Stoke's Crouch happy to silence doubters

Crouch moved alongside Newcastle icon Alan Shearer on 46 headed goals with his 71st-minute winner against Hull City on Saturday.

Many had questioned Crouch's aerial ability during his junior years but the 34-year-old silenced those doubters at Britannia Stadium.

"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," said Crouch, who could claim the outright record against Everton on Wednesday.

"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 six foot seven inches helps, but you have to have the technique as well.

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

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