Peter James Crouch is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the
England national teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur. However he failed to make a first team appearance for the club, leaving it in 2000 and playing for several teams including four Premier League clubs –
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
,
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
,
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
– before returning and finally making his senior Tottenham debut in 2009. He was the second top-scorer in the 2006–07
Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
season, behind
AC MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
's
KakáRicardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
.
Early life
Crouch was born in
MacclesfieldMacclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire, but his family moved to
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
when he was one year old, where they stayed for three years before returning to Great Britain and settling in
EalingEaling is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, London. A keen footballer from an early age, he became a
ball boyBall Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
at the age of ten. As a child, he attended some
ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
games. Later, he told the Liverpool official website that despite this, he and his friends at the time were fans of
Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. He attended North Ealing Primary School and
Drayton Manor High SchoolDrayton Manor High School, formerly Drayton Manor Grammar School, is a comprehensive school located in Hanwell, Ealing, England. The current headteacher is Sir Pritpal Singh. The school is a specialist Humanities College. Its emblem is a phoenix rising from a crown with the legend 'Nec Aspera...
in
HanwellHanwell is a town situated in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, between Ealing and Southall. The motto of Hanwell Urban District Council was Nec Aspera Terrent...
.
Club career
Crouch signed a professional contract with
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on 2 July 1998, after having played for their youth side. However, he did not make any appearances for their first team and was loaned out to other clubs, having brief spells at
Dulwich HamletDulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
in the
Isthmian LeagueThe Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
and, in the summer of 2000,
IFK HässleholmIFK Hässleholm is Swedish football club from Hässleholm that was established in 1905. The team is currently playing in Division 2 Östra Götaland. Several well known players have played at the club including England international striker Peter Crouch as well as Swedish footballers Jon Jönsson,...
in Sweden.
QPR and Portsmouth
On 28 July 2000, Tottenham sold Crouch to
Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
(QPR) for £60,000. He made an immediate impression with QPR, scoring ten league goals in the 2000–01 season, but it was not enough to prevent the team's relegation to the
Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
.
Relegation meant that QPR had to sell many of their best players to support their diminished finances, and
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
bought Crouch from them for £1.25 million. Crouch scored 18
league-Overview:The 2001–2002 season was the 102nd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables and results :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website, with home and away statistics separated...
goals in 37 starts for Portsmouth – benefiting from the crossing of
Robert ProsinečkiRobert Prosinečki is a Croatian football manager and former football midfielder. Prosinečki is regarded by many as the player with best technique that ever played in and for Croatia. Former national squad teammate Zvonimir Boban, humbly, also agreed with this. His dribbling is considered...
– and that in a side that for much of the season looked destined for mid-table mediocrity.
Aston Villa
In March 2002,
FA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
side
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
made a successful £5 million bid for Crouch. He scored on his home debut for Villa, the equalising goal against
Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, and managed to net twice in seven games. However, Crouch failed to hold down a regular place in the Aston Villa side in the following
2002–03 seasonThe 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
.
Looking for first team football, he was loaned to
Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
from September to December 2003. Although he scored only four times in 15 appearances, he was highly impressive and remains popular with Norwich City supporters. So popular, in fact, he had a song made up about him ("He's tall, he's lean, he's a freaky goal machine"). Crouch was sent off for retaliation during Norwich's 3–1 win at
WalsallWalsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, but nonetheless his spell at Norwich renewed interest in his abilities from other clubs. At the end of the three-month loan he returned to Aston Villa, and scored a brace against
Leicester CityLeicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, a late winner at
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and the opener at
BoltonBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
.
Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
recognised his contribution to the 2003–04 season that saw them win the
First Division ChampionshipThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
by awarding him a championship medal. He was presented with the medal on the pitch prior to City's match against his new club
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
at
Carrow RoadCarrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
in November 2004. When he came on as substitute for Southampton later that afternoon, he received a very good reception from the home crowd.
Villa sold Crouch in July 2004 to
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
for a fee of £2.5 million. Crouch signed a four-year deal with Southampton. He scored just six goals in 37
PremiershipThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
games for Aston Villa.
Southampton
Despite initially being back-up to first choice strikers
James BeattieJames Scott Beattie is an English footballer who currently plays for Sheffield United as a striker.Born in Lancaster, Lancashire he came through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers eventually signing professionally for them in 1995...
and
Kevin PhillipsKevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
,
Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
's arrival and the sale of Beattie saw Crouch become the main attacking focus of the Southampton team. He scored many key goals in Southampton's relegation battle, including memorable goals against Liverpool in a 2–0 home win, Arsenal in a 1–1 home draw and 2 away to Middlesbrough in a 3–1 victory. He also scored a late winning penalty to knock former club and
Saints' arch-rivalThe South Coast Derby, or Hampshire Derby, are terms used to describe football matches played between Portsmouth Football Club and Southampton Football Club.The two clubs are the largest on the southern coast of England, and lie only 17 miles apart...
Portsmouth out of the
FA CupThe FA Cup 2004–05 was the 124th season of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.The competition began on 28 August 2004, with the lowest-ranked of the entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary Round...
. His form for the Saints eventually resulted in him receiving his first England call up. After scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances during the
2004–05 seasonThe 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, his future was cast into doubt when
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
were relegated from the English Premiership. On 19 July 2005, Southampton agreed to sell Crouch for £7 million to Liverpool, on a four-year contract.
Liverpool
Crouch underwent intense media scrutiny due to a goal drought during his first months at Liverpool. For 19 games, spanning four months, he was unable to score. Crouch was praised for other facets of his game, such as his touch on the ball, but his first goal for the club evaded him. The fact that Crouch possessed "good touch for a big man" in fact became something of a media
clichéA cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
during this time. Early in his Liverpool career the supporters composed a new chant; "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out the bed, Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch."
The drought finally ended on 3 December 2005 when he scored against
Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Although this first goal was originally given as an
own goalAn own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
, it was later awarded to Crouch on appeal; he went on to score a second goal in the same game. Prior to these goals, Crouch had played over 24 hours of football for Liverpool without scoring. In addition to this, he also had to deal with unpleasant taunts from crowds at matches, as he had throughout his footballing career, who often chanted "
freakIn current usage, the word "freak" is commonly used to refer to a person with something unusual about their appearance or behaviour. This usage dates from the so-called freak scene of the 1960s and 1970s. "Freak" in this sense may be used either as a pejorative, a term of admiration, or a...
" at him due to his unusual height.
He went on to score several goals that season, including the only goal in the fifth round of the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
against
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Liverpool's first victory over them in the FA Cup post-
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On 13 May, he helped Liverpool to win the 2006 FA Cup final against
West HamWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, providing a crucial assist for
Steven GerrardSteven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
to score the second Liverpool goal.
Three months later, in the curtain-raiser to the 2006–07 season, he headed the winning goal for Liverpool in the club's 2–1 victory over
ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the
FA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
. In their 2006–07
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
campaign he scored his first goals in European club competition. On 13 January 2007, he scored two goals in an away game against Watford, the first time he had scored twice in an away league game for Liverpool. Crouch sustained a
broken noseBroken Nose' redirects here, for the Song by Catherine Wheel, please see Adam and EveA nasal fracture, commonly referred to as a broken nose, is a fracture of the bone or cartilage of the nose...
when playing against
Sheffield UnitedSheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in February 2007. Although he played in some subsequent games, on 9 March 2007 it was announced that he would undergo surgery on the injury which would keep him out of football for a month. On 31 March, he returned to action after the operation and scored the first
hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
of his club career, against
ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in a 4–1 Liverpool victory. This was also a so-called "perfect hat-trick", consisting of goals scored from his right foot, left foot and head.
He later participated in the
2007 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA...
, coming on as a substitute for
Javier Mascherano. He ended the 2006–07 season as Liverpool's top goalscorer in all competitions, with eighteen goals. At the start of the 2007–08 season he had restricted opportunities to play for Liverpool due to the arrival of other strikers, but scored against
ToulouseToulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
in a Champions League qualifying win in August, his eighth goal in his past ten appearances in that competition, and then also scoring the first and last goals of an 8–0 win over
BeşiktaşBeşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the first round of the Champions League in November. This match is now the highest margin by which a team has won in the Champions League. In April, he scored a vital goal in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal, helping Liverpool maintain fourth spot against rivals Everton.
Return to Portsmouth
On 7 July 2008, it was announced that Crouch had verbally agreed to join former club and
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
holders Portsmouth in a deal worth up to £11 million. Crouch passed his medical the following day, and, on 11 July, Crouch's transfer was officially unveiled at a Portsmouth news conference. Portsmouth paid £9 million up front, with up to £2m to be added dependent on various targets being reached. He was given the number 9 shirt by manager
Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
, which he had previously worn during his first spell at the club. On 30 August 2008 Crouch scored his first goal since his return to Portsmouth in his third Premiership appearance, against Everton at
Goodison ParkGoodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. As with his first score for Liverpool there was a degree of uncertainty as to whether he would be credited with the goal as it appeared
Jermain DefoeJermain Colin Defoe is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team....
's chip had crossed the goal-line before Crouch scored from the follow-up. On 3 September it was confirmed that the goal would be officially credited to Crouch and not Defoe. Crouch then went on to net his first goal at Portsmouth's
Fratton ParkFratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
home ground in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur on 28 September.
On 2 October 2008 Crouch scored twice in extra time in a
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
match away to Vitória Guimarães to help Portsmouth reach the group stages of
the competitionThe UEFA Cup 2008–09 was the 38th edition of the UEFA Cup football tournament. The final was played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home ground of Fenerbahçe, in Istanbul, Turkey, on 20 May 2009. This season was the final one to use the UEFA Cup format; starting in 2009, the event is known as the...
. He went on to score twice against
SC Heerenveen in a 3–0 victory at
Fratton ParkFratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
.
Return to Tottenham Hotspur
On 27 July 2009,
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
announced the signing of Crouch from Portsmouth for a fee of £10 million, on a five-year contract. Crouch made his debut for Spurs in a pre-season friendly against Olympiakos, and came on as a substitute in Tottenham's season opening win over
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, making his full Premier League debut for the club in the process. He scored his first goal for Spurs in the Carling Cup tie against
DoncasterDoncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in a 5–1 win on 26 August 2009. He scored again in his next game, opening his league account with Spurs with a goal in a 2–1 home win against
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. On 23 September, Crouch scored his first hat-trick for Spurs in a 5–1 win over
PrestonPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in the
Carling CupThe 2009–10 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, was the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs....
. In May, his late goal against
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in what was being dubbed as the "£15 million pound game" put Spurs in a position to claim their first-ever
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
berth. After having hit the post and missed an
Assou-EkottoBenoît Pierre David Assou-Ekotto is a French-born Cameroonian footballer who plays for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur as a left back.-RC Lens:...
cross, Crouch scored a header after
Márton FülöpMárton Fülöp is a Hungarian footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a goalkeeper. After playing in Hungary for MTK Budapest FC, BKV Előre SC and BFC Siófok, he signed for English club Tottenham Hotspur....
could only parry the ball into his path.
On 25 August 2010, he scored a hat-trick at
White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
against
Young BoysBerner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
to help Tottenham to reach the Group Stage of the
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. On 15 February 2011, Crouch scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
second round, first leg match against Italian team
A.C. MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
at the San Siro, sweeping home
Aaron LennonAaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
's cut-back after a counter-attack. Three weeks later, Spurs progressed to the quarter-finals after the reverse game at
White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
ended 0–0. On 5 April, he was sent off in the 14th minute after receiving two yellow cards in the quarter-finals against
Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. He scored an own goal against
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, which consequently confirmed Manchester City into the Champions League for the 2011–12 season with Tottenham missing out.
Stoke City
On 31 August 2011, Stoke City announced the signing of Crouch from Tottenham for a club record fee of £10 million which could rise to £12 million on a four-year contract. Speaking after sealing his move to the
Britannia StadiumThe Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
, Crouch revealed that his former Tottenham Hotspur colleague
Jonathan WoodgateJonathan Simon Woodgate is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League.Woodgate started his football career at Leeds United where he established himself in the starting eleven. However, Woodgate was sold to Newcastle United for £9 million in January 2003. He impressed...
was a major influence upon his decision to join Stoke. He made his debut for Stoke City in a 1–0 win against
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 10 September 2011. He scored his first goal for
The Potters in a 1–1 draw against
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, making Stoke the sixth Premier League club he has scored for. He scored his second goal in the following match against
BeşiktaşBeşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the UEFA Europa League.
Youth international
Crouch was capped for the
England Under-20 team- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, with team-mates including Stuart Taylor,
Ashley ColeAshley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
, Andrew Johnson and
Matthew EtheringtonMatthew Etherington is an English footballer. Etherington, a left-sided midfielder and winger, plays for Premier League club Stoke City....
. However, the team finished bottom at the group stage, with three losses and having scored no goals. He was later a part of David Platt's
England Under-21 teamEngland's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
, which went to the finals of the
European Under–21 ChampionshipUEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:...
in Switzerland in May 2002, where he scored once.
Breakthrough into senior team
In May 2005 he was handed his first call-up to the England senior squad by manager
Sven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
for the team's tour of the United States, making his debut against
ColombiaThe Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
. He went on to make two appearances during the
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualifying campaign for England: starting against
AustriaThe Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in a 1–0 victory and coming on as a substitute against
PolandThe Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in a 2–1 win. In the latter appearance, Crouch's introduction as a second-half substitute was booed by England's own supporters.
On 1 March 2006 he scored his first goal for England, the equaliser in a 2–1 friendly win over
UruguayThe Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
. He did this whilst bizarrely wearing two different
squad numberIn team sports, the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, uniform number or simply a number is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms...
s on his shirt – No. 21 on the front (his designated squad number for the match), and the incorrect No. 12 on the back.
In May 2006 Crouch was included in the 23-man England squad for the
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, and was expected to be a significant figure in the team due to
Wayne RooneyWayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
's foot injury. On 30 May he played in a pre-
World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
friendly against
HungaryThe Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, scoring the third goal in England's 3–1 win. He followed his goal with an unusual
robotic dancingThe robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
-style
goal celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
– see below. On 3 June he again played for England in a pre-
World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
friendly against
JamaicaThe Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
, scoring a
hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
. Between his second and third goals he took a
penalty kickA penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
hoping to gain a hat-trick, but he put the ball over the bar. England went on to win 6–0, Crouch securing his hat-trick in the 89th minute with a fine finish – his fifth goal in three England games.
2006 World Cup
After his displays in England's friendlies, Crouch partnered
Michael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
in attack for England's opening
2006 World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
game against
ParaguayThe Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
on 10 June 2006. England won the game 1–0 and Crouch kept his place in the starting line-up for the following match against
Trinidad and TobagoThe Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
, against whom he scored his first competitive international goal. The goal provoked some controversy as replays showed Crouch to be pulling on
Brent SanchoBrent Sancho is a Trinidadian soccer player who currently plays for Rochester Rhinos in the USL First Division.-College:Sancho spent his college years playing for St...
's long hair, holding the defender down, to gain an advantage.
Crouch was rested for England's third group game against
SwedenThe Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
as Rooney returned from injury to join the starting line-up. However, Owen suffered a serious knee injury in the opening minute of the game and Crouch replaced him, playing the remainder of the match.
In England's 1–0 second round victory against
EcuadorThe Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
, Crouch remained an unused substitute as Eriksson switched the team to a new formation with Wayne Rooney as a lone striker. However, after Rooney's dismissal for a foul in England's quarter-final against
PortugalThe Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, Crouch came on as a substitute for
Joe ColeJoseph John "Joe" Cole is an English footballer who plays for Lille, on loan from Liverpool, and the England national football team as midfielder. He started his career with where he played more than 100 games during five years, until he left for Chelsea in 2003...
.
On 5 September 2007, retired English referee
Graham PollGraham Poll is an English former football referee in the Premier League and is considered the best English referee of the last 25 years in a list maintained by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics...
claimed that
FIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
had specifically warned referees at the event to pay close attention to Crouch, claiming that "he's a real pain and he's getting away with too much."
Euro 2008 qualifying
Crouch remained a part of the England set-up under Eriksson's successor as manager,
Steve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, and started McClaren's first game in charge, a friendly against
GreeceThe Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
in August 2006. He scored twice in England's 4–0 victory. Two further goals followed in England's next match, a 5–0 win over
AndorraThe Andorra national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fourth smallest of any UEFA...
in their opening qualifying match for the
2008 European ChampionshipsThe 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by European nations. It took place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June 2008...
on 2 September 2006. Contemporary reports suggested that Crouch was the first player ever to reach ten goals for England within a single calendar year. In fact, this had happened several times pre-
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most recently by
Dixie DeanWilliam Ralph Dean , better known as Dixie Dean, was an English football player. Dean originally started his career with Birkenhead based Tranmere Rovers before moving on to Everton, the club he had supported as a child, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football...
(12 goals in 1927) and
George CamsellGeorge Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
(11 goals in 1929).
He added a further goal to his tally with the winner in England's 1–0 qualifying victory away to
MacedoniaThe Macedonia national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Macedonia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Macedonia. Due to an ongoing name dispute, it enters international competitions under its country's provisional appellation as "FYR Macedonia"...
on 6 September. An operation needed for a nose injury he sustained playing for Liverpool prevented him from playing in England's two qualifying matches in March 2007. He returned to the England squad for their games against
BrazilThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and
EstoniaThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
in late May and early June 2007, scoring in the qualifying game against the latter.
Crouch was England's top scorer in the qualifying campaign with five goals, but this did not prevent England finishing only third in their group and failing to progress to the finals of the competition.
Capello era
On 1 April 2009, Crouch made his first start under McClaren's successor,
Fabio CapelloFabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
, in a
2010 World Cup qualifierThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
against
UkraineThe Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
. He scored England's first goal in their 2–1 victory.
Crouch was re-called to the
EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad for the friendly against
SloveniaThe Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
and the World Cup qualifier versus
CroatiaThe Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, following his fine form for Tottenham.
Crouch also got an early first half goal against
BelarusThe Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
in the final 2010 World Cup qualifier, which he then followed up with a second goal in the 74th minute. This took Crouch's tally for England up to 18 goals in just 17 starts. Crouch scored a brace after coming on as a substitute against
Egypt in a friendly on 3 March 2010 to take his overall international goal tally to 20. He also scored the second goal for England against Mexico at Wembley on 24 May 2010.
2010 World Cup
Crouch was named in Capello's final 23-man squad for the
2010 World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and was given the number 9 shirt. He came on as a substitute for
Emile HeskeyEmile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
in England's opening match against the
United StatesThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and also came off the bench for
Gareth BarryGareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
in the following match against
AlgeriaThe Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
. Crouch did not take part in the final group stage game with
SloveniaThe Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
or the 4–1 loss to
GermanyThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in the last-16.
Post World Cup
Crouch came on as a substitute in the home friendly against France for the injured
Steven GerrardSteven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
on 17 November. He scored quickly from an Ashley Young corner to make the score 1–2 with an angled side-footed volley. It was his second touch of the ball. After not making an appearance for England for almost a year Crouch has stated that he "does not carry much hope" of receiving a call up.
International goals
Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
| Crouch – goals for England |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 |
1 March 2006 |
LiverpoolAnfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, England |
|
1–1 |
2–1 |
Friendly match |
| 2 |
30 May 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
|
3–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly match |
| 3 |
3 June 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
|
3–0 |
6–0 |
Friendly match |
| 4 |
5–0 |
| 5 |
6–0 |
| 6 |
15 June 2006 |
NurembergThe Frankenstadion is a stadium in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany, which was opened in 1928. It is located next to the Zeppelinfeld. It also neighbors the new Nuremberg Arena....
, Germany |
|
1–0 |
2–0 |
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
|
| 7 |
16 August 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
|
3–0 |
4–0 |
Friendly match |
| 8 |
4–0 |
| 9 |
2 September 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
|
1–0 |
5–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 10 |
5–0 |
| 11 |
6 September 2006 |
SkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
|
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual |
| 12 |
6 June 2007 |
TallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia |
|
2–0 |
3–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 13 |
16 November 2007 |
ViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria |
|
1–0 |
1–0 |
Friendly match |
| 14 |
21 November 2007 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
2–2 |
2–3 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 15 |
1 April 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
1–0 |
2–1 |
World Cup 2010 Qual.The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
|
| 16 |
10 June 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
6–0 |
6–0 |
World Cup 2010 Qual. |
| 17 |
14 October 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
1–0 |
3–0 |
World Cup 2010 Qual. |
| 18 |
3–0 |
| 19 |
3 March 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
1–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly match |
| 20 |
3–1 |
| 21 |
24 May 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
2–0 |
3–1 |
Friendly Match |
| 22 |
17 November 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
|
1–2 |
1–2 |
Friendly Match |
Nicknames
Although generally known as "Crouchy", other nicknames he has been given by fans and the media in England have included "RoboCrouch" and "Crouchinho" (a parody of
RonaldinhoRonaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
), despite "Crouchinho" translating from Portuguese as "little Crouch". He has been also referred to as "
Mr. Roboto"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in...
" by
UnivisionUnivision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
's commentators and as "Pantera Rosa" ("
Pink PantherThe Pink Panther is the main and title character in the opening and closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. His popularity spawned a series of theatrical shorts, merchandise, a comic book, and television cartoons...
") by
Fox Sports en EspañolFox Deportes is a cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day in Spanish...
commentators.
Mark LawrensonMark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his...
announced on
Match of the DayMatch of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
that his nickname was "coathanger, apparently". During his Liverpool career, fans used to chant "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out of bed!"
Robotic dancing
In the summer of 2006, Crouch adopted a
robotic dancingThe robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
goal celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
. A parody of a dance he had been seen performing on a television programme covering a party held at England team-mate
David BeckhamDavid Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
's house, he first performed it after his goal for England against Hungary on 30 May. He again performed the dance after both of his first two goals against Jamaica on 3 June. The
Daily Mirror newspaper claimed that the dance was inspired by the lyrics to the
Arctic MonkeysArctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
' hit single "
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor-Charts:-External links:* Mapped on Platial....
".
On 12 June, Crouch announced he would only perform his robotic dance again if England were to win the World Cup, saying "It's not about robotic dancing. It is about scoring goals and winning matches. It's an important time for everyone now." In September 2006, he was quoted in
The ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper as saying that: "It was funny at the time, but I didn't want to carry on doing it until it became unfunny. I've stopped doing it for the time being, but if I ever score a really big goal you never know."
On 6 August 2007, Crouch insisted that he would never use the Robot dance again unless he scored in the UEFA Champions League Final, but he partially reprised it on 1 April 2009 after scoring during England's World Cup qualifier against
UkraineThe Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
after a Comic Relief sketch.
Personal life
Crouch had dated
Abigail ClancyAbigail Marie "Abbey" Crouch is a British lingerie and catwalk model and television presenter.-Early life:...
for a period before Crouch announced in 2007 that the two were not a couple. Subsequently, Clancy and Crouch announced their engagement on 15 July 2009. Their first child, a daughter named Sophia Ruby, was born on 14 March 2011. Crouch and Clancy were married on Thursday, 30 June 2011.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
FA Cup |
League Cup |
Europe |
Other
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}}
Peter James Crouch (born 30 January 1981) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the England national teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur. However he failed to make a first team appearance for the club, leaving it in 2000 and playing for several teams including four Premier League clubs – PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
– before returning and finally making his senior Tottenham debut in 2009. He was the second top-scorer in the 2006–07 Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
season, behind AC MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
's KakáRicardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
.
Early life
Crouch was born in MacclesfieldMacclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire, but his family moved to SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
when he was one year old, where they stayed for three years before returning to Great Britain and settling in EalingEaling is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, London. A keen footballer from an early age, he became a ball boyBall Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
at the age of ten. As a child, he attended some ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
games. Later, he told the Liverpool official website that despite this, he and his friends at the time were fans of Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. He attended North Ealing Primary School and Drayton Manor High SchoolDrayton Manor High School, formerly Drayton Manor Grammar School, is a comprehensive school located in Hanwell, Ealing, England. The current headteacher is Sir Pritpal Singh. The school is a specialist Humanities College. Its emblem is a phoenix rising from a crown with the legend 'Nec Aspera...
in HanwellHanwell is a town situated in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, between Ealing and Southall. The motto of Hanwell Urban District Council was Nec Aspera Terrent...
.
Club career
Crouch signed a professional contract with Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on 2 July 1998, after having played for their youth side. However, he did not make any appearances for their first team and was loaned out to other clubs, having brief spells at Dulwich HamletDulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
in the Isthmian LeagueThe Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
and, in the summer of 2000, IFK HässleholmIFK Hässleholm is Swedish football club from Hässleholm that was established in 1905. The team is currently playing in Division 2 Östra Götaland. Several well known players have played at the club including England international striker Peter Crouch as well as Swedish footballers Jon Jönsson,...
in Sweden.
QPR and Portsmouth
On 28 July 2000, Tottenham sold Crouch to Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
(QPR) for £60,000. He made an immediate impression with QPR, scoring ten league goals in the 2000–01 season, but it was not enough to prevent the team's relegation to the Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
.
Relegation meant that QPR had to sell many of their best players to support their diminished finances, and PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
bought Crouch from them for £1.25 million. Crouch scored 18 league-Overview:The 2001–2002 season was the 102nd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables and results :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website, with home and away statistics separated...
goals in 37 starts for Portsmouth – benefiting from the crossing of Robert ProsinečkiRobert Prosinečki is a Croatian football manager and former football midfielder. Prosinečki is regarded by many as the player with best technique that ever played in and for Croatia. Former national squad teammate Zvonimir Boban, humbly, also agreed with this. His dribbling is considered...
– and that in a side that for much of the season looked destined for mid-table mediocrity.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
Aston Villa
In March 2002, FA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
side Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
made a successful £5 million bid for Crouch. He scored on his home debut for Villa, the equalising goal against Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, and managed to net twice in seven games. However, Crouch failed to hold down a regular place in the Aston Villa side in the following 2002–03 seasonThe 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
.
Looking for first team football, he was loaned to Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
from September to December 2003. Although he scored only four times in 15 appearances, he was highly impressive and remains popular with Norwich City supporters. So popular, in fact, he had a song made up about him ("He's tall, he's lean, he's a freaky goal machine"). Crouch was sent off for retaliation during Norwich's 3–1 win at WalsallWalsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, but nonetheless his spell at Norwich renewed interest in his abilities from other clubs. At the end of the three-month loan he returned to Aston Villa, and scored a brace against Leicester CityLeicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, a late winner at MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and the opener at BoltonBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
recognised his contribution to the 2003–04 season that saw them win the First Division ChampionshipThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
by awarding him a championship medal. He was presented with the medal on the pitch prior to City's match against his new club SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
at Carrow RoadCarrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
in November 2004. When he came on as substitute for Southampton later that afternoon, he received a very good reception from the home crowd.
Villa sold Crouch in July 2004 to SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
for a fee of £2.5 million. Crouch signed a four-year deal with Southampton. He scored just six goals in 37 PremiershipThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
games for Aston Villa.
Southampton
Despite initially being back-up to first choice strikers James BeattieJames Scott Beattie is an English footballer who currently plays for Sheffield United as a striker.Born in Lancaster, Lancashire he came through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers eventually signing professionally for them in 1995...
and Kevin PhillipsKevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
, Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
's arrival and the sale of Beattie saw Crouch become the main attacking focus of the Southampton team. He scored many key goals in Southampton's relegation battle, including memorable goals against Liverpool in a 2–0 home win, Arsenal in a 1–1 home draw and 2 away to Middlesbrough in a 3–1 victory. He also scored a late winning penalty to knock former club and Saints' arch-rivalThe South Coast Derby, or Hampshire Derby, are terms used to describe football matches played between Portsmouth Football Club and Southampton Football Club.The two clubs are the largest on the southern coast of England, and lie only 17 miles apart...
Portsmouth out of the FA CupThe FA Cup 2004–05 was the 124th season of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.The competition began on 28 August 2004, with the lowest-ranked of the entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary Round...
. His form for the Saints eventually resulted in him receiving his first England call up. After scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances during the 2004–05 seasonThe 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, his future was cast into doubt when SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
were relegated from the English Premiership. On 19 July 2005, Southampton agreed to sell Crouch for £7 million to Liverpool, on a four-year contract.
Liverpool
Crouch underwent intense media scrutiny due to a goal drought during his first months at Liverpool. For 19 games, spanning four months, he was unable to score. Crouch was praised for other facets of his game, such as his touch on the ball, but his first goal for the club evaded him. The fact that Crouch possessed "good touch for a big man" in fact became something of a media clichéA cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
during this time. Early in his Liverpool career the supporters composed a new chant; "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out the bed, Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch."
The drought finally ended on 3 December 2005 when he scored against Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Although this first goal was originally given as an own goalAn own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
, it was later awarded to Crouch on appeal; he went on to score a second goal in the same game. Prior to these goals, Crouch had played over 24 hours of football for Liverpool without scoring. In addition to this, he also had to deal with unpleasant taunts from crowds at matches, as he had throughout his footballing career, who often chanted "freakIn current usage, the word "freak" is commonly used to refer to a person with something unusual about their appearance or behaviour. This usage dates from the so-called freak scene of the 1960s and 1970s. "Freak" in this sense may be used either as a pejorative, a term of admiration, or a...
" at him due to his unusual height.
He went on to score several goals that season, including the only goal in the fifth round of the FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
against Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Liverpool's first victory over them in the FA Cup post-World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On 13 May, he helped Liverpool to win the 2006 FA Cup final against West HamWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, providing a crucial assist for Steven GerrardSteven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
to score the second Liverpool goal.
Three months later, in the curtain-raiser to the 2006–07 season, he headed the winning goal for Liverpool in the club's 2–1 victory over ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the FA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
. In their 2006–07 UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
campaign he scored his first goals in European club competition. On 13 January 2007, he scored two goals in an away game against Watford, the first time he had scored twice in an away league game for Liverpool. Crouch sustained a broken noseBroken Nose' redirects here, for the Song by Catherine Wheel, please see Adam and EveA nasal fracture, commonly referred to as a broken nose, is a fracture of the bone or cartilage of the nose...
when playing against Sheffield UnitedSheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in February 2007. Although he played in some subsequent games, on 9 March 2007 it was announced that he would undergo surgery on the injury which would keep him out of football for a month. On 31 March, he returned to action after the operation and scored the first hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
of his club career, against ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in a 4–1 Liverpool victory. This was also a so-called "perfect hat-trick", consisting of goals scored from his right foot, left foot and head.
He later participated in the 2007 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA...
, coming on as a substitute for Javier Mascherano. He ended the 2006–07 season as Liverpool's top goalscorer in all competitions, with eighteen goals. At the start of the 2007–08 season he had restricted opportunities to play for Liverpool due to the arrival of other strikers, but scored against ToulouseToulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
in a Champions League qualifying win in August, his eighth goal in his past ten appearances in that competition, and then also scoring the first and last goals of an 8–0 win over BeşiktaşBeşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the first round of the Champions League in November. This match is now the highest margin by which a team has won in the Champions League. In April, he scored a vital goal in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal, helping Liverpool maintain fourth spot against rivals Everton.
Return to Portsmouth
On 7 July 2008, it was announced that Crouch had verbally agreed to join former club and FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
holders Portsmouth in a deal worth up to £11 million. Crouch passed his medical the following day, and, on 11 July, Crouch's transfer was officially unveiled at a Portsmouth news conference. Portsmouth paid £9 million up front, with up to £2m to be added dependent on various targets being reached. He was given the number 9 shirt by manager Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
, which he had previously worn during his first spell at the club. On 30 August 2008 Crouch scored his first goal since his return to Portsmouth in his third Premiership appearance, against Everton at Goodison ParkGoodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. As with his first score for Liverpool there was a degree of uncertainty as to whether he would be credited with the goal as it appeared Jermain DefoeJermain Colin Defoe is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team....
's chip had crossed the goal-line before Crouch scored from the follow-up. On 3 September it was confirmed that the goal would be officially credited to Crouch and not Defoe. Crouch then went on to net his first goal at Portsmouth's Fratton ParkFratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
home ground in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur on 28 September.
On 2 October 2008 Crouch scored twice in extra time in a UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
match away to Vitória Guimarães to help Portsmouth reach the group stages of the competitionThe UEFA Cup 2008–09 was the 38th edition of the UEFA Cup football tournament. The final was played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home ground of Fenerbahçe, in Istanbul, Turkey, on 20 May 2009. This season was the final one to use the UEFA Cup format; starting in 2009, the event is known as the...
. He went on to score twice against SC Heerenveen in a 3–0 victory at Fratton ParkFratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
.
Return to Tottenham Hotspur
On 27 July 2009, Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
announced the signing of Crouch from Portsmouth for a fee of £10 million, on a five-year contract. Crouch made his debut for Spurs in a pre-season friendly against Olympiakos, and came on as a substitute in Tottenham's season opening win over LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, making his full Premier League debut for the club in the process. He scored his first goal for Spurs in the Carling Cup tie against DoncasterDoncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in a 5–1 win on 26 August 2009. He scored again in his next game, opening his league account with Spurs with a goal in a 2–1 home win against Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. On 23 September, Crouch scored his first hat-trick for Spurs in a 5–1 win over PrestonPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in the Carling CupThe 2009–10 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, was the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs....
. In May, his late goal against Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in what was being dubbed as the "£15 million pound game" put Spurs in a position to claim their first-ever UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
berth. After having hit the post and missed an Assou-EkottoBenoît Pierre David Assou-Ekotto is a French-born Cameroonian footballer who plays for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur as a left back.-RC Lens:...
cross, Crouch scored a header after Márton FülöpMárton Fülöp is a Hungarian footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a goalkeeper. After playing in Hungary for MTK Budapest FC, BKV Előre SC and BFC Siófok, he signed for English club Tottenham Hotspur....
could only parry the ball into his path.
On 25 August 2010, he scored a hat-trick at White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
against Young BoysBerner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
to help Tottenham to reach the Group Stage of the UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. On 15 February 2011, Crouch scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
second round, first leg match against Italian team A.C. MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
at the San Siro, sweeping home Aaron LennonAaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
's cut-back after a counter-attack. Three weeks later, Spurs progressed to the quarter-finals after the reverse game at White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
ended 0–0. On 5 April, he was sent off in the 14th minute after receiving two yellow cards in the quarter-finals against Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. He scored an own goal against Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, which consequently confirmed Manchester City into the Champions League for the 2011–12 season with Tottenham missing out.
Stoke City
On 31 August 2011, Stoke City announced the signing of Crouch from Tottenham for a club record fee of £10 million which could rise to £12 million on a four-year contract. Speaking after sealing his move to the Britannia StadiumThe Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
, Crouch revealed that his former Tottenham Hotspur colleague Jonathan WoodgateJonathan Simon Woodgate is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League.Woodgate started his football career at Leeds United where he established himself in the starting eleven. However, Woodgate was sold to Newcastle United for £9 million in January 2003. He impressed...
was a major influence upon his decision to join Stoke. He made his debut for Stoke City in a 1–0 win against LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 10 September 2011. He scored his first goal for The Potters in a 1–1 draw against Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, making Stoke the sixth Premier League club he has scored for. He scored his second goal in the following match against BeşiktaşBeşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the UEFA Europa League.
Youth international
Crouch was capped for the England Under-20 team- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, with team-mates including Stuart Taylor, Ashley ColeAshley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
, Andrew Johnson and Matthew EtheringtonMatthew Etherington is an English footballer. Etherington, a left-sided midfielder and winger, plays for Premier League club Stoke City....
. However, the team finished bottom at the group stage, with three losses and having scored no goals. He was later a part of David Platt's England Under-21 teamEngland's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
, which went to the finals of the European Under–21 ChampionshipUEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:...
in Switzerland in May 2002, where he scored once.
Breakthrough into senior team
In May 2005 he was handed his first call-up to the England senior squad by manager Sven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
for the team's tour of the United States, making his debut against ColombiaThe Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
. He went on to make two appearances during the 2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualifying campaign for England: starting against AustriaThe Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in a 1–0 victory and coming on as a substitute against PolandThe Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in a 2–1 win. In the latter appearance, Crouch's introduction as a second-half substitute was booed by England's own supporters.
On 1 March 2006 he scored his first goal for England, the equaliser in a 2–1 friendly win over UruguayThe Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
. He did this whilst bizarrely wearing two different squad numberIn team sports, the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, uniform number or simply a number is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms...
s on his shirt – No. 21 on the front (his designated squad number for the match), and the incorrect No. 12 on the back.
In May 2006 Crouch was included in the 23-man England squad for the 2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, and was expected to be a significant figure in the team due to Wayne RooneyWayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
's foot injury. On 30 May he played in a pre-World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
friendly against HungaryThe Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, scoring the third goal in England's 3–1 win. He followed his goal with an unusual robotic dancingThe robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
-style goal celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
– see below. On 3 June he again played for England in a pre-World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
friendly against JamaicaThe Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
, scoring a hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
. Between his second and third goals he took a penalty kickA penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
hoping to gain a hat-trick, but he put the ball over the bar. England went on to win 6–0, Crouch securing his hat-trick in the 89th minute with a fine finish – his fifth goal in three England games.
2006 World Cup
After his displays in England's friendlies, Crouch partnered Michael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
in attack for England's opening 2006 World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
game against ParaguayThe Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
on 10 June 2006. England won the game 1–0 and Crouch kept his place in the starting line-up for the following match against Trinidad and TobagoThe Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
, against whom he scored his first competitive international goal. The goal provoked some controversy as replays showed Crouch to be pulling on Brent SanchoBrent Sancho is a Trinidadian soccer player who currently plays for Rochester Rhinos in the USL First Division.-College:Sancho spent his college years playing for St...
's long hair, holding the defender down, to gain an advantage.
Crouch was rested for England's third group game against SwedenThe Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
as Rooney returned from injury to join the starting line-up. However, Owen suffered a serious knee injury in the opening minute of the game and Crouch replaced him, playing the remainder of the match.
In England's 1–0 second round victory against EcuadorThe Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
, Crouch remained an unused substitute as Eriksson switched the team to a new formation with Wayne Rooney as a lone striker. However, after Rooney's dismissal for a foul in England's quarter-final against PortugalThe Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, Crouch came on as a substitute for Joe ColeJoseph John "Joe" Cole is an English footballer who plays for Lille, on loan from Liverpool, and the England national football team as midfielder. He started his career with where he played more than 100 games during five years, until he left for Chelsea in 2003...
.
On 5 September 2007, retired English referee Graham PollGraham Poll is an English former football referee in the Premier League and is considered the best English referee of the last 25 years in a list maintained by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics...
claimed that FIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
had specifically warned referees at the event to pay close attention to Crouch, claiming that "he's a real pain and he's getting away with too much."
Euro 2008 qualifying
Crouch remained a part of the England set-up under Eriksson's successor as manager, Steve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, and started McClaren's first game in charge, a friendly against GreeceThe Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
in August 2006. He scored twice in England's 4–0 victory. Two further goals followed in England's next match, a 5–0 win over AndorraThe Andorra national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fourth smallest of any UEFA...
in their opening qualifying match for the 2008 European ChampionshipsThe 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by European nations. It took place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June 2008...
on 2 September 2006. Contemporary reports suggested that Crouch was the first player ever to reach ten goals for England within a single calendar year. In fact, this had happened several times pre-World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most recently by Dixie DeanWilliam Ralph Dean , better known as Dixie Dean, was an English football player. Dean originally started his career with Birkenhead based Tranmere Rovers before moving on to Everton, the club he had supported as a child, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football...
(12 goals in 1927) and George CamsellGeorge Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
(11 goals in 1929).
He added a further goal to his tally with the winner in England's 1–0 qualifying victory away to MacedoniaThe Macedonia national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Macedonia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Macedonia. Due to an ongoing name dispute, it enters international competitions under its country's provisional appellation as "FYR Macedonia"...
on 6 September. An operation needed for a nose injury he sustained playing for Liverpool prevented him from playing in England's two qualifying matches in March 2007. He returned to the England squad for their games against BrazilThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and EstoniaThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
in late May and early June 2007, scoring in the qualifying game against the latter.
Crouch was England's top scorer in the qualifying campaign with five goals, but this did not prevent England finishing only third in their group and failing to progress to the finals of the competition.
Capello era
On 1 April 2009, Crouch made his first start under McClaren's successor, Fabio CapelloFabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
, in a 2010 World Cup qualifierThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
against UkraineThe Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
. He scored England's first goal in their 2–1 victory.
Crouch was re-called to the EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad for the friendly against SloveniaThe Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
and the World Cup qualifier versus CroatiaThe Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, following his fine form for Tottenham.
Crouch also got an early first half goal against BelarusThe Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
in the final 2010 World Cup qualifier, which he then followed up with a second goal in the 74th minute. This took Crouch's tally for England up to 18 goals in just 17 starts. Crouch scored a brace after coming on as a substitute against Egypt in a friendly on 3 March 2010 to take his overall international goal tally to 20. He also scored the second goal for England against Mexico at Wembley on 24 May 2010.
2010 World Cup
Crouch was named in Capello's final 23-man squad for the 2010 World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and was given the number 9 shirt. He came on as a substitute for Emile HeskeyEmile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
in England's opening match against the United StatesThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and also came off the bench for Gareth BarryGareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
in the following match against AlgeriaThe Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
. Crouch did not take part in the final group stage game with SloveniaThe Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
or the 4–1 loss to GermanyThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in the last-16.
Post World Cup
Crouch came on as a substitute in the home friendly against France for the injured Steven GerrardSteven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
on 17 November. He scored quickly from an Ashley Young corner to make the score 1–2 with an angled side-footed volley. It was his second touch of the ball. After not making an appearance for England for almost a year Crouch has stated that he "does not carry much hope" of receiving a call up.
International goals
Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
| Crouch – goals for England |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 |
1 March 2006 |
LiverpoolAnfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, England |
{{fb|URU}} |
1–1 |
2–1 |
Friendly match |
| 2 |
30 May 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|HUN}} |
3–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly match |
| 3 |
3 June 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|JAM}} |
3–0 |
6–0 |
Friendly match |
| 4 |
5–0 |
| 5 |
6–0 |
| 6 |
15 June 2006 |
NurembergThe Frankenstadion is a stadium in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany, which was opened in 1928. It is located next to the Zeppelinfeld. It also neighbors the new Nuremberg Arena....
, Germany |
{{fb|TRI}} |
1–0 |
2–0 |
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
|
| 7 |
16 August 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|GRE}} |
3–0 |
4–0 |
Friendly match |
| 8 |
4–0 |
| 9 |
2 September 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|AND}} |
1–0 |
5–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 10 |
5–0 |
| 11 |
6 September 2006 |
SkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
|
{{fb|MKD}} |
1–0 |
1–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual |
| 12 |
6 June 2007 |
TallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia |
{{fb|EST}} |
2–0 |
3–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 13 |
16 November 2007 |
ViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria |
{{fb|AUT}} |
1–0 |
1–0 |
Friendly match |
| 14 |
21 November 2007 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|CRO}} |
2–2 |
2–3 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 15 |
1 April 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|UKR}} |
1–0 |
2–1 |
World Cup 2010 Qual.The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
|
| 16 |
10 June 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|AND}} |
6–0 |
6–0 |
World Cup 2010 Qual. |
| 17 |
14 October 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|BLR}} |
1–0 |
3–0 |
World Cup 2010 Qual. |
| 18 |
3–0 |
| 19 |
3 March 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|EGY}} |
1–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly match |
| 20 |
3–1 |
| 21 |
24 May 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|MEX}} |
2–0 |
3–1 |
Friendly Match |
| 22 |
17 November 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|FRA}} |
1–2 |
1–2 |
Friendly Match |
Nicknames
Although generally known as "Crouchy", other nicknames he has been given by fans and the media in England have included "RoboCrouch" and "Crouchinho" (a parody of RonaldinhoRonaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
), despite "Crouchinho" translating from Portuguese as "little Crouch". He has been also referred to as "Mr. Roboto"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in...
" by UnivisionUnivision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
's commentators and as "Pantera Rosa" ("Pink PantherThe Pink Panther is the main and title character in the opening and closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. His popularity spawned a series of theatrical shorts, merchandise, a comic book, and television cartoons...
") by Fox Sports en EspañolFox Deportes is a cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day in Spanish...
commentators. Mark LawrensonMark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his...
announced on Match of the DayMatch of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
that his nickname was "coathanger, apparently". During his Liverpool career, fans used to chant "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out of bed!"
Robotic dancing
In the summer of 2006, Crouch adopted a robotic dancingThe robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
goal celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
. A parody of a dance he had been seen performing on a television programme covering a party held at England team-mate David BeckhamDavid Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
's house, he first performed it after his goal for England against Hungary on 30 May. He again performed the dance after both of his first two goals against Jamaica on 3 June. The Daily Mirror newspaper claimed that the dance was inspired by the lyrics to the Arctic MonkeysArctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
' hit single "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor-Charts:-External links:* Mapped on Platial....
".
On 12 June, Crouch announced he would only perform his robotic dance again if England were to win the World Cup, saying "It's not about robotic dancing. It is about scoring goals and winning matches. It's an important time for everyone now." In September 2006, he was quoted in The ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper as saying that: "It was funny at the time, but I didn't want to carry on doing it until it became unfunny. I've stopped doing it for the time being, but if I ever score a really big goal you never know."
On 6 August 2007, Crouch insisted that he would never use the Robot dance again unless he scored in the UEFA Champions League Final, but he partially reprised it on 1 April 2009 after scoring during England's World Cup qualifier against UkraineThe Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
after a Comic Relief sketch.
Personal life
Crouch had dated Abigail ClancyAbigail Marie "Abbey" Crouch is a British lingerie and catwalk model and television presenter.-Early life:...
for a period before Crouch announced in 2007 that the two were not a couple. Subsequently, Clancy and Crouch announced their engagement on 15 July 2009. Their first child, a daughter named Sophia Ruby, was born on 14 March 2011. Crouch and Clancy were married on Thursday, 30 June 2011.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
FA Cup |
League Cup |
Europe |
Other
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}}
Peter James Crouch (born 30 January 1981) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the England national teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur. However he failed to make a first team appearance for the club, leaving it in 2000 and playing for several teams including four Premier League clubs – PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
– before returning and finally making his senior Tottenham debut in 2009. He was the second top-scorer in the 2006–07 Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
season, behind AC MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
's KakáRicardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
.
Early life
Crouch was born in MacclesfieldMacclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire, but his family moved to SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
when he was one year old, where they stayed for three years before returning to Great Britain and settling in EalingEaling is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, London. A keen footballer from an early age, he became a ball boyBall Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
at the age of ten. As a child, he attended some ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
games. Later, he told the Liverpool official website that despite this, he and his friends at the time were fans of Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. He attended North Ealing Primary School and Drayton Manor High SchoolDrayton Manor High School, formerly Drayton Manor Grammar School, is a comprehensive school located in Hanwell, Ealing, England. The current headteacher is Sir Pritpal Singh. The school is a specialist Humanities College. Its emblem is a phoenix rising from a crown with the legend 'Nec Aspera...
in HanwellHanwell is a town situated in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, between Ealing and Southall. The motto of Hanwell Urban District Council was Nec Aspera Terrent...
.
Club career
Crouch signed a professional contract with Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on 2 July 1998, after having played for their youth side. However, he did not make any appearances for their first team and was loaned out to other clubs, having brief spells at Dulwich HamletDulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
in the Isthmian LeagueThe Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
and, in the summer of 2000, IFK HässleholmIFK Hässleholm is Swedish football club from Hässleholm that was established in 1905. The team is currently playing in Division 2 Östra Götaland. Several well known players have played at the club including England international striker Peter Crouch as well as Swedish footballers Jon Jönsson,...
in Sweden.
QPR and Portsmouth
On 28 July 2000, Tottenham sold Crouch to Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
(QPR) for £60,000. He made an immediate impression with QPR, scoring ten league goals in the 2000–01 season, but it was not enough to prevent the team's relegation to the Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
.
Relegation meant that QPR had to sell many of their best players to support their diminished finances, and PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
bought Crouch from them for £1.25 million. Crouch scored 18 league-Overview:The 2001–2002 season was the 102nd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables and results :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website, with home and away statistics separated...
goals in 37 starts for Portsmouth – benefiting from the crossing of Robert ProsinečkiRobert Prosinečki is a Croatian football manager and former football midfielder. Prosinečki is regarded by many as the player with best technique that ever played in and for Croatia. Former national squad teammate Zvonimir Boban, humbly, also agreed with this. His dribbling is considered...
– and that in a side that for much of the season looked destined for mid-table mediocrity.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
Aston Villa
In March 2002, FA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
side Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
made a successful £5 million bid for Crouch. He scored on his home debut for Villa, the equalising goal against Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, and managed to net twice in seven games. However, Crouch failed to hold down a regular place in the Aston Villa side in the following 2002–03 seasonThe 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
.
Looking for first team football, he was loaned to Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
from September to December 2003. Although he scored only four times in 15 appearances, he was highly impressive and remains popular with Norwich City supporters. So popular, in fact, he had a song made up about him ("He's tall, he's lean, he's a freaky goal machine"). Crouch was sent off for retaliation during Norwich's 3–1 win at WalsallWalsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, but nonetheless his spell at Norwich renewed interest in his abilities from other clubs. At the end of the three-month loan he returned to Aston Villa, and scored a brace against Leicester CityLeicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, a late winner at MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and the opener at BoltonBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
recognised his contribution to the 2003–04 season that saw them win the First Division ChampionshipThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
by awarding him a championship medal. He was presented with the medal on the pitch prior to City's match against his new club SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
at Carrow RoadCarrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
in November 2004. When he came on as substitute for Southampton later that afternoon, he received a very good reception from the home crowd.
Villa sold Crouch in July 2004 to SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
for a fee of £2.5 million. Crouch signed a four-year deal with Southampton. He scored just six goals in 37 PremiershipThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
games for Aston Villa.
Southampton
Despite initially being back-up to first choice strikers James BeattieJames Scott Beattie is an English footballer who currently plays for Sheffield United as a striker.Born in Lancaster, Lancashire he came through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers eventually signing professionally for them in 1995...
and Kevin PhillipsKevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
, Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
's arrival and the sale of Beattie saw Crouch become the main attacking focus of the Southampton team. He scored many key goals in Southampton's relegation battle, including memorable goals against Liverpool in a 2–0 home win, Arsenal in a 1–1 home draw and 2 away to Middlesbrough in a 3–1 victory. He also scored a late winning penalty to knock former club and Saints' arch-rivalThe South Coast Derby, or Hampshire Derby, are terms used to describe football matches played between Portsmouth Football Club and Southampton Football Club.The two clubs are the largest on the southern coast of England, and lie only 17 miles apart...
Portsmouth out of the FA CupThe FA Cup 2004–05 was the 124th season of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.The competition began on 28 August 2004, with the lowest-ranked of the entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary Round...
. His form for the Saints eventually resulted in him receiving his first England call up. After scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances during the 2004–05 seasonThe 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, his future was cast into doubt when SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
were relegated from the English Premiership. On 19 July 2005, Southampton agreed to sell Crouch for £7 million to Liverpool, on a four-year contract.
Liverpool
Crouch underwent intense media scrutiny due to a goal drought during his first months at Liverpool. For 19 games, spanning four months, he was unable to score. Crouch was praised for other facets of his game, such as his touch on the ball, but his first goal for the club evaded him. The fact that Crouch possessed "good touch for a big man" in fact became something of a media clichéA cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
during this time. Early in his Liverpool career the supporters composed a new chant; "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out the bed, Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch."
The drought finally ended on 3 December 2005 when he scored against Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Although this first goal was originally given as an own goalAn own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
, it was later awarded to Crouch on appeal; he went on to score a second goal in the same game. Prior to these goals, Crouch had played over 24 hours of football for Liverpool without scoring. In addition to this, he also had to deal with unpleasant taunts from crowds at matches, as he had throughout his footballing career, who often chanted "freakIn current usage, the word "freak" is commonly used to refer to a person with something unusual about their appearance or behaviour. This usage dates from the so-called freak scene of the 1960s and 1970s. "Freak" in this sense may be used either as a pejorative, a term of admiration, or a...
" at him due to his unusual height.
He went on to score several goals that season, including the only goal in the fifth round of the FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
against Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Liverpool's first victory over them in the FA Cup post-World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On 13 May, he helped Liverpool to win the 2006 FA Cup final against West HamWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, providing a crucial assist for Steven GerrardSteven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
to score the second Liverpool goal.
Three months later, in the curtain-raiser to the 2006–07 season, he headed the winning goal for Liverpool in the club's 2–1 victory over ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the FA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
. In their 2006–07 UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
campaign he scored his first goals in European club competition. On 13 January 2007, he scored two goals in an away game against Watford, the first time he had scored twice in an away league game for Liverpool. Crouch sustained a broken noseBroken Nose' redirects here, for the Song by Catherine Wheel, please see Adam and EveA nasal fracture, commonly referred to as a broken nose, is a fracture of the bone or cartilage of the nose...
when playing against Sheffield UnitedSheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in February 2007. Although he played in some subsequent games, on 9 March 2007 it was announced that he would undergo surgery on the injury which would keep him out of football for a month. On 31 March, he returned to action after the operation and scored the first hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
of his club career, against ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in a 4–1 Liverpool victory. This was also a so-called "perfect hat-trick", consisting of goals scored from his right foot, left foot and head.
He later participated in the 2007 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA...
, coming on as a substitute for Javier Mascherano. He ended the 2006–07 season as Liverpool's top goalscorer in all competitions, with eighteen goals. At the start of the 2007–08 season he had restricted opportunities to play for Liverpool due to the arrival of other strikers, but scored against ToulouseToulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
in a Champions League qualifying win in August, his eighth goal in his past ten appearances in that competition, and then also scoring the first and last goals of an 8–0 win over BeşiktaşBeşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the first round of the Champions League in November. This match is now the highest margin by which a team has won in the Champions League. In April, he scored a vital goal in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal, helping Liverpool maintain fourth spot against rivals Everton.
Return to Portsmouth
On 7 July 2008, it was announced that Crouch had verbally agreed to join former club and FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
holders Portsmouth in a deal worth up to £11 million. Crouch passed his medical the following day, and, on 11 July, Crouch's transfer was officially unveiled at a Portsmouth news conference. Portsmouth paid £9 million up front, with up to £2m to be added dependent on various targets being reached. He was given the number 9 shirt by manager Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
, which he had previously worn during his first spell at the club. On 30 August 2008 Crouch scored his first goal since his return to Portsmouth in his third Premiership appearance, against Everton at Goodison ParkGoodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. As with his first score for Liverpool there was a degree of uncertainty as to whether he would be credited with the goal as it appeared Jermain DefoeJermain Colin Defoe is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team....
's chip had crossed the goal-line before Crouch scored from the follow-up. On 3 September it was confirmed that the goal would be officially credited to Crouch and not Defoe. Crouch then went on to net his first goal at Portsmouth's Fratton ParkFratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
home ground in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur on 28 September.
On 2 October 2008 Crouch scored twice in extra time in a UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
match away to Vitória Guimarães to help Portsmouth reach the group stages of the competitionThe UEFA Cup 2008–09 was the 38th edition of the UEFA Cup football tournament. The final was played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home ground of Fenerbahçe, in Istanbul, Turkey, on 20 May 2009. This season was the final one to use the UEFA Cup format; starting in 2009, the event is known as the...
. He went on to score twice against SC Heerenveen in a 3–0 victory at Fratton ParkFratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
.
Return to Tottenham Hotspur
On 27 July 2009, Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
announced the signing of Crouch from Portsmouth for a fee of £10 million, on a five-year contract. Crouch made his debut for Spurs in a pre-season friendly against Olympiakos, and came on as a substitute in Tottenham's season opening win over LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, making his full Premier League debut for the club in the process. He scored his first goal for Spurs in the Carling Cup tie against DoncasterDoncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in a 5–1 win on 26 August 2009. He scored again in his next game, opening his league account with Spurs with a goal in a 2–1 home win against Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. On 23 September, Crouch scored his first hat-trick for Spurs in a 5–1 win over PrestonPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in the Carling CupThe 2009–10 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, was the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs....
. In May, his late goal against Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in what was being dubbed as the "£15 million pound game" put Spurs in a position to claim their first-ever UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
berth. After having hit the post and missed an Assou-EkottoBenoît Pierre David Assou-Ekotto is a French-born Cameroonian footballer who plays for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur as a left back.-RC Lens:...
cross, Crouch scored a header after Márton FülöpMárton Fülöp is a Hungarian footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a goalkeeper. After playing in Hungary for MTK Budapest FC, BKV Előre SC and BFC Siófok, he signed for English club Tottenham Hotspur....
could only parry the ball into his path.
On 25 August 2010, he scored a hat-trick at White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
against Young BoysBerner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
to help Tottenham to reach the Group Stage of the UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. On 15 February 2011, Crouch scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
second round, first leg match against Italian team A.C. MilanAssociazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
at the San Siro, sweeping home Aaron LennonAaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
's cut-back after a counter-attack. Three weeks later, Spurs progressed to the quarter-finals after the reverse game at White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
ended 0–0. On 5 April, he was sent off in the 14th minute after receiving two yellow cards in the quarter-finals against Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. He scored an own goal against Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, which consequently confirmed Manchester City into the Champions League for the 2011–12 season with Tottenham missing out.
Stoke City
On 31 August 2011, Stoke City announced the signing of Crouch from Tottenham for a club record fee of £10 million which could rise to £12 million on a four-year contract. Speaking after sealing his move to the Britannia StadiumThe Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
, Crouch revealed that his former Tottenham Hotspur colleague Jonathan WoodgateJonathan Simon Woodgate is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League.Woodgate started his football career at Leeds United where he established himself in the starting eleven. However, Woodgate was sold to Newcastle United for £9 million in January 2003. He impressed...
was a major influence upon his decision to join Stoke. He made his debut for Stoke City in a 1–0 win against LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 10 September 2011. He scored his first goal for The Potters in a 1–1 draw against Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, making Stoke the sixth Premier League club he has scored for. He scored his second goal in the following match against BeşiktaşBeşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in the UEFA Europa League.
Youth international
Crouch was capped for the England Under-20 team- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, with team-mates including Stuart Taylor, Ashley ColeAshley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
, Andrew Johnson and Matthew EtheringtonMatthew Etherington is an English footballer. Etherington, a left-sided midfielder and winger, plays for Premier League club Stoke City....
. However, the team finished bottom at the group stage, with three losses and having scored no goals. He was later a part of David Platt's England Under-21 teamEngland's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
, which went to the finals of the European Under–21 ChampionshipUEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:...
in Switzerland in May 2002, where he scored once.
Breakthrough into senior team
In May 2005 he was handed his first call-up to the England senior squad by manager Sven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
for the team's tour of the United States, making his debut against ColombiaThe Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
. He went on to make two appearances during the 2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualifying campaign for England: starting against AustriaThe Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in a 1–0 victory and coming on as a substitute against PolandThe Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in a 2–1 win. In the latter appearance, Crouch's introduction as a second-half substitute was booed by England's own supporters.
On 1 March 2006 he scored his first goal for England, the equaliser in a 2–1 friendly win over UruguayThe Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
. He did this whilst bizarrely wearing two different squad numberIn team sports, the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, uniform number or simply a number is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms...
s on his shirt – No. 21 on the front (his designated squad number for the match), and the incorrect No. 12 on the back.
In May 2006 Crouch was included in the 23-man England squad for the 2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, and was expected to be a significant figure in the team due to Wayne RooneyWayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
's foot injury. On 30 May he played in a pre-World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
friendly against HungaryThe Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, scoring the third goal in England's 3–1 win. He followed his goal with an unusual robotic dancingThe robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
-style goal celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
– see below. On 3 June he again played for England in a pre-World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
friendly against JamaicaThe Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
, scoring a hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
. Between his second and third goals he took a penalty kickA penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
hoping to gain a hat-trick, but he put the ball over the bar. England went on to win 6–0, Crouch securing his hat-trick in the 89th minute with a fine finish – his fifth goal in three England games.
2006 World Cup
After his displays in England's friendlies, Crouch partnered Michael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
in attack for England's opening 2006 World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
game against ParaguayThe Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
on 10 June 2006. England won the game 1–0 and Crouch kept his place in the starting line-up for the following match against Trinidad and TobagoThe Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
, against whom he scored his first competitive international goal. The goal provoked some controversy as replays showed Crouch to be pulling on Brent SanchoBrent Sancho is a Trinidadian soccer player who currently plays for Rochester Rhinos in the USL First Division.-College:Sancho spent his college years playing for St...
's long hair, holding the defender down, to gain an advantage.
Crouch was rested for England's third group game against SwedenThe Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
as Rooney returned from injury to join the starting line-up. However, Owen suffered a serious knee injury in the opening minute of the game and Crouch replaced him, playing the remainder of the match.
In England's 1–0 second round victory against EcuadorThe Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
, Crouch remained an unused substitute as Eriksson switched the team to a new formation with Wayne Rooney as a lone striker. However, after Rooney's dismissal for a foul in England's quarter-final against PortugalThe Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, Crouch came on as a substitute for Joe ColeJoseph John "Joe" Cole is an English footballer who plays for Lille, on loan from Liverpool, and the England national football team as midfielder. He started his career with where he played more than 100 games during five years, until he left for Chelsea in 2003...
.
On 5 September 2007, retired English referee Graham PollGraham Poll is an English former football referee in the Premier League and is considered the best English referee of the last 25 years in a list maintained by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics...
claimed that FIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
had specifically warned referees at the event to pay close attention to Crouch, claiming that "he's a real pain and he's getting away with too much."
Euro 2008 qualifying
Crouch remained a part of the England set-up under Eriksson's successor as manager, Steve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, and started McClaren's first game in charge, a friendly against GreeceThe Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
in August 2006. He scored twice in England's 4–0 victory. Two further goals followed in England's next match, a 5–0 win over AndorraThe Andorra national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fourth smallest of any UEFA...
in their opening qualifying match for the 2008 European ChampionshipsThe 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by European nations. It took place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June 2008...
on 2 September 2006. Contemporary reports suggested that Crouch was the first player ever to reach ten goals for England within a single calendar year. In fact, this had happened several times pre-World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most recently by Dixie DeanWilliam Ralph Dean , better known as Dixie Dean, was an English football player. Dean originally started his career with Birkenhead based Tranmere Rovers before moving on to Everton, the club he had supported as a child, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football...
(12 goals in 1927) and George CamsellGeorge Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
(11 goals in 1929).
He added a further goal to his tally with the winner in England's 1–0 qualifying victory away to MacedoniaThe Macedonia national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Macedonia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Macedonia. Due to an ongoing name dispute, it enters international competitions under its country's provisional appellation as "FYR Macedonia"...
on 6 September. An operation needed for a nose injury he sustained playing for Liverpool prevented him from playing in England's two qualifying matches in March 2007. He returned to the England squad for their games against BrazilThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and EstoniaThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
in late May and early June 2007, scoring in the qualifying game against the latter.
Crouch was England's top scorer in the qualifying campaign with five goals, but this did not prevent England finishing only third in their group and failing to progress to the finals of the competition.
Capello era
On 1 April 2009, Crouch made his first start under McClaren's successor, Fabio CapelloFabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
, in a 2010 World Cup qualifierThe qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
against UkraineThe Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
. He scored England's first goal in their 2–1 victory.
Crouch was re-called to the EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad for the friendly against SloveniaThe Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
and the World Cup qualifier versus CroatiaThe Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, following his fine form for Tottenham.
Crouch also got an early first half goal against BelarusThe Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
in the final 2010 World Cup qualifier, which he then followed up with a second goal in the 74th minute. This took Crouch's tally for England up to 18 goals in just 17 starts. Crouch scored a brace after coming on as a substitute against Egypt in a friendly on 3 March 2010 to take his overall international goal tally to 20. He also scored the second goal for England against Mexico at Wembley on 24 May 2010.
2010 World Cup
Crouch was named in Capello's final 23-man squad for the 2010 World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and was given the number 9 shirt. He came on as a substitute for Emile HeskeyEmile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...
in England's opening match against the United StatesThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and also came off the bench for Gareth BarryGareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
in the following match against AlgeriaThe Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
. Crouch did not take part in the final group stage game with SloveniaThe Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
or the 4–1 loss to GermanyThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in the last-16.
Post World Cup
Crouch came on as a substitute in the home friendly against France for the injured Steven GerrardSteven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
on 17 November. He scored quickly from an Ashley Young corner to make the score 1–2 with an angled side-footed volley. It was his second touch of the ball. After not making an appearance for England for almost a year Crouch has stated that he "does not carry much hope" of receiving a call up.
International goals
Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
| Crouch – goals for England |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 |
1 March 2006 |
LiverpoolAnfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, England |
{{fb|URU}} |
1–1 |
2–1 |
Friendly match |
| 2 |
30 May 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|HUN}} |
3–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly match |
| 3 |
3 June 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|JAM}} |
3–0 |
6–0 |
Friendly match |
| 4 |
5–0 |
| 5 |
6–0 |
| 6 |
15 June 2006 |
NurembergThe Frankenstadion is a stadium in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany, which was opened in 1928. It is located next to the Zeppelinfeld. It also neighbors the new Nuremberg Arena....
, Germany |
{{fb|TRI}} |
1–0 |
2–0 |
2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
|
| 7 |
16 August 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|GRE}} |
3–0 |
4–0 |
Friendly match |
| 8 |
4–0 |
| 9 |
2 September 2006 |
Manchester Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, England |
{{fb|AND}} |
1–0 |
5–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 10 |
5–0 |
| 11 |
6 September 2006 |
SkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
|
{{fb|MKD}} |
1–0 |
1–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual |
| 12 |
6 June 2007 |
TallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia |
{{fb|EST}} |
2–0 |
3–0 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 13 |
16 November 2007 |
ViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria |
{{fb|AUT}} |
1–0 |
1–0 |
Friendly match |
| 14 |
21 November 2007 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|CRO}} |
2–2 |
2–3 |
UEFA Euro 2008 Qual. |
| 15 |
1 April 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|UKR}} |
1–0 |
2–1 |
World Cup 2010 Qual.The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
|
| 16 |
10 June 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|AND}} |
6–0 |
6–0 |
World Cup 2010 Qual. |
| 17 |
14 October 2009 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|BLR}} |
1–0 |
3–0 |
World Cup 2010 Qual. |
| 18 |
3–0 |
| 19 |
3 March 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|EGY}} |
1–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly match |
| 20 |
3–1 |
| 21 |
24 May 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|MEX}} |
2–0 |
3–1 |
Friendly Match |
| 22 |
17 November 2010 |
WembleyThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, England |
{{fb|FRA}} |
1–2 |
1–2 |
Friendly Match |
Nicknames
Although generally known as "Crouchy", other nicknames he has been given by fans and the media in England have included "RoboCrouch" and "Crouchinho" (a parody of RonaldinhoRonaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
), despite "Crouchinho" translating from Portuguese as "little Crouch". He has been also referred to as "Mr. Roboto"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in...
" by UnivisionUnivision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
's commentators and as "Pantera Rosa" ("Pink PantherThe Pink Panther is the main and title character in the opening and closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. His popularity spawned a series of theatrical shorts, merchandise, a comic book, and television cartoons...
") by Fox Sports en EspañolFox Deportes is a cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day in Spanish...
commentators. Mark LawrensonMark Thomas Lawrenson is a former professional football player, a defender in the Liverpool and Irish football teams of the 1980s; he since became a radio, television and internet pundit for the BBC and Today FM. He was born in England, but played for the Republic of Ireland because his...
announced on Match of the DayMatch of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
that his nickname was "coathanger, apparently". During his Liverpool career, fans used to chant "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out of bed!"
Robotic dancing
In the summer of 2006, Crouch adopted a robotic dancingThe robot is an illusionary street dance style – often confused with popping – that attempts to imitate a dancing robot or mannequin...
goal celebrationIn football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
. A parody of a dance he had been seen performing on a television programme covering a party held at England team-mate David BeckhamDavid Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
's house, he first performed it after his goal for England against Hungary on 30 May. He again performed the dance after both of his first two goals against Jamaica on 3 June. The Daily Mirror newspaper claimed that the dance was inspired by the lyrics to the Arctic MonkeysArctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
' hit single "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor-Charts:-External links:* Mapped on Platial....
".
On 12 June, Crouch announced he would only perform his robotic dance again if England were to win the World Cup, saying "It's not about robotic dancing. It is about scoring goals and winning matches. It's an important time for everyone now." In September 2006, he was quoted in The ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper as saying that: "It was funny at the time, but I didn't want to carry on doing it until it became unfunny. I've stopped doing it for the time being, but if I ever score a really big goal you never know."
On 6 August 2007, Crouch insisted that he would never use the Robot dance again unless he scored in the UEFA Champions League Final, but he partially reprised it on 1 April 2009 after scoring during England's World Cup qualifier against UkraineThe Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
after a Comic Relief sketch.
Personal life
Crouch had dated Abigail ClancyAbigail Marie "Abbey" Crouch is a British lingerie and catwalk model and television presenter.-Early life:...
for a period before Crouch announced in 2007 that the two were not a couple. Subsequently, Clancy and Crouch announced their engagement on 15 July 2009. Their first child, a daughter named Sophia Ruby, was born on 14 March 2011. Crouch and Clancy were married on Thursday, 30 June 2011.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
FA Cup |
League Cup |
Europe |
Other{{ref label|Other|A|} |
}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3" valign="center"|Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
|1998–99During the 1998–99 season, Tottenham Hotspur participated in the English Premier League.-Season summary:A dismal start to the season saw Christian Gross lose his job as Tottenham manager less than a year after taking over. There were a few raised eyebrows when the job went to George Graham - who...
|0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||0||0
|-
|1999–00During the 1999–2000 season, Tottenham Hotspur participated in the English Premier League.-Season summary:Tottenham Hotspur failed to make much of an impact on their return to Europe after an eight-year exile, nor were their cup exploits particularly impressive...
|0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||0||0
|-
!Total
!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Dulwich HamletDulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
(loan)
|1999–2000
|6||1||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||6||1
|-
!Total
!6!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!6!!1
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|IFK HässleholmIFK Hässleholm is Swedish football club from Hässleholm that was established in 1905. The team is currently playing in Division 2 Östra Götaland. Several well known players have played at the club including England international striker Peter Crouch as well as Swedish footballers Jon Jönsson,...
(loan)
|2000The 2000 season in Swedish football, starting January 2000 and ending December 2000:- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- International qualifications :- Allsvenskan 2000 :...
|8||3||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||8||3
|-
!Total
!8!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!8!!3
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
|2000–01
|42||10||3||2||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||47||12
|-
!Total
!42!!10!!3!!2!!2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!47!!12
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
|2001–02During the 2001–02 English football season, Portsmouth F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.-Season summary:Portsmouth were involved in a relegation battle for much of the season, following the sale of striker Peter Crouch to Aston Villa. The creativity of veteran Croatian midfielder...
|37||18||1||0||1||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||39||19
|-
!Total
!37!!18!!1!!0!!1!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!39!!19
|-
|rowspan="4" valign="center"|Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
|2001–02During the 2001–02 English football season, Aston Villa F.C. competed in the FA Premier League .-Season summary:...
|7||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||7||2
|-
|2002–03The 2002–03 season was Aston Villa F.C.'s 11th season in the Premier League, and their 15th consecutive season in the top division of English football.-Season review:...
|14||0||0||0||0||0||4||0||colspan="2"|–||18||0
|-
|2003–04During the 2003–04 English football season, Aston Villa F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.-Season summary:Manager Graham Taylor's unsuccessful second spell as manager had come to an end in June 2003, and chairman Doug Ellis recruited David O'Leary as Taylor's successor...
|16||4||0||0||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||18||4
|-
!Total
!37!!6!!0!!0!!2!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!43!!6
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
(loan)
|2003–04-September:-October:-November:-December:-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-FA Cup:-League Cup:-Final league table:...
|15||4||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||15||4
|-
!Total
!15!!4!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!15!!4
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
|2004–05During the 2004–05 English football season, Southampton F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.-Kit:The season's kit was manufactured by the club's own brand, Saints...
|27||12||5||4||1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||33||16
|-
!Total
!27!!12!!5!!4!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!33!!16
|-
|rowspan="4" valign="center"|LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
|2005–06
|32||8||6||3||1||0||8||0||2||2||49||13
|-
|2006–07
|32||9||1||0||1||1||14||7||1||1||49||18
|-
|2007–08
|21||5||4||2||3||0||8||4||colspan="2"|–||36||11
|-
!Total
!85!!22!!11!!5!!5!!1!!33!!11!!3!!3!!134!!42
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
|2008–09
|38||11||3||1||1||0||7||4||colspan="2"|–||49||16
|-
!Total
!38!!11!!3!!1!!1!!0!!7!!4!!0!!0!!49!!16
|-
|rowspan="4" valign="center"|Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
|2009–10
|38||8||1||1||3||4||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||42||13
|-
|2010–11The 2010–11 season is Tottenham Hotspur Football Clubs 19th season in the Premier League. It is their 33rd successive season in the top division of the English football league system....
|34||4||1||0||0||0||10||7||colspan="2"|–||45||11
|-
|2011–12The 2011-12 season will be Tottenham Hotspurs 20th season in the Premier League. It will be their 34th successive season in the top division of the English football league system....
|1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0
|-
!Total
!73!!12!!2!!1!!3!!4!!10!!7!!0!!0!!88!!24
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
|2011–12The 2011–12 season is the 149th season in Stoke City F.C.s history, their fourth in the Premier League and 112th in the league system of English football. Their 13th place finish in the 2010–11 season means it is their fourth successive season in the Premier League...
|10||3||0||0||2||0||2||2||colspan="2"|–||14||5
|-
!Total
!10!!3!!0!!0!!2!!0!!2!!2!!0!!0!!14!!5
|-
!colspan="2"|Career Total
!378!!102!!25!!13!!17!!6!!56!!24!!3!!3!!476!!148
|}
International
As of September 2011
{{Football player national team statistics|ENG}}
|-
|2005||4||0
|-
|2006||12||11
|-
|2007||8||3
|-
|2008||6||0
|-
|2009||6||4
|-
|2010||6||4
|-
!Total||42||22
|}
Honours
Norwich City
- Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
champions: 2003–04
Liverpool
- FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners: 2006
- Community Shield winners: 2006
The 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
Tottenham Hotspur
- Vodacom Challenge
The Vodacom Challenge is a association football pre-season tournament that features Vodacom-sponsored South African giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs plus from 2006 onwards an invited European club...
Winners: 2011The Vodacom Challenge celebrated its 11th anniversary in 2011 with the English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur touring South Africa and playing against two local PSL clubs, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs....
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Peter Crouch – Navigation boxes and awards
|list1=
{{England U21 Squad Euro 2002}}
{{England Squad 2006 World Cup}}
{{England Squad 2010 World Cup}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box|title=Southampton F.C.Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
player of the season|before=Antti Niemi |after=Claus LundekvamClaus Lundekvam is a former Norwegian footballer, who spent most of his career at English side Southampton. He played for Southampton in the 2003 FA Cup Final against Arsenal .-Playing career:...
|years=2004–05}}
{{s-end}}
}}
{{Stoke City F.C. squad}}
{{Persondata
|NAME=Crouch, Peter James
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
|DATE OF BIRTH=1981-01-30
|PLACE OF BIRTH=MacclesfieldMacclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, England
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crouch, Peter}}
| |