West Ham All-Time Premier League XI – Strikers
By Justin Wasik
Bench Striker: Dean Ashton
- Joined West Ham: January 22, 2006
- Fee: £7.25 million from Norwich City
- Debut: February 1, 2006
- Stats: 56 appearances; 19 goals
Dead Ashton came over from Norwich City during the January transfer window of 2006 after he wanted to play in the Premier League and the Canaries got relegated the season before. Ashton proved all-important in the Hammers’ run to the FA Cup final in 2006, scoring twice against Manchester City in the quarterfinal.
Overall, he scored 6 goals in 16 appearances in the second half of the 2005-06 season. He even got called up to the England squad but was injured in training camp, forcing him unable to play in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
The injury he suffered to his ankle proved to hinder him all of the next club season as he did not make an appearance for West Ham during the 2006-07 campaign. He did, however, have a great rebound year in 2007-08, scoring 11 goals, which included a magnificent overhead kick against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Next. West Ham vs Crystal Palace – The Inside Track On The Eagles. dark
Ankle injuries continued to hamper Ashton’s next season at Upton Park and while there were multiple times he thought he could come back to the squad, he ended up not making any appearances for the second time in three seasons. It was then that Ashton abruptly ended his career at the young age of 26. Ashton’s story is surely a matter of what could have been.