Nobody ever met faster than James Vaughan in the Premier League – although he was celebrated as a “new Rooney”, he was never able to prevail in top football. Now he influences the top clubs on a different level.
Speed has always been the trademark of James Vaughan. The Englishman was quick. Damn fast. And that in a very young age.
Because as a youth player of FC Everton, the son of a former rugby player not only caused a sensation on the square (in the 1998/99 season he scored an incredible 103 goals in 29 games), his talent went far beyond football: at the age of 13 he ran the 100 meters in 11.5 seconds and was the third fastest sprinter of his age in the country. Remarkable.
Arrow and accurate – no wonder that his promising striker made a quick decision from his promising striker. Should he take a football career or, like his father Dorrington Vaughan, devote himself to rugby? James himself also played in the U-14 selection of the county of Staffordshire. With a heavy heart, however, he decided to give up his passion for rugby and concentrate entirely on football. First with great success.
James Vaughan was even traded as a “new Rooney”
Vaughan cracked Milner’s record
Because as quickly as his legs carried over the square, Vaughan also went to the professionals: With his risk of goal, he drew coach David Moyes sustainably, the coach nominated him on February 19, 2005 as a substitute for a FA-Cup game against Manchester United.
A week later, he was once again a squad for a game against Aston Villa before he was substituted against Crystal Palace in the 73rd minute on April 10, 2005 – today 20 years ago – and made his debut. And several records broke!
At the age of 16 and 271, Vaughan became the youngest player who ever ran for Everton FC, and undercut Joe Royle’s record for eleven days. In the 84th minute of the game he wrote history again when he became the 4-0 final scorer of the Premier League with his goal – 86 days he was younger than the previous record holder James Milner.
A big number in England, a new star seemed born. You thought. Because Vaughan has never penetrated the spheres of the stars like Milner.
James Vaughan started his career at Everton FC
The “new Rooney” has a lot of bad luck
The simple and bitter reason: great bad luck. When he had just signed his first professional contract for two years in 2005 and was traded as a “new Rooney”, the man from Birmingham tore himself in an international match for the English U-18 selection.
The complications were so serious that he had to take around 15 months of break. Even a career ended in the room. It was only in August 2006 that he gave his comeback.
In the 2006/07 season, Vaughan was again deployed in the Premier League from November and scored his long -awaited second goal for Everton in the 93rd minute in early December 2006.
Blood shock after comeback
However, he was not spared from physical injuries, although a game against the bolton hikers is painfully in memory. After a duel with opponent Abdoulaye Meïté, Vaughan tore an artery in Vaughan’s foot. He was not causing any lasting damage, but the fright was great.
“When I realized how much blood got out of me, I suffered a kind of shock,” Vaughan once told the Guardian . “At first I thought it was just a cut that could be sewn. I wanted to keep going, but the blood continued. Then I realized that it was something serious. My socks and shoes were gossip. And when I saw that the stretcher was called, I just thought: Not again. Not another injury.”
James Vaughan (left) and Phil Jagielka (right) cheer together for FC Everton
Vaughans Long Odyssey
It shouldn’t remain the last setback. In preparation for the 2007/08 season, Vaughan was again persecuted when he pulled a serious shoulder injury after a duel. This forced him to another long break that frustrated the young Vaughan so that he was thinking again at the end of the career.
For the 2009/10 season, he switched to the English second division team Derby County on a loan. The beginning of a true odyssey.
Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Norwich City, Huddersfield Town, Birmingham City, FC Bury, AFC Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, FC Portsmouth and Bradford City – this was the name of his subsequent clubs.
Vaughan was far from a glamorous career in the Premier League, which many had trusted him. Too often injuries thwarted him.
In the end, the recordman only brought it to 52 missions in England’s top division before he hung up his soccer shoes on May 27, 2021 and helped his youth club in another area.
Vaughan will soon help Alexander-Arnold
After his end of his career, Vaughan was made as a manager for loan players of the Liverpool club. At least until now. Because according to English media reports, he could soon make a surprising change.
It is already certain that he will give up his position. “Everton confirms that James Vaughan, head of the department for academic recruitment and player development, will leave the club this month,” said the association recently.
Vaughan now apparently wants to join the Liverpools Trent Alexander -Arnold team – and then help with a possibly large deal. The English international supposedly wants to switch to Real Madrid free of charge if his contract with the Reds expires in summer. It would be a new chapter in Alexander -Arnold’s life – and probably also for Vaughan.