Peter Crouch retires

[Super_Uwe]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48964162

Good luck to him in retirement, had a very good career in the end and has turned into a bit of a comedy hero!

I wasn't around for much of the 04/05 season as I was on my year abroad in Germany and France. However I do remember him getting some real stick early on that season, possibly the Bolton home game where he was booed when he came on as sub?

Anyway, he was one of not many bright spots that season, think it's fair to say...

[oldsarum]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48964162

Good luck to him in retirement, had a very good career in the end and has turned into a bit of a comedy hero!

I wasn't around for much of the 04/05 season as I was on my year abroad in Germany and France. However I do remember him getting some real stick early on that season, possibly the Bolton home game where he was booed when he came on as sub?

Anyway, he was one of not many bright spots that season, think it's fair to say...

he was ggod once he had a run iin the team apart from at Fratton Park where he bottled it and got injured (supposidly) in warm up

[Micky]

Good old Crouchie - gotta love the guy, even though all my memories are bad ones...!!! Everton at home in the relegation season, why didn't he blaze that shot into the crowd, row z it instead of tamely at the keeper? He scored for us in that game as well...! Couple of years ago away at the Bet 365, comes on in the last couple of minutes and yep, gets a tap in for the winner - took dogs abuse going down the tunnel, but just shrugged at us and sort of said 'sorry lads...!' Last year at Burnley as well - we all knew what was coming.
Good lad though, and a better player than he probably gets credit for, and made a damn good career for himself. Wish him all the best, honestly think he was one of those players who tried hard for every club he played for.

[Baird of the land]

"I will be 39 in January but I am physically fit and could have carried on. What I didn't want to be was someone who was thrown on to have balls smashed up to them."

This line amused me. So basically going to Burnley made him want to retire.

[Heisenberg]

Good lad. Just finished his book

worth a read or listen

[Jimmy_D]

Can't help but like Crouch

Fair to say he's always been a better footballer than he's been given credit for! Seems to be the impression of him for a lot of people was as a big man used mainly for his height (which he could do), but he was actually better with the ball at his feet.

I was there when he scored a hat-trick for England against Jamaica! (Scoring the third after he'd missed a penalty)

That Peter Crouch Podcast is a good listen, I recommend a listen if you haven't already.

[kitch]

Crouch is odd, for me. Comes across as likeable, witty, intelligent, grounded and charismatic. He tells a good story, and I want to read his book.

And yet, I still don't like him for an ankle stamp he did on Steven Davis about 3-4 seasons ago.

Weird. Or maybe I am...!

[Colinjb]

Loved Crouchy. I was very skeptical when he signed him, thinking it was a bit pointless to bring him in when we had Pahars, Ormerod, Phillips and Beattie. Clearly the wisdom of those in the club shone (rarely) through that year.

Saw him play a reserve game v Leicester that year at Rockingham Road, Kettering. Cold tuesday night, he scored one or two, looked great then got into the first team properly and gave us a little hope in that poor year.

A rare breed of good natured, down to earth but very talented sportsman. Football is poorer for his retirement.

[Pat from Poole]

Crouch is odd, for me. Comes across as likeable, witty, intelligent, grounded and charismatic. He tells a good story, and I want to read his book.

And yet, I still don't like him for an ankle stamp he did on Steven Davis about 3-4 seasons ago.

Weird. Or maybe I am...!

You can add the following:

- not time-wasting against Everton
- stupidly getting sent off at Palace and being banned for the relegation decider against United
- going back to the Skates

Not a fan of his at all.

[the colonel]

He was a better player than often given credit for. I wasn't that pleased when we signed him but soon realised that he can play. Still remember Everton at home relegation season 2005, 2 nil up. at 2-1 seconds left he is heading the edge of their box, rather than taking the ball into the corner and kill the time he makes crap attempt on goal. Only for Everton to go up the other end and equalise. Also Redcraps first game in charge i think.

If Bent hadn't scored that equaliser we would have stayed up on goal difference. Having said that considering how bad we were we didn't deserve stay up.

[100%Red&White]

I like Crouchy (choose to ignore his association with down the road) but when we signed him I thought someone had really lost the plot. Up until then he had just looked a gangly error-prone giant and the previous season he played at St Mary's with Villa and had an absolute shocker. What had anyone seen to part with a few £million for his services? What did we know, turned out a very good player for us and we more than doubled our money selling him on.

[badgerx16]

"What would you be if you weren't a footballer? "
"A virgin"

[Dark Munster]

Top bloke, excellent player. 22 goals in 42 England appearances says it all. A Crouch type player is what we've been missing for several seasons now.

[CB Fry]

Early pioneer of the Saints to Liverpool transfer strategy.

[mikec]

He was a better player than often given credit for. I wasn't that pleased when we signed him but soon realised that he can play. Still remember Everton at home relegation season 2005, 2 nil up. at 2-1 seconds left he is heading the edge of their box, rather than taking the ball into the corner and kill the time he makes crap attempt on goal. Only for Everton to go up the other end and equalise. Also Redcraps first game in charge i think.

If Bent hadn't scored that equaliser we would have stayed up on goal difference. Having said that considering how bad we were we didn't deserve stay up.

You are mixing up 2 games. Rednapp's first match in charge was against Middlesbrough when we threw away a 2-0 lead with just a couple of minutes to go. The Everton match we went 1-0 down (Beattie scoring against us just after his transfer) then we turned it around to 2-1 before Crouch's unfortunate choice to go for a 3rd in the dying seconds. I still have nightmares about it.

[John Boy Saint]

I have an image still in my head from when he first turned up at Saints(alas Phone Cameras weren’t really around in those days) my 9 year old youngest daughter saw him in the car park and ran after him shouting “Peter Peter” he stopped turned around as she ran up to him and asked him for his autograph on her shirt, he asked where she wanted it and she pointed to a space just below the collar on the front, we must have been 30-40 yards away nobody between us and them, she was small for 9, just seeing the comparative giant bend almost seemingly in half and sign her shirt was quite surreal.
Dont think anyone can begrudge his career

[St Chalet]

Top lad, did the very best with what he had. One of the few that played for us and the skates and appreciated by both.

[davefizzy14]

Top lad, always loved Crouchy even more so when he was with us! Scored some class goals for us too

[Rational Rich]

You are mixing up 2 games. Rednapp's first match in charge was against Middlesbrough when we threw away a 2-0 lead with just a couple of minutes to go. The Everton match we went 1-0 down (Beattie scoring against us just after his transfer) then we turned it around to 2-1 before Crouch's unfortunate choice to go for a 3rd in the dying seconds. I still have nightmares about it.

The quietest I’ve ever heard a football stadium after that equaliser....

[Saint_clark]

The quietest I’ve ever heard a football stadium after that equaliser....

That was the last minute equaliser in the 2-2 game with Pompey in the championship for me.

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[simo]

Bottled it at Fratton

[the colonel]

Bottled it at Fratton

Too right. I have never felt as sick as I did after that game. Crouch bottled playing at all....and Niemi..well don't think he was ever the same after that game, my memory may be exaggerating.

[Fan The Flames]

I like Crouchy (choose to ignore his association with down the road) but when we signed him I thought someone had really lost the plot. Up until then he had just looked a gangly error-prone giant and the previous season he played at St Mary's with Villa and had an absolute shocker. What had anyone seen to part with a few £million for his services? What did we know, turned out a very good player for us and we more than doubled our money selling him on.

I remember that Villa game, he was given loads of abuse when he came on and missed a couple of real sitters. A year later we were cheering him on as he scored in the same fixture.

Seems like a really good bloke.

[Micky]

You are mixing up 2 games. Rednapp's first match in charge was against Middlesbrough when we threw away a 2-0 lead with just a couple of minutes to go. The Everton match we went 1-0 down (Beattie scoring against us just after his transfer) then we turned it around to 2-1 before Crouch's unfortunate choice to go for a 3rd in the dying seconds. I still have nightmares about it.

This game:

https://youtu.be/lIfV_9mYgMY

But, this is the bit that most people remember and where it all went Pete Tong:

https://youtu.be/R4CV30RGTEo

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