Alan Pardew has lauded one of his former West Ham United signings with comparisons to the Premier League goal-getter.
When discussing his time at West Ham United, former boss Alan Pardew was full of praise for what he calls his favourite ever signing.
Pardew, who managed West Ham between 2003 and 2006, led the Hammers back to the Premier League in 2005 before spells at Charlton Athletic, Southampton, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace – during a managerial career that has seen the 55-year-old coach the likes of Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano, Teddy Sheringham, Yohan Cabaye and Adam Lallana.
However, it was a January 2006 signing whilst at West Ham, that seems to have Pardew purring the most.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday, Pardew revealed how the signing of Dean Ashton for the Hammers proved to be his favourite piece of transfer business – with a huge comparison with one of the Premier League’s current superstars accompanying Pardew’s praise of Ashton.
When asked by hosts Ben Shephard and Chris Kamara to explain who, out of all the clubs he had managed, the favourite player that he had signed was, Pardew said:
‘I’ve had some fantastic players and great pros, but Dean Ashton just really fills me with such regret…When we signed him I didn’t think he was as good as he was…He could do everything…When you compare him to Harry Kane, he was as quick as Harry Kane, left foot, right foot, but he was better in the air than Harry Kane – and I think England, possibly, with the midfield we had with Stevie [Steven] Gerrard and Frankie [Frank] Lampard, he [Ashton] could have won us something.’
‘All the ingredients were there and that horrible injury suffered with England, at he height of his powers, took away a fantastic career.’
Dean Ashton celebrates scoring for West Ham United
Ashton began his career as a highly-rated striker at Crewe Alexandra and was signed by West Ham from Norwich City for £7.25m, amid claims that Pardew was already a long-term admirer of the then 22-year-old forward.
The 6ft 1in Ashton would prove to be an important member of Pardew’s West Ham side, scoring goals early in his Upton Park career – including a brace in the 2006 FA Cup quarter-finals and a strike in the Final; a game remembered for Gerrard’s late strike to force extra-time and Liverpool’s ultimate penalty shoot-out victory over Pardew’s Ashton-led side.
Dean Ashton playing for England
However, during a warranted England call-up in the summer of 2006, Ashton suffered a badly broken ankle – an injury that would see a long lay-off from football and eventually result in Ashton’s retirement from the game in 2009, at the age of 26.
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