Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Tokyo Sexwhale on January 29, 2016, 02:24:36 AM
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Thought he'd done so ages ago.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10146975/former-england-striker-darius-vassell-retires
Former England and Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell has announced his retirement at the age of 35.
The Sutton Coldfield-born player, who had been without a club since 2012, earned 22 England caps, scoring six goals, during the reign of manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
He had spells with Manchester City, Turkish side Ankaragucu and Leicester after leaving Villa in 2005.
In a statement released by his management company, Oporto Sports, Vassell said: "I have enjoyed my career in football playing at the highest level, doing something I genuinely loved, and I felt that now was the right time to announce my retirement and look to the next phase of my life."
Vassell played at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004. England reached the quarter-finals of the latter tournament before losing in a penalty shoot-out to hosts Portugal, with Vassell seeing his spot-kick saved by future Leicester team-mate Ricardo.
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Always makes me feel really old when players that I remember where highly rated when they were in the youth team retire because of age.
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I can't believe Vassell is only 35 - it seems like he's been going forever.
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Thanks for the memories Darius, always gave everything. Met him in SoBar once and he was just a lovely unassuming lad. I'll never forget how proud I was when he scored that overhead kick for England (was it his debut??).
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Good old toe driller. Probably shouldn't remember him for that but I will.
Echo the above posters sentiment, I also enjoyed one of ours making his England debut.
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I remember feeling genuinely concerned for him when I saw all the bat-shit crazy stuff in Turkey. Worked with his cousin when he was with us and he said he was a really pleasant, unassuming bloke who just like playing football.
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Better than Gabby.
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My mate got into an argument with someone about the pronunciation of his name and got head butted.
Later in life we were working with someone who went out with him and she texted him to tell him that story. He replied with 'lol'.
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Better than Gabby.
Could you justify that statement. Their career goal scoring stats are certainly very similar.
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I took a Cambridge lad up to Market Harborough for a Villa trial. A couple of the scouts asked what position my lad played. I told them he was a striker to which they replied I had wasted my time because this lad Vassell was playing. Darius scored six goals in the first half hour. Where did that 20 years go?
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Without a club since 2012, that's a bloody long time looking for a club! Oh well good luck in retirement.
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Posterity will remember him for drilling his toe and the Radio 4 repeats of his Turkish diary. Great lad, wish him a happy retirement.
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I was just about to say that I was sure he had been playing for some non-league teams recently but then I realised I was thinking about Julian Joachim not Darius.
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It was Oadby Town wasn't it?
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It was Oadby Town wasn't it?
Amongst loads of others including Hinckley, Shepshed Dynamo, Quorn and Coalville. I think he still owns a restaurant in Leicester.
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I would also like to announce my retirement from top class football. I've been without a club for a while as well.
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I would also like to announce my retirement from top class football. I've been without a club for a while as well.
Won't Arcadia Shephards take you back?
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Thanks for the memories Darius, always gave everything. Met him in SoBar once and he was just a lovely unassuming lad. I'll never forget how proud I was when he scored that overhead kick for England (was it his debut??).
yep in a friendly...about 1.40secs in
UTV
The Doc
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He's writing his autobiography titled "The Road to Persia", published by his own company Inama Enterprise Ltd - due out at the start of next season.
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Without a club since 2012, that's a bloody long time looking for a club! Oh well good luck in retirement.
I get this feeling about Nzogbia
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It was Oadby Town wasn't it?
Amongst loads of others including Hinckley, Shepshed Dynamo, Quorn and Coalville. I think he still owns a restaurant in Leicester.
Quorn aside, those are pretty shitty places
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It was Oadby Town wasn't it?
Amongst loads of others including Hinckley, Shepshed Dynamo, Quorn and Coalville. I think he still owns a restaurant in Leicester.
Quorn aside, those are pretty shitty places
Leave Hinckley alone ;) I have to make the best of it
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It was Oadby Town wasn't it?
Amongst loads of others including Hinckley, Shepshed Dynamo, Quorn and Coalville. I think he still owns a restaurant in Leicester.
Quorn aside, those are pretty shitty places
Leave Hinckley alone ;) I have to make the best of it
I left it in for you!
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Without a club since 2012, that's a bloody long time looking for a club! Oh well good luck in retirement.
He's been at Loughborough College since 2014 studying for a degree in Sports Studies.
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Better than Gabby.
Could you justify that statement. Their career goal scoring stats are certainly very similar.
I'd say he had better technique than Gabby, he could beat a man one on one with more than just pace.
I would have said early in Gabby's career that he had more fire in him, but that went out a long time ago.
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I liked Vassell, always tried his best and when it clicked was a real threat.
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Thanks for a few memories Darius, especially that goal against the Netherlands. I thought he was going to be the mutts nuts but it just didn't materialize as we all hoped.
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Remember when he was filmed holding a gun driving through the Queensway tunnel?!
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Not sure if it was his debut but I always remember him coming on when we were behind and scoring two goals against a team we should have beaten.
Could have been a European game.
Could also have been Stefan Moore.
Or Luke.
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Not sure if it was his debut but I always remember him coming on when we were behind and scoring two goals against a team we should have beaten.
Could have been a European game.
Could also have been Stefan Moore.
Or Luke.
Stromsgodsets I think.
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Amongst the good memories is one I try to forget-coming back against us on a Tuesday night playing for a pre-money Citeh and doing us with (I think) 2 goals. We were so bad that night, I know someone will correct me if i'm wrong but I think a very young Gabby came on with about 10 mins left (possibly home debut?) and scared the life out of them.
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Not sure if it was his debut but I always remember him coming on when we were behind and scoring two goals against a team we should have beaten.
Could have been a European game.
Could also have been Stefan Moore.
Or Luke.
Stromsgodsets I think.
Remarkable, thanks.
http://www.eurocupshistory.com/match/4643/aston_villa_vs_stromsgodset_if/
I have no recollection of Collymore getting a hat trick in the second leg.
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Definitely Stromsgodset
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I remember the second leg was on Channel 5.
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I remember the Stromsgodset first leg very well as was holidaying in Faliraki at the time with the future Mrs Lobster
She was feeling unwell and wanted to leave the bar we were watching the game in early to go back to the apartment
I was having none of it thereby forcing her to walk the couple of hundred yards back to the apartment in the dark alone
I arrived home about an hour later, clearly the worse for wear and proceeded to wake her up to tell we had won courtesy of Darius Vassell!
I do love a story with a happy ending...
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Did he score our only goal over at Celta Vigo in the Uefa Cup, only for us to get played off the park in the second leg?
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Wasn't there a picture of the World Cup squad on the steps of the plane, all the players with their wives and girlfriends and Darius with his Mom? Or is that a bit of folklore?
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Did he score our only goal over at Celta Vigo in the Uefa Cup, only for us to get played off the park in the second leg?
I think that was Joachim. I certainly remember having to take a taxi from Vigo to Porto for my return flight due to over sleeping and missing the train!
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I remember when he was just breaking through. He looked a real talent. Good on the ball, skilfull and lightening quick. He was always blighted with a lack of self belief the longer his career went on. If he had a much bigger streak of arrogance I think he'd have been more prolific. I'd also liked to have seen more of him partnering Angel. They played pretty well together when they were partnered up.
Decent lad. Never really fulfilled his potential with us sadly and his career after us was never the same.
I'll always look back on Darius with a lot more fondness than Gabby to be honest.
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Thanks for the memories Darius, always gave everything. Met him in SoBar once and he was just a lovely unassuming lad. I'll never forget how proud I was when he scored that overhead kick for England (was it his debut??).
This ^^ I never met him in SoBar though.
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On the eve of the Cup tie, it is worth remembering a time not so long ago when a move from the Villa to Man City represented, at best, a sideways move, maybe even a step down. Sighs.
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Not sure if it was his debut but I always remember him coming on when we were behind and scoring two goals against a team we should have beaten.
Could have been a European game.
Could also have been Stefan Moore.
Or Luke.
Stromsgodsets I think.
Remarkable, thanks.
http://www.eurocupshistory.com/match/4643/aston_villa_vs_stromsgodset_if/
I have no recollection of Collymore getting a hat trick in the second leg.
Here it is. A young(er) Gary Lineker hosting. Gerard Sinstadt commentating. Darren Byfield started!
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Thanks for the memories Darius, always gave everything. Met him in SoBar once and he was just a lovely unassuming lad. I'll never forget how proud I was when he scored that overhead kick for England (was it his debut??).
This ^^ I never met him in SoBar though.
Just imagine. We beat Blues 5-1 on the Sunday and Daddy (as he is NOW officially known) gets that drunk he wrestled a sleeping rottweiler in the local pub amongst other things.
What I didn't consider was how sick I would feel the next day. After fighting through bleary thoughts of meeting General Krulak at the pub, trying lucozade and stodge to get me through it, hair of the dog was the only way come 5pm.
One pint I took an hour and a half to chew down and I went Ho the cashpoint in The Arcadian. The bloke behind was Martin Lauren.
There ensued two hours of fun with Scandinavian Villa players. Me arguing with Laursen, Mellberg and Carew as to why it was acceptable for a pauper like me to pay for the drinks based on the score.
And getting the biggest bollocking from the wife ever for turning up at home more pissed than the night before!
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^^Great story 😀
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On the eve of the Cup tie, it is worth remembering a time not so long ago when a move from the Villa to Man City represented, at best, a sideways move, maybe even a step down. Sighs.
Was definitely a move down, he couldn't get in the team anymore.
His biggest weakness was his lack of self-belief, he used to look so scared at one on one's. Quality on his day though and as has been said, seemed to be a genuinely nice fella.
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That Stromsgodset game was a JFK moment for me. I was attending a disciplinary hearing that I'd been ordered to attend due to my nearly throttling a referee for such a bad decision that could have resulted in serious injury to two players (a long story). I was removed from the ground, something I'm not really proud of.
After I'd been interviewed, I was sent out into the lounge of the hotel whilst they came to a decision on my punishment. While there, I looked up to the screen to see we were losing 0-2. I got home just as Darius scored the second of his two goals. I'll never forget it.
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David O'Dreary, what a cnut.
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Better than Gabby.
Could you justify that statement. Their career goal scoring stats are certainly very similar.
The 22 England caps bit?
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Yeah good player for us. Very exciting to watch and I enjoyed the partneship with JPA. Hadn't heard anything from him for ages. Happy retirement Darius thanks for the fun memories. :)
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Decent bloke, as he became more experienced he seemed to lose confidence.
Fond memory's and a proper Villa fan. Will be remembered more fondly than Gabby.
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Better than Gabby.
Could you justify that statement. Their career goal scoring stats are certainly very similar.
The 22 England caps bit?
Better than Gary Shaw then.
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Anyone know which restaurant he owns?
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He was very good 01-02 season, he really stepped up for what was a make or break year. Started by scoring against Man. United and Liverpool and scored solidly throughout the season and his call up to England and then going to the world cup was fully justified. Had a nice partnership with JPA at the time.
Like so many of our youth products though he just never kicked on and just got too comfortable as a regular starter. Angel declining didn't help him either.
His finishing was also very poor, I remember one of the last games he played for us was at home to Bolton. He was one on one and I never bothered even to stand up as I knew he wasn't going to score and sure enough he hit it straight into the keeper's arms.
Gabby and Darius have had similar careers in terms of their time here although Gabby's peak years were a little longer and his decline probably a little worse.
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On Sky's Goals on Sunday, now working with the Wolves academy.
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Liked listening to him speak. He obviously loves the Villa. Said he idolised Tony Daley growing up. Didn't come across as the stereotypical thick English footballer abroad, either. Tried to acclimatise to Turkish culture and had a picture of Ataturk his wall.
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Liked listening to him speak. He obviously loves the Villa. Said he idolised Tony Daley growing up. Didn't come across as the stereotypical thick English footballer abroad, either. Tried to acclimatise to Turkish culture and had a picture of Ataturk his wall.
You say that but he did try to do DIY to a toe nail using a Black & Decker!
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He denied that. Said it was a heema drill. Which I've never heard of before.
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Regardless of the brand, he still took a drill to his toe.
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He denied that. Said it was a heema drill. Which I've never heard of before.
Like me, did you go on Google and search for them?
I just found some bizarre YouTube videos about sword play.
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Regardless of the brand, he still took a drill to his toe.
You never have I suppose?
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On Sky's Goals on Sunday, now working with the Wolves academy.
"Alright kids, what you wanna do is get your head down and run as fast as you can towards the corner flag, look up, then knock it into the shins of the full-back"
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He denied that. Said it was a heema drill. Which I've never heard of before.
Like me, did you go on Google and search for them?
I just found some bizarre YouTube videos about sword play.
Yep. Google was useless.
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Regardless of the brand, he still took a drill to his toe.
You never have I suppose?
Just my surgeon.
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He denied that. Said it was a heema drill. Which I've never heard of before.
Like me, did you go on Google and search for them?
I just found some bizarre YouTube videos about sword play.
Yep. Google was useless.
just try searching for toenail drill (but I don't recommend watching any videos that might appear) I've heard of a small, slow drill being used to create a small hole when there's tissue damage under the nail to release pressure. Not something you'd do yourself though, physio/doctor under a local anaesthetic I'd have thought.
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He denied that. Said it was a heema drill. Which I've never heard of before.
Like me, did you go on Google and search for them?
I just found some bizarre YouTube videos about sword play.
Yep. Google was useless.
just try searching for toenail drill (but I don't recommend watching any videos that might appear) I've heard of a small, slow drill being used to create a small hole when there's tissue damage under the nail to release pressure. Not something you'd do yourself though, physio/doctor under a local anaesthetic I'd have thought.
Cheers!
Oh dear. I failed to take your advice Paul, and watched one.
I think I'll go to work without breakfast.
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I remember feeling genuinely concerned for him when I saw all the bat-shit crazy stuff in Turkey. Worked with his cousin when he was with us and he said he was a really pleasant, unassuming bloke who just like playing football.
i was going to post about the crazy Turkey shit. He looked genuinely lost on his blog or webpage whatever it was he had. I felt really sorry for him- he was probably thinking what the fuck have I done? One of his posts was about his washing machine breaking down or something and it seemed like it was one of those silly little things that would break the camel’s back.
Loved him at Villa. When he was on it, he was on it. He had his days where he just seemed a bit like things weren’t quite right, but always seemed to try his best.
I can’t believe he’s only 35 as well- he does seem to have been around forever. I suppose that’s age for you, I’m old enough to have seen kids come through and them retire. Ryan Giggs was the maddest one like that. We were similar ages when he broke into utd’s first team- he had more grey hairs than me when he retired and I thought my job was pretty stressful.
Anyway, back on topic, thanks for your endeavours for Villa, Darius. All the best in whatever you choose to do next. Hopefully you’ll be spotted round Villa Park of a match day.
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He's 38
Was good to see both him and Hendrie together in the Sky Sports News studio yesterday
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Guardian piece about his time in Turkey (https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/sep/03/darius-vassell-goat-sacrificed-book-ankaragucu)
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He denied that. Said it was a heema drill. Which I've never heard of before.
Like me, did you go on Google and search for them?
I just found some bizarre YouTube videos about sword play.
Yep. Google was useless.
just try searching for toenail drill (but I don't recommend watching any videos that might appear) I've heard of a small, slow drill being used to create a small hole when there's tissue damage under the nail to release pressure. Not something you'd do yourself though, physio/doctor under a local anaesthetic I'd have thought.
Cheers!
Oh dear. I failed to take your advice Paul, and watched one.
I think I'll go to work without breakfast.
Unfold a small paper clip. Heat the end over a lighter/grill. Push the hot end very gently at 90 degrees to the nail over where the haematoma is just enough to pop through the nail. The blood with drain out of the small hole and offer immediate relief to the agony of pressure under the toe nail. Also good with fingernails too.