Darius Vassell is the archetypal average mid-00s Premier League striker: unfashionable in almost every aspect, he is the type of player who will be proud of the fact that he has can lay claim to six international goals. Nevertheless, it is symptomatic of how ludicrous the Turkish Superliga can often be that when he signed for Ankaragücü, 3000 supporters turned out to celebrate the signing of an evidently bemused Vassell in July 2009, heralding his arrival as if it was the Second Coming. With the arrival of Abu Dhabi at Man City, the former Villa striker should probably have known to start packing his bags before the cheques for Robinho and Emmanuel Adebayor were even signed. However, his Turkish stint was nothing short of a nightmare, with the club failing to pay his bills, leading to the indignity of a former England international being refused admission to his hotel. Four miserly league goals were amassed over the course of a season, resulting in a disorientated and fed up Vassell pining for the home comforts of England. Needless to say, the former Man City striker parted company with the club at the end of the season, before linking up with old boss Sven-Goran Eriksson at Leicester City.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
