Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch is an English football (soccer) player born in 1981 and renowned for his height (he's 6' 7"). He currently plays for English club Southampton F.C. as a striker.
A Queens Park Rangers F.C. youth player, when then QPR manager Gerry Francis went to become manager of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in the summer of 2000, he made Crouch onw of his first signings. The same happened when Francis returned to QPR, again making Crouch onew of his priority signings.
He made an immediate impression at Loftus Road, weighing in with a number of crucial strikes. He netted ten League goals for QPR in the 2000/01 season. Unfortuantly it wasn't enough to prevent relegation to Division 2 (now Football League One).
Relegation meant that QPR had to cash in on their best players, and Portsmouth F.C. swooped to sign the talented youngster for £1.5 million.
Crouch did fantastically well at Fratton Park. Netting 18 League goals in only 37 starts, and that in a side that for much of the season looked destined to be in a relegation battle, was enough to have the big clubs watching. He also earned a call up to the England U21 side.
In March 2002 FA Premier League side Aston Villa F.C. made a successful bid of £5 million. Crouch scored on his home debut, the equalising goal against Newcastle United, and would net twice in seven games.
Crouch was also part of David Platt's England U21 side that went to the European Under-21 Championships in Switzerland in May 2002.
However, Crouch failed to hold down a regular place in the Aston Villa in the following 2002/03 season.
Looking for first team football he was loaned to Norwich City F.C. from September - December 2003. Although he only netted four times in 15 appearanced he was highly impressive.
At the end of the three-month loan he returned to Villa Park with renewed confidence - and would go on to net a brace against Leicester City, a late winner at Middlesbrough and the opener at Bolton.
Despite this, Villa cashed in the striker in July 2004, selling him to Southampton for £2million.
Crouch, who signed a four-year deal at St Mary's, scored just six goals in 37 Premiership games for Aston Villa.
He made his Saints debut in a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa.
