Dean Ashton

[Roby]

Today is obviously a sad day for Ashton but being cynical I just feel that deep down the club can now draw a line under the whole episode.

The two domestic transfers that had me most excited were when we signed Trevor Sinclair and then when we bought Ashton. Sinclair had been around for a while and everyone knew what he could do but Ashton was this almost mythical player who'd been scoring loads in the lower leagues for Crewe from a teenager and then did well in half a season at Norwich.

I wasn't lucky enough to be at the FA Cup final but two games I did see live where he scored great goals were the 2-2 home draw with Everton (one of his first games in the claret and blue) and Wigan at home last season where he scored two blinders.

Will be interesting to see who the club sign as our next number 9 when Carlton Cole no doubt leaves for big money next summer. That could be a pivotal moment in our future.

Ashton sadly was a great signing by Pards and should really have 20 England caps and 50 goals for us rather than just 15. Terrible shame for both parties how it all worked out, we could have built a team around him.

[deputydogg]

Deano had so much going for him and its a shame we won't see him anymore and i echo the comment about the club inviting him along one day so we can all chant his name. The first man city goal he scored in thw quarter final was a great move and also they were the goals that sent me to my first (and probably last) fa cup semi final.

DEANO

[Los Martillos]

Deano will be greatly missed. He could have made a huge difference to our season if he could have made it. Could have gone on to become a legend.

Good luck to the guy.

[goggles]

Had the potential to be one of the most exciting players Englad had produced, would have played a major role for West Ham and England. Gutted, really gutted that he has retired, good luck Deano, hopefully you can stay on as a coach at the club.

[dapablo]

Really rather gutted, knew it was a case of when rather than if but I still held a feint hope that we might get a little benevolence from above. I never joined the derisory comments that many enjoy when a man is down and kinda regret that lots did, he didn't deserve it.

Good luck with your future endeavors Dean.

[Robbie]

Thank you Deano,
and all the best

[westlondonhammer]

He had massive potential... I feel sorry for the fella! He could have gone on to be a big player for club (or made a lot of money for the club anyway if we know our club) and country, but now he will never be able to fulfill anything near that... I hope he can now focus on getting the help he needs to get over any potential personal problems

The retirement will be big financially for the club... insurance will have been helped by the size + length of his current contract (hence the big long pay rise 18 months ago) but that is insignificant compared to everything else

All the best for the future big man

[hammer1975]

gutted for the guy and wish him all the best. always struck me as the kind of guy who loved to play football and didn't get caught up in the bling type culture that was a problem for the club towards the end of the pardew days which makes it a double shame as I think he'll simply miss playing football despite the financial implications....

....what it means for west ham is seriously unclear though;
was the insurance for £7m or a more appropriate market value (wasn't it alleged that we turned down a £15m bid?)?
will we get to spend any insurance payout on a replacement?
will we be able to turn down bids for green, upson etc in January if we receive the insurance payout?
will there be a massive bunfight between west ham and fa insurance meaning we have to wait months/years for payout?
what legal small echnical detail has scott missed this time which'll end up costing us money?

best of luck Dean, when you received the ball we expected magic to happen and for that we are grateful

[Oldun]

Harsh - he didn't ask to get injured. I'd go along. It'd be nice for the fans to say goodbye to him. In ten years time there'll still be threads on here about how things would have been different if only Ashton hadn't got crocked - although by then KUMB will be streamed directly into our cyborg brains via Bluetooth v3.0. I'm gutted, but by now, not surprised...

Good luck Deano, now stop it with the silly hair. One is not a villain in a 1980s Sci Fi film.[/quote]

I think 4 million pound for not even kicking a ball is enough,i felt sorry fo John Lyall when he had to retire early and i went to his testimonial because he needed it.
I wish Dean all the best for the future and genuinely feel sorry for him but a testimonial ,no.

[AnthraxDave]

Gutted. I remember first seeing him play as a teenager for Crewe (against us, at Gresty Road) and thought what a really decent player he looked. There is little doubt about it, but a fit Dean Ashton would have been the first choice strike partner for Rooney for England for quite some time.

He reminded me so much of Shearer (but less of a c**t) AND Sheringham all in one player.

[tjr008]

His goal vs Man City in the Cup will live with me forever....

... saw it in a hostel in Amsterdam high as a kite on 'shrooms and cheap vodka on the phone to my Dad who was at the game.

Greatest night of my life.

[his goal at home vs Everton in his first season was also great].

Damn shame.

[WestHamByTheSea]

It's all so very West Ham...tantalisingly brilliant, then ruin. It's been coming for ages this, but no sadder to hear for that. As has been mentioned, the partnerships that never came to fruition...him and Tevez/Bellamy...either partnership would grace any top 4 team in Europe; somehow, us being us, it goes tits up.

This guy was the closest thing to Sheringham the English game's produced since...very very sad for all concerned.

Good luck Dean - come back soon for a deserved send-off, and hope all goes well from hereon in. And thanks for the memories...sadly not enough (and not your fault), but I'll remember those FA Cup goals from 2006 for the rest of my days...for adding that part to the West Ham story, you're immortalised in this heart.

[Ben]

we aren't the only unlucky ones...

Against Wolves, Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate will miss out, although neither are expected to be sidelined for long.

"Ledley jarred his knee again," Redknapp said. "It's blown up and swollen up quite badly.

"It was looking great, he'd worked hard for three weeks. He was just short of a game, unfortunately it was a freak accident - the ball hit him in the face and his knee jarred.

"Hopefully he shouldn't be too long. Woodgate the same."

[Hammer81]

Today is obviously a sad day for Ashton but being cynical I just feel that deep down the club can now draw a line under the whole episode.

The two domestic transfers that had me most excited were when we signed Trevor Sinclair and then when we bought Ashton. Sinclair had been around for a while and everyone knew what he could do but Ashton was this almost mythical player who'd been scoring loads in the lower leagues for Crewe from a teenager and then did well in half a season at Norwich.

I wasn't lucky enough to be at the FA Cup final but two games I did see live where he scored great goals were the 2-2 home draw with Everton (one of his first games in the claret and blue) and Wigan at home last season where he scored two blinders.

Will be interesting to see who the club sign as our next number 9 when Carlton Cole no doubt leaves for big money next summer. That could be a pivotal moment in our future.

Ashton sadly was a great signing by Pards and should really have 20 England caps and 50 goals for us rather than just 15. Terrible shame for both parties how it all worked out, we could have built a team around him.

When have west ham EVER built a team around anyone in the last 20 years? If any player is worth building a team around, they'll be sold.

Anyway, back to Ashton...yes its a little sad, etc, etc, but we knew this for ages. Time to move on for all involved. Lets just hope we get some money (compensation) to pay off some more fees/fines...

[York Ham(mer)]

Deano has spoken to the Sun (link). He can't walk properly now, he's unlikely to even be able to jog again. He's in hospital again on Tuesday for another operation.

[beckton]

The retirement will be big financially for the club... insurance will have been helped by the size + length of his current contract (hence the big long pay rise 18 months ago)

You are not really suggesting West Ham gave him a longer contract and a pay rise to improve the insurance payout.

Where is the sense in that?!

For 18 months he has hardly kicked a ball, which has cost a fortune in wages and more so because of his improved contract.



Anyway good luck Deano.

[Gideahammer]

I remember how excited I was when he signed for WH as I always brought him on the early versions of CM.

Deano was an absolutely class player. Great touch, vision, finishing. A real loss for WH and feel really sorry for the lad.

I echo the opinion of some of the other posts on here, but for me he was passed potential, he already showed he had the ability to become a legend. Very few players could or ever will score a goal of the standard he did against Man City.

Best of luck for the future Deano.

[Dyer's Leg]

Ashton Thanks The Fans

http://www.whufc.com/articles/ashton-th ... 84_1902640

[speculator]

I'm gutted I loved him. I hope he does a lap of honour at the next home game. As he was just breaking into the England team this has been very cruel. I'd like to see him now put all his experience into England and West Ham Youth. I hope they offer him a position.

[dapablo]

Wish he'd been devastated at not being able to play for us again rather than just sad, just a trifle inadequate considering the circumstance, but then again I should make allowances