Charlton manager's first day in charge at Upton Park, back in December 2006,
he was told he would be able to put Ashton's name on the teamsheet within a
month.
"As it turned out he was six months away from full fitness," recalled the
52-year-old, who had Ashton available for 39 of his 62-game tenure. "When I
got him back you could see what a player he was. He was a centre-forward in
the old tradition - big and powerful, someone who could bring players into
the game and his finishing was second to none. "In the few games I had him,
I think he scored one in three for me. It's a sad day for Dean Ashton and
everybody at West Ham. "He showed that the dream could still be there. He
started with Crewe, went to Norwich and ended up in a FA Cup final with West
Ham."
That FA Cup final will forever be remembered as the 'Gerrard Final',
courtesy of the galvanizing effect Steven Gerrard's two goals had on leading
Liverpool to an eventual penalty shootout victory. But West Ham were, in
truth, the superior side, with Ashton bamboozling the Merseysiders for the
hour he was on the pitch (a hamstring injury, which made him a doubt for the
final, ended his participation prematurely). His sublime pass to Lionel
Scaloni played a role in the first goal of the game and his predatory skills
came to the fore when he prodded the ball over the line, after a fumble by
Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina, to put West Ham 2-0 ahead. The stardust he
sprinkled on the few games he played for West Ham - a beautifully-taken goal
against Manchester City in the 2006 FA Cup quarter-final and an overhead
kick against Manchester United spring to mind - certainly justify the high
esteem with which Ashton is held by Curbishley and others. Ashton learnt his
trade under the stewardship of Dario Gradi at Crewe, signing for the Gresty
Road club as a promising 16-year-old.
The striker once said Gradi had to be persuaded of his talents by then scout
Steve Holland, but Crewe's caretaker manager was unequivocal in his praise
of his protege. Gradi, who has nurtured the likes of England internationals
David Platt and Danny Murphy, told BBC Sport: "He's probably the best I've
ever had for goalscoring. He always knew where the net was and picked his
spot."
In 143 appearances for Crewe, Ashton, scored 67 goals and attracted the
interest of a host of clubs, with Norwich City spending a club record £3m on
the striker in January 2005. He scored seven goals in 16 matches for the
Canaries, but could not save the club from Premier League relegation. A
further 11 goals in the Championship prompted West Ham to make a club record
bid for him in January 2006. However, his retirement means that we will
never know the heights the player could have eventually reached. "It's a
shame for him and a shame for England," added Gradi. "He's the best of the
goal-takers of the strikers around."
Indeed, Ashton, capped at every England level from Under-17s up, was marked
out by Capello when the Italian was appointed England manager. Had it not
been for injury he would surely have earned greater international
recognition and be jostling for a place in next year's World Cup in South
Africa. Ashton once said talk of him being injury jinxed was a "myth", but
there is no denying that his early retirement is a cruel end to what could
have been a fairytale story.
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Ashton retirement confirmed
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 11th December 2009
By: A Different Staff Writer
The club has, as expected, confirmed the retirement of Dean Ashton.
Speaking on whufc.com, club CEO Scott Duxbury said: "This is a sad day and
our thoughts are with Dean. "I would like to place on record our thanks to
him for all his efforts and wish him the very best. I would also like to
thank the fans for their patience and understanding during what has been a
difficult time."
Ashton originally broke his ankle in a training accident involving Shaun
Wright-Phillips in August 2006, causing him to miss 2006/07. Although he
returned for the 2007/08 season the ankle proved troublesome throughout and,
only four matches into 2008/09, he was forced to seek further treatment.
Sadly he was never to return to first-team action and, at the ludicrously
young age of 26, he has been forced into retirement. kumb.com would like to
wish Deano and his family all the best for the future at this difficult
time.
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Ashton forced to retire
Warnings over long-term mobility leave striker with no option
Last updated: 11th December 2009
SSN
West Ham United striker Dean Ashton has been forced to retire from football
due to injury. The 26-year-old has failed to recover from the ankle injury
he sustained while training with the England squad in 2006. Ashton, who was
a target of Stoke City in the summer, has undergone a variety of
rehabilitation procedures but none proved successful. West Ham have now
confirmed that the former Crewe and Norwich man has quit after receiving
warnings regarding his full fitness and long-term mobility. Hammers CEO
Scott Duxbury told the club's official website: "This is a sad day and our
thoughts are with Dean. "I would like to place on record our thanks to him
for all his efforts and wish him the very best. "I would also like to thank
the fans for their patience and understanding during what has been a
difficult time."
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Moses interest mounts
January move likely for Eagles starlet
Last updated: 11th December 2009
SSN
Victor Moses looks set to depart Crystal Palace in January, his agent has
confirmed to skysports.com. The 18-year-old is emerging as one of the
brightest talents outside the Premier League. The young forward has played a
major part in helping Neil Warnock's side to the brink of the play-offs.
However, Palace's financial problems mean the likes of Moses, Darren
Ambrose and Julian Speroni are being strongly tipped to depart Selhurst
Park in January.
Moses's agent Tony Finnigan would not confirm which clubs were interested
in his client, but admitted that he was in demand. "He is now showing what
he is capable of and what many people have been saying he could do since a
very young age," Finnigan told skysports.com. "We can't deny the interest is
strong in him - he is one of the best 18-year-olds in the country, bar none.
"We are hopeful, that should a deal be struck then it would be a good deal
for all parties concerned. "Simon Jordan and Neil Warnock recognises what
they have got, they know Victor is special. "And as a former Crystal Palace
player myself, I am keen for them to get a satisfactory deal and one they
deserve considering the work they have put into Victor. "But Victor will be
moving to the club which is best suited to him. It is my job to make sure he
goes to the best footballing environment for him."
It is understood that Sunderland are keen to win the race for Moses by
opening talks with the South London club. But a deal for Moses to move to
the Stadium of Light is far from being sealed. Skysports.com understands
that Fulham and Wigan are ready to table rival offers, whileTottenham, West
Ham and Arsenal are all keeping close tabs on the situation.
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PFA hope Ashton avoids legal route
December 11, 2009
ManchesterEveningNews.co.uk
PLAYERS' chief Gordon Taylor is hopeful that Dean Ashton will not need to
resort to taking legal action against former England team-mate Shaun
Wright-Phillips after the West Ham man was forced to announce his
retirement. The 26-year-old suffered an ankle injury in a challenge by
Wright-Phillips, then a Chelsea player, during an England training session
in August 2006 that forced Ashton to miss the entire 2006-07 season. He
recovered to make 31 league appearances in 2007-08 but he made his last
appearance for the Hammers in September 2008 after renewed ankle problems
and has now been forced to quit. Reports in Friday morning's national press
suggested Ashton may look to launch legal action against Wright-Phillips,
but Professional Footballers Association chief executive Taylor hopes
financial recompense can be organised via club or national team insurance to
avoid player-versus-player litigation.
He said: "I hope it doesn't come to that because nobody would think that
Shaun Wright-Phillips was a malicious player at all. "At the moment we've
been speaking to his representatives and the situation is about looking to
get proper compensation without discussing any player-v-player action."
Taylor accepts the issue of compensation is a "complex" one in this case,
with Ashton suffering a season-ending injury while on England duty but then
returned to club action before breaking down again in September 2008. He
added: "He tried to come back but he has not been able to come back to the
situation he was in before, but that's why it's complex because (the initial
injury) happened while he was with England. "When a player plays for
England, the club informs the FA the amount of cover that they would require
for him, and clearly he was a very valuable player."
Taylor was saddened by the news of Ashton's retirement and insisted the PFA
would now do all they could to assist him in the future. "It's extremely
sad. He was a great talent and it is one of the hazards of the profession.
Dean Ashton was quality, and it is even more disappointing that (the initial
injury) happened while on England duty," he added. "We want to have a word
with him about his future, to see if he wants to stay in the game. We will
offer him various courses - coaching, media - there's a whole host of
opportunities really if he wants to stay connected with the game."
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DEAN ASHTON FORCED TO RETIRE
News Of The World
By Adam Marshall, 11/12/2009
DEAN ASHTON has admitted defeat in his battle against an ankle injury and
announced his retirement. The West Ham and England striker's future has been
the subject of debate for some time and he has been forced to accept the
inevitable due to concerns over his mobility in later life. The Hammers paid
Norwich a club record £7.25million for the hitman but he suffered the injury
whilst training with England. "I would like to place on record our thanks to
him for all his efforts and wish him the very best," chief executive Scott
Duxbury told the club's official website. "I would also like to thank the
fans for their patience and understanding during what has been a difficult
time."
Dario Gradi, who blooded the youngster at Crewe, admitted the news came as
no real surprise. "We'd all seen it coming for a long time," he said. "He's
been injured for a while and I think that Dean was prepared for it. "The
saving grace for Dean is that he has had a bit of a career and will have
made enough money not to have to work again." Ashton's announcement, at the
age of 26, is a sad blow for the player and West Ham.
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Ashton forced to retire
By Soccernet staff
December 11, 2009
West Ham United have announced that striker Dean Ashton has been forced to
retire from professional football at the age of 26. Ashton had not played a
first-team game for 14 months and speculation had mounted in recent weeks
that the Hammers would announce that his career had been curtailed. The
striker could never fully recover from an ankle injury suffered at England
training in August 2006 and West Ham may now seek compensation in the form
of a £7 million insurance claim against the Football Association. West Ham
chief executive Scott Duxbury paid tribute to Ashton, who scored 19 goals in
54 games for the Hammers. "This is a sad day and our thoughts are with
Dean. I would like to place on record our thanks to him for all his efforts
and wish him the very best," Duxbury said. "I would also like to thank the
fans for their patience and understanding during what has been a difficult
time."
Ashton was a product of the famous Crewe Alexandra youth system, which saw
manager Dario Gradi bring through the likes of David Platt, Danny Murphy,
Robbie Savage and Neil Lennon. After playing more then 200 games for the
Railwaymen, he became Norwich City's record signing when he joined the
Canaries for £3 million in 2005. A string of impressive performances and 17
goals in 44 league appearances earned him a move to West Ham in January 2006
for £7.25 million, where he became a first-team regular. The ankle break at
England training ruled him out for the whole 2006-07 campaign and though he
did return, scoring 11 goals in 35 appearances in the 2007-08 season, he
broke down in new manager Gianfranco Zola's first training session in
September 2008. England boss Fabio Capello rated Ashton highly and tipped
him to make a big impact on the international stage, handing him his Three
Lions' debut in a f riendly against Trinidad and Tobago last summer. Zola
had persistently refused to write-off Ashton but the striker was forced to
admit defeat because of chronic degeneration in the ankle.
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Dean Ashton retires as West Ham striker succumbs to ankle injury
26-year-old suffered injury in 2006 on England duty
Reports suggest legal action against Wright-Phillips
Buzz up!
guardian.co.uk, Friday 11 December 2009 09.33 GMT
West Ham United's Dean Ashton has been forced to retire through injury. The
26-year-old striker has struggled to recover from an injury he first
suffered on England duty in August 2006 following a training-ground tackle
by Shaun Wright-Phillips. West Ham's chief executive, Scott Duxbury, told
the club's website: "This is a sad day and our thoughts are with Dean. I
would like to place on record our thanks to him for all his efforts and wish
him the very best. I would also like to thank the fans for their patience
and understanding during what has been a difficult time."
It was reported last night that Ashton is looking into whether he can take
legal action against Wright-Phillips and Chelsea, for whom the winger – now
with Manchester City – was then playing. Chelsea would challenge any such
case given that the tackle was made while Wright-Phillips was with England.
Ashton returned the following year to play again for West Ham and went on to
win his sole England cap in 2008 but the ankle injury recurred last season
and he has been advised by the surgeon who performed the original operation,
Niek van Dijk, that he risks rendering himself permanently unable to walk
should he continue playing football. West Ham have been examining whether
they are able to launch a compensation claim of around £7m against the
Football Association. Ashton made his name at Crewe Alexandra before joining
Norwich City in January 2005. He scored 18 goals in 46 appearances for the
Canaries, earning him a then club-record £7.25m move to West Ham. He was
named in Steve McClaren's first England squad, for the game against Greece
at Old Trafford, but picked up his injury in training before the game. The
striker missed the whole 2006-07 season but returned to make 35 appearances
in 2007-08. He started the 2008-09 season, but broke down again after just
four games because of the ankle injury.
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Dean Ashton confirms retirement after losing prolonged injury battle
The Times
Peter Lansley and Ben Smith
Dean Ashton, the West Ham United forward, has announced his retirement at
the age of 26. While other strikers are jostling for a place in Fabio
Capello's squad for the World Cup finals, Ashton, who suffered his first
serious injury on England duty, is resigned to ending his career after
doctors warned him that he risked causing long-term damage if he persisted
in trying to make a comeback. Ashton's problems started when he was first
called up by England, for a friendly against Greece in 2006. He suffered a
broken ankle in a tackle from Shaun Wright-Phillips and was sidelined for
more than a year. Despite persistent problems he recovered sufficiently to
win his only England cap, against Trinidad & Tobago in June last year, but
broke down again three months later. Scott Duxbury, the West Ham chief
executive, confirmed the news and paid tribute to the striker. "This is a
sad day and our thoughts are with Dean," he said. "I would like to place on
record our thanks to him for all his efforts and wish him the very best. I
would also like to thank the fans for their patience and understanding
during what has been a difficult time." West Ham paid Norwich City £7.25
million for Ashton in January 2006, but it seems that his career has ended
four years later, having made only 43 appearances for the club.
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