I have studiously avoided joining the discussions on this until it was confirmed, but today conjecture finally caught up with fact as it was announced that striker, Dean Ashton, has had to retire at the age of 26 due to a persistent ankle injury.

This is an absolute tragedy for the club but, more importantly, Ashton himself who admitted he was having trouble walking, let alone running, as he contemplates his fifth operation on the injury that never really recovered from the England training accident with Shaun Wright-Phillips.

With a injury list as long as West Ham’s over the past decade it is a cruel irony that Ashton’s initial injury occurred when the Hammers striker was away training with England in what looked like the beginning of a fruitful International career. There is no doubt in my mind that, had he been fit, Ashton would have been starting as centre forward for England in next year’s World Cup and, if that sounds like it’s a bit of club loyalty then I’d be the first to admit that, given a good three years from Ashton’s appearance in the 2006 FA Cup Final, the ex-Crewe striker may well have been going as a representative of Manchester or Arsenal as the Hammers would surely have had difficulty on hanging onto a striker of Ashton’s calibre had he continued as he had done since his switch from Norwich in January 2006.

With an unerring eye for goal, strength and awareness in abundance, Dean Ashton had the full package and it is ironic that, when writing for the Ironworks West Ham site back in 2001 both the site editor Alex V and myself constantly suggested the purchase of the young Ashton, then making a name for himself with Dario Gradi’s Crewe side.

As it was we had to wait until January 2006, the season after Norwich were relegated after Ashton scored 17 goals in 44 appearances, before the player eventually turned out in claret and blue – but it was worth the wait as the striker was instrumental in the Hammers getting to the FA Cup Final that season with a Man of the Match display in the quarter final against Manchester City and heading down for Marlon Harewood to score the only goal in the semi-final. In the final itself, Ashton was one of the unlucky players to gain a Runners-up medal in a match West Ham should have won, the player himself scoring the second goal and giving the Liverpool defence a torrid time.

Reports that West Ham are too seek compensation to the tune of £7m from the FA surely cannot be discounted as Ashton’s value as a 15+ goal a season striker would probably have made him worth much more but for the training accident.

Chief Executive Scott Duxbury paid tribute to Ashton in a statement "I would like to place on record our thanks to him for all his efforts and wish him the very best.” Adding "I would also like to thank the fans for their patience and understanding during what has been a difficult time."

This announcement at least ends the constant speculation of the strike position that usually accompanied the comment "... and when Deano is fit..." and the club now have to contemplate replacing the forward. For Hammers fans it's the latest in a string of misfortunes that suggets that, were it not for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all. Whatever the disappointment for the club and fans though, thoughts must go out to Dean as we wish him well in his fight to gain full mobility as he ponders a career outside of football.