That Peter Crouch Podcast: Career peak and Ed Sheeran songs - Crouch on turning 40
- Published
Left to right: Peter Crouch playing for Portsmouth, Burnley, England, Stoke and Liverpool
That Peter Crouch Podcast is back available to download on BBC Sounds and the first episode of series five has the gang - Crouch, Tom Fordyce and Chris Stark - back together and feeling nostalgic.
The big talking point is that Crouch recently turned 40 and we find him in reflective mood. Here are some takeaways from the episode.
Ed Sheeran wrote a birthday song for him
Ed Sheeran paused recording of his new album to say happy birthday
It sounds like the great and the good all turned out to wish Crouch well on his birthday.
He reveals that the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Jermain Defoe, Dion Dublin, Tony Pulis and Harry and Jamie Redknapp all sent him video messages - plus, Ed Sheeran took time out from recording an album to write a song for him.
However, the tribute that seems to have touched him most came from the proprietors of his favourite restaurant.
"I got quite emotional. My mate Herman, he got all the boys from the Samrat. Mr Islam's singing happy birthday to me, it's something to behold," he says.
He could do a job for Vanuatu's international team
"Vanuatu or Bust" gets mooted as a series idea for Crouch
Crouch retired from football in July 2019, aged 38. He reveals that he hasn't played an 11-a-side match since.
Asked which international team he thinks he could still perhaps do a job for, Crouch's answer?
"Do Vanuatu have a team?"
They do indeed. The small, South Pacific island nation are ranked 164th in the world by Fifa.
Why this island nation of almost 300,000 people? Because the podcast had a listener from there once.
If he could go back to one stage in his career, he would choose Liverpool
Crouch won the FA Cup with Liverpool in 2006
Crouch's career in the Premier League and Championship took in Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Norwich, Southampton, Liverpool, Spurs, Stoke and Burnley.
However, he says the best period was 2006-07.
"I was playing for Liverpool, playing for England, it was a great dressing room and we were having a laugh. It doesn't get much better than that really.
"I would say QPR too, because it was all so new. I was happy with a career in the Championship. I would have been more than happy staying at QPR for the rest of my life."
His proudest career milestone was reaching 100 goals
Crouch finished his career at Burnley in 2019 after 108 Premier League goals
Crouch has achieved a lot of things - 42 England caps, including selection for two World Cup squads, an FA Cup win and a Champions League final.
However, pushed for his proudest career milestone, he says it has to be making it into the 100 club - scoring a century of Premier League goals.
"The 100 club was something that I really wanted to get in. All my idols are in that list," he says.
Crouch scored 108 Premier League goals in his career - a record 53 of them with his head.
Listen to That Peter Crouch Podcast on BBC Sounds now.
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