Football
PA Sport 9y

Peter Crouch silences doubters as he heads into the record books

Stoke striker Peter Crouch admitted after equalling the record for headed Premier League goals that he has enjoyed proving wrong those who doubted his aerial ability.

The 34-year-old reached the landmark on Saturday, moving level with Alan Shearer on 46 headers with the 71st-minute winner in the Potters' 1-0 home victory over Hull.

And Crouch said: "There were a lot of people in the early days who said I was better on the ground than at heading, so it's pleasing to rub it in a little bit.

"A lot of people said, for my size, I wasn't as good (at heading) as I should have been when I was younger.

"Becoming the record-holder for headed goals in the Premier League is something I didn't think would happen when I was 15 or 16.

"But I worked on it, I continue to work on it, I'm very pleased to have equalled the record and hopefully I can go beyond it.

"I enjoy heading and I think that's part and parcel of my game. Being 6 feet 7 inches helps, but you have to have the technique as well.

"I'm very proud -- Alan Shearer's a hero of mine. He's one of the best, if not the best, striker the Premier League's ever seen, and to equal any record of his, I'm very pleased with that.

"I've signed for a couple of years more -- so hopefully I can manage one more during that time!"

Crouch -- whose effort on Saturday, coming a minute after his introduction as a substitute, was his fourth goal in four appearances in all competitions and ninth of the season -- put pen to paper on a contract extension with Stoke in January that will take him through to the summer of 2017.

And the holder of 42 England caps hopes to continue playing with the Potters beyond that.

"I feel the same as I did when I was 28 or 29," Crouch said.

"I enjoy my football and with the way I play, I don't think how old you are affects it too much. If anything you get better because with more experience comes more knowledge.

"I've never been electric pace-wise, so I can't lose that. I'll just carry on doing what I've always done. Hopefully I have a good few years left in me yet.

"The club have been very good to me with giving me a couple of years more, and I feel very pleased to have signed -- and I'd like to stay beyond that.

"I wasn't ready for the Premier League until I was about 23 or 24 -- that's probably why I'm reaping the rewards of a longer career because I wasn't ready at a young age.

"Hopefully I can continue well into my 30s."

Crouch has only started four matches so far in 2015, and he added: "When you're on the bench it's frustrating as you want to be out there.

"I try to make an impact when I come on -- and the biggest impact is to score a goal.

"But the attitude we have is that if we're not playing, we're not going to moan and sulk and start throwing boots around. When given the opportunity we are just going to try to do as well as we can.

"Hopefully Charlie (Adam, the Stoke midfielder who also came off the bench on Saturday and set up Crouch's goal) and I have given the manager something to think about."

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