11 Extremely Talented Premier League Footballers That Were Ruined By Injuries

5. Dean Ashton

Michael Johnson Man City
Tony Marshall/EMPICS Sport

Dean Ashton was forced into retirement as young as 26, after failing to shake off a long-term ankle injury he picked up whilst on England duty. Ashton had already notched more than 100 career goals, had been capped by England and had began to establish himself as a real top-flight talent when the bad news arrived.

The injury initially forced the striker into missing the whole 2006-07 Premier League campaign - one in which his team, West Ham, were struggling in a relegation battle. Though he managed to play 31 league games the following season (netting 10 goals), Ashton never managed to recover from that fateful injury. 

He ended up sitting out the entire 2009-10 campaign, before sadly announcing his retirement from professional football. 


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Journalism student hopping between London and the North-East. Boxing enthusiast and Football Manager addict. Was diagnosed with supporting Sunderland AFC as a child.