He's taken his blog down, and this is why I came and posted about him. It was one of the bleakest things I'd ever read. Even more so than some of the cries for help on this board. He went to Turkey and didn't quite fit in, detailing his loneliness and the alienation of living in a foreign city.
Guardian has a bit about his time in Turkey
http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... urkey-blog
Although his welcome is hilarious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgkchk_-HJs
He came back to England, got injured and never returned to football. His blog started up again but has sadly since been taken down. Some extracts I've recovered are just, well, heartbreaking.
"The football world having forgotten about Darius Vassell I rarely see my contributions to the game discussed or highlighted which is why it was exciting to represent my hometown club Aston Villa in a charity friendly over at bold mere football club a few weeks ago."
There was more in this one that was 100 %
. "Darius Vassell has again diversified his interests and soon to be talents into an unknown territory. If you are anticipating me announcing my return to football then ill disappoint you abruptly. I'm ecstatic to have passed my motorcycle test this month and to be now riding the uk streets and motorways legally..."
I think he's part of local bike group NWB fwiw
"Right now at 12.45 am I sit in the car parked outside in the local shopping centre car park.
"A quiet night not feeling at all like October, there’s barely a hint of wind in the air and the temperature strangely not that cold at all. I think about how busy this area will be in a few hours when the hustle and bustle of everyday life kicks in around 8am for the people of my home town Knowle but for now its almost too quiet… Tapping away on my iPad screen the sound of my fingertips are the only thing audible as I contemplate my plans for the rest of the week."
Everyone is in bed I suspect, asleep and preparing for the next day but I feel quite awake having just popped out of the house to find myself something cool to drink. (Not alcohol!) I made the mistake of having a nap at around 7pm and waking to watch what was a decent film in “The rules of engagement” starring Samuel L Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones…
I think about my Grandad who has been ill lately back in Jamaica and anticipate the opportunity of flying out to visit him and my family out there, will need to make arrangements. It’s also a good time to think about getting my heating serviced in preparation for winter.
"For this month there is little to report about so I will update as necessary as my situation changes but for now I might need to leave this car park and just settle for a glass of water back home."
So, yeah, Darius Vassell, good for about two years in the early noughties but a rather strange and sad tale in the telling.
