West Ham United signed Dean Ashton in January 2006.
Ex-West Ham striker Dean Ashton spoke exclusively to the club’s official website about his time with the club, and highlighted the two goals that he scored against Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 2006 as the moment when he justified his price-tag.
Ashton joined the Hammers from Norwich City in January 2006, for a fee believed to be worth in the region of £7.25 million – a fee that was considered to be rather steep back then.
Unfortunately for the striker, though, he suffered horrendous luck with injuries, and went on to make only 33 Premier League starts for the east London outfit.
The one-capped England international sat down for an exclusive interview with the club’s official website, and opened up on his time with West Ham, highlighting the moment when he believes that he justified his price-tag:
“At that stage of my West Ham career, it was all about repaying that record fee that the Club had paid for me and proving to my teammates and the staff that I was up to it. The two goals I got at Manchester City in the FA Cup sixth round in March 2006 went a long way towards me proving myself worthy of that price tag. The first goal, a low left-foot finish from Nigel’s pass, showed what I was all about as a player, then the second one was put on a plate for me by Yossi. I wasn’t proven. Yes, I’d had half a season in the Premier League with Norwich, but it was pleasing to be able to prove in that first six or seven games that I was worthy of the fee and being at a club like West Ham.”
Ashton undoubtedly possessed real quality, and it must be considered as a terrible shame for both him and the Hammers that he never got the opportunity to fulfil his true potential because of such terrible luck with injuries.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
