Vassell is Villa's record youth team scorer with a stunning 39 goals in a season, his speed and skill make him a tricky customer.

But it then took two-and-a-half years for the striker to score his first ever Premiership goals - a brace in a 3-0 Premiership victory at Bradford City in February 2001.

That was the beginning of a meteoric rise for the Villa star - within 12 months he would be called into the England squad. Steadily began to establish himself in the Villa side without being prolific.

By the time the year 2002 came around there were calls for Vassell to be given his chance with the full England squad - being a current Under-21 international. Team-mate Paul Merson was one of those to put his name forward as a possible for the World Cup finals.

Even so, it was something of a surprise when Sven Goran Eriksson named him in his squad to face Holland in the Amsterdam ArenA in February 2002.

An injury to Michael Owen meant Vassell made his debut from the start - and he marked it with a fantastic volley which was past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar before he could move. It earned England a 1-1 draw which propelled Vassell well and truly into the running for Japan.

Within weeks Vassell had become a certainty for the World Cup as his reputation grew, netting in further friendlies against Paraguay and Cameroon. His goal tally with Villa for the season was a best-ever 14 goals.

The striker even started the first game of the tournament, a 1-1 draw with Sweden. But the suggestion that both Vassell and Michael Owen could not be accommodated in the same side seemed to have truth. Vassell, arguably England's best player against Sweden, was then dropped.

He would feature off the bench against Nigeria, and in the quarter-final defeat against Brazil.