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The Premier League's history is littered with the names of some of the biggest superstars in football history. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Luis Suarez all rose to tremendous fame in England's top flight, and debates over who the best players in Premier League history are constantly ongoing.
Of course, over the course of its 27-year history, there have also been some great Premier League players that for one reason or another have since been largely forgotten. These players would not be considered up there with the Premier League's best, but were certainly well-respected in their time and ought to be more fondly remembered than they are.
Here are 10 forgotten Premier League heroes.
#1 Mustapha Hadji
Named as the African Footballer of the Year in 1998 following his impressive performances for Morocco in that year's World Cup, Mustapha Hadji made his way to the Premier League a year later in 1999. A highly skilled, goalscoring midfielder or winger, Hadji surprisingly didn't join one of England's glamour clubs.
Instead, the Moroccan signed for perennial strugglers Coventry City, during a period in which the Sky Blues had hopes of breaking into the upper echelon of the Premier League. Hadji was an immediate fan favourite upon his arrival at Highfield Road – to the point that Coventry fans began to wear fezzes to games in a tribute to his Moroccan heritage.
Hadji repaid their faith with his performances on the pitch, too. His first season saw him help to transform Coventry's attack into one of the Premier League's most potent, and he starred in impressive victories over Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Arsenal. He ended the season with six goals to his name in 33 appearances.
Unfortunately, the Moroccan couldn't save the Sky Blues from relegation – despite scoring another six goals in 2000-01, and ended up moving to Aston Villa in the following season. Hadji spent another three seasons in the Premier League at Villa Park, but never really reached the heights he'd done at Coventry.
He moved to Espanyol in 2003 and ended his Premier League career with 97 appearances and 14 goals to his name.
#2 Bryan Roy
It's generally accepted that the Premier League became more cosmopolitan at some point in the late 1990s, as players from all over the world flocked to England's top flight. However, there were, of course, a handful of outstanding overseas imports before that point.
Everyone remembers the likes of Eric Cantona and Jurgen Klinsmann, but one player who has largely become forgotten is Dutch attacker Bryan Roy.
A speedy winger who could also play as a forward, Roy featured in the Netherlands' 1994 World Cup side, scoring one goal. Following the tournament, he made a somewhat surprising move at the time, switching from Serie A side Foggia to newly-promoted Nottingham Forest.
The signing had a tremendous impact on Forest's fortunes. Roy formed a partnership with striker Stan Collymore, and along with the likes of Steve Stone and Ian Woan, Frank Clark's side took the Premier League by storm.
Roy ended the season with 13 goals in 37 appearances as Forest finished in third place – still the highest placed finish for any promoted side in the Premier League era.
Collymore departed for Liverpool in the summer of 1995, but Roy stayed at the City Ground. He continued to score goals in the Premier League, while also helping Forest to the quarter-finals of the 1995-96 UEFA Cup.
The Dutchman's career in England came to a conclusion in 1997 when he moved to Hertha Berlin, and he ended his time with 24 goals in 84 Premier League games.
#3 Dean Ashton
When people discuss the best English strikers of the mid-2000s, there are a few obvious names that instantly come to mind. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Darren Bent, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch all starred during that time period, scoring plenty of goals in the Premier League.
One player who could've been mentioned amongst them, had it not been for injuries, was Dean Ashton. He broke through in the early 2000s at Crewe Alexandra, scoring 74 goals in 177 appearances for them before departing for Premier League side Norwich City midway through the 2004-05 season.
Ashton was an immediate hit at Carrow Road, scoring on his debut against Middlesbrough and following that with a classic goal against Manchester City. However, despite scoring seven goals in just 16 matches, he was unable to save Norwich from relegation.
An inevitable move back to the Premier League followed in January 2006, as West Ham paid £7m to bring him to Upton Park. Again, Ashton made an immediate impact. He scored six goals in 16 games during his first half-season with the Hammers, helping them to the 2006 FA Cup final – where he also scored in their eventual loss to Liverpool.
When he received an England call-up shortly after the 2006 World Cup, it appeared he was destined for stardom. Unfortunately, an ankle injury sustained on international duty kept him out of the entire 2006-07 season. It was also the beginning of the end of the striker's career.
Ashton returned in 2007-08 and scored another 10 Premier League goals, but his ankle injury returned again early in the 2008-09 season and restricted him to just four appearances. That turned out to be the last fans would see of him, as he was forced into retirement at the age of just 26.
Over a decade on, Ashton remains a cult hero with West Ham fans, who often wonder what could've been.
#4 Michu
Usually seen on lists of the Premier League's 'one season wonders', Michu quickly became a cult hero for his goalscoring exploits in his early days at Swansea City. He was so good, in fact, that some of England's biggest clubs were linked with a mega-money swoop for him.
The Spaniard joined the Welsh outfit from Rayo Vallecano in the summer of 2012 for a paltry fee of just £2m. He'd scored 15 goals in La Liga in the 2011-12 campaign, but even that didn't prepare Swans fans for his red-hot form in the Premier League.
After scoring the 2012-13 season's first Premier League goal, he continued to score at an insane clip, ending the campaign with 18 league goals – behind only Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale and Christian Benteke in the goalscoring stakes. He also helped the Swans to win the EFL Cup, scoring in both the semi-finals and the final.
Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard was named Swansea's Player of the Year. And in the summer of 2013, the Welsh side had to fight off the advances of both Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool to keep their star man. Reports suggested that a £35m price tag had been slapped on him.
Unfortunately, that one season was the best that Premier League fans saw of Michu. He struggled to make an impact in the 2013-14 campaign – partially due to injuries – and scored just twice. A loan move to Napoli was arranged for the 2014-15 season, but he simply didn't seem like the same player, and after making just a handful of appearances, he returned to Swansea and was promptly released.
Eight years down the line from the season in which he made his name, most Premier League fans have forgotten about Michu. But for his single, unbelievable season, he'll always be a hero in South Wales.
#5 Rob Lee
It seems unbelievable that a player who made 280 Premier League appearances and scored 34 goals could be largely forgotten today. However, that's certainly the case with former Newcastle United star Rob Lee, who played for the Magpies – and then for Derby County – as an attacking midfielder in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Lee joined Newcastle when they were still in the old First Division in the 1992-93 campaign, and his 10 goals helped them to promotion into the Premier League. He followed with another seven goals in his debut Premier League season, missing just one of the Magpies' 42 games as they finished in an impressive third place.
Despite scoring 14 goals in all competitions in 1994-95, it was the 1995-96 campaign that saw Lee peak at St. James' Park. Shifted into a more attacking role by boss Kevin Keegan, he started the season in blistering form, scoring a number of key goals and winning the Player of the Month award for November 1995.
His form earned him a regular spot in the England squad, and he also narrowly missed out on a Premier League title as Newcastle famously fell at the final hurdle, allowing Manchester United to swoop in.
Lee remained a regular at Newcastle for the subsequent six campaigns, but despite being named captain by Keegan's successor Kenny Dalglish, he never quite reached the heights he did in his earlier seasons.
He eventually retired at the age of 40 after a stint at League Two side Wycombe Wanderers. Lee was recently seen on the Harry's Heroes TV show alongside other retired England stars, bringing him back into the public conscience for the first time in years.
#6 John Carew
Norwegian striker John Carew played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe during his career, including Valencia, Roma and Lyon. But it was at Aston Villa that he made his most appearances – 131 over the space of five seasons.
And while he wasn't a prolific goalscorer as such, his time at the club is still looked upon fondly by Villans fans, even if most Premier League fans have now forgotten him.
The striker – who stands at a towering 6'5" – joined Villa midway through the 2006-07 season and immediately made an impact, scoring three goals in his first 11 Premier League games with the club. In his first full campaign, meanwhile, he scored 13 in 32 matches, finishing as Villa's top scorer and helping them to an impressive sixth-place finish.
Carew's goalscoring form continued in his subsequent seasons at Villa Park, as he scored 15 and 17, meaning he finished as Villa's top scorer for three campaigns in a row.
However, by the 2010-11 season, injuries and age began to take their toll. Carew only made 10 Premier League appearances, as he fell out of favour with new boss Gerard Houllier, who came in to replace Martin O'Neill as the season began.
A loan move to Stoke City was quickly organised, but he failed to make an impact and after spending the 2011-12 season in the EFL Championship with West Ham, the Norwegian retired due to ongoing injury concerns.
While he's since drifted out of the minds of Premier League fans, for Villa fans, he remains a cult hero due to his prominence in their last successful team.
#7 Patrik Berger
Euro 1996 is best remembered for England's stirring run to the semi-finals, but arguably the most impressive side in the tournament were the Czech Republic. Filled with young, talented prospects, the Czechs made it all the way to the final, where they were eventually defeated by Germany.
A number of their young talents made their way to Europe's big leagues, but the one who made the most impact on the Premier League was undoubtedly Patrik Berger. The attacking midfielder had already spent a season in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, but it was his move to Liverpool that really shot him to fame.
Berger's first season on Merseyside was fantastic, as he fitted in well with the culture of the club and made an immediate impact. The Czech international scored nine goals in all competitions and was named the Premier League's Player of the Month for September 1996.
Considering he's largely remembered today as part of the 'Spice Boys' side that also included the likes of Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, it's surprising that Berger actually played at Anfield until the end of the 2002-03 campaign. While he often drifted in and out of the first team, he still played plenty of games for the Reds – nearly 200 in fact – and helped them to victory in the 2001 FA Cup and UEFA Cup.
Berger departed Anfield after an injury-hit 2002-03 campaign, but actually played another five seasons in the Premier League, with Portsmouth and then Aston Villa. Considering his incredibly long tenure in England – 12 seasons in total – it's surprising that he's become largely forgotten today.
#8 Olivier Dacourt
Leeds United's side from the late 1990s until the early 2000s is one of the most fondly remembered in Premier League history. Filled with young talent, David O'Leary's side stunned everyone to make the semi-finals of the 2000-01 Champions League and looked set to contend at the top of the Premier League for years to come.
Of course, that never happened. Leeds eventually fell apart and were relegated in 2004. But fans still look back in admiration at players like Jonathan Woodgate, Harry Kewell and Alan Smith. One player from that team who's become unfairly forgotten, though, is French midfielder Olivier Dacourt.
A tenacious, hard-tackling holding midfielder, Dacourt had played in the Premier League in the 1998-99 season for Everton, but after a fall-out, ended up heading back to France with Lens. His performances back in Ligue 1 quickly convinced Leeds to bring him back to the Premier League, and in the summer of 2000, they broke their transfer record to sign him, paying Lens £7m for his services.
His impact at Elland Road was instant. Dacourt fit into Leeds' midfield perfectly, playing alongside the likes of Lee Bowyer and David Batty to give O'Leary's side some real bite. He made 48 appearances in all competitions – 33 in the Premier League – and the fact that he picked up the most yellow cards for the side was simply a testament to his tough style.
The Frenchman helped Leeds to that famous Champions League semi-final in his first season – where they fell short against Valencia – but remained a regular until O'Leary was fired at the end of the 2001-02 season. From there, he fell out of favour with new boss Terry Venables and in the summer of 2003, made a move to Italian side Roma.
Since then, Premier League fans have largely forgotten Dacourt – a brief return to the Premier League with Fulham in 2008-09 essentially went unnoticed. However, the tenacious Frenchman was a key part of a highly successful Leeds side, and deserves far more recognition today.
#9 John Arne Riise
While they never reached the Premier League-winning heights of today's side, Liverpool were still a highly successful team in the early to mid-2000s. The Reds won multiple trophies under Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez, including the 2003 EFL Cup, the 2005 Champions League and the 2006 FA Cup. One of the side's key men – who seems to have been forgotten today – was Norwegian international John Arne Riise.
Able to play as a left-back, left wing-back and an outright left-winger, Riise joined Liverpool for just £4m from Monaco in the summer of 2001. His impact was immediate as he played in every Premier League fixture in his debut season, scoring seven goals – including strikes against Arsenal and Manchester United.
The Norwegian remained largely an ever-present for his next six seasons at Anfield. He was widely loved by Reds fans for his tremendous stamina and engine, but mainly for his ability when it came to shooting. For a player used primarily as a defender, Riise had a remarkably hard shot, which allowed him to score plenty of spectacular goals over the years.
Despite being a dependable member of Benitez's side – he started in both the 2005 Champions League final and 2006 FA Cup final – by the 2007-08 season, Riise's starting spot was under threat. New signing Fabio Aurelio was often preferred to the Norwegian, and it came as no surprise when he departed for Roma at the end of the campaign.
However, Riise returned to the Premier League with Fulham in 2011, and spent three seasons at Craven Cottage. Although he wasn't able to find the same level of success there that he did at Liverpool, he still became a firm fan favourite. Overall, with a Premier League record of 321 appearances and 21 goals, he remains one of the competition's more underrated defenders.
#10 Georgi Kinkladze
Thanks to their takeover at the hands of the Abu Dhabi Group in 2008, Manchester City are now one of the world's richest and most powerful football clubs. The Cityzens routinely attract some of the world's best players to the Etihad, and have seen massive success over the past decade.
However, that certainly wasn't the case in the 1990s. City struggled for traction throughout the early years of the Premier League, and suffered an embarrassing relegation from the top flight in the 1995-96 season. Unsurprisingly, City fans hardly look upon the period with fondness.
Even so, a number of players stand out as cult heroes 25 years on, and one of them is Georgi Kinkladze.
A Georgian international, Kinkladze had been playing at home before signing with City for a fee of around £2m in the summer of 1995. And despite City's appalling form during the subsequent campaign, the attacking midfielder quickly became wildly popular with fans.
Despite barely being able to speak English, Kinkladze had a big impact on the pitch, with his winding runs from midfield and the wing stunning fans and opponents alike. With ball control that was nearly unparalleled in the Premier League at the time, the Georgian scored one of the most spectacular goals of the era against Southampton.
Sadly, a single season was all that Premier League fans saw of Kinkladze. Despite his best efforts, City were relegated at the end of his debut campaign. And rather than jump ship to another Premier League side, the Georgian remained at Maine Road, where he continued to add to his cult status with City fans.
Once labelled the greatest City player he'd ever seen by Oasis guitarist – and City fan – Noel Gallagher, Kinkladze only racked up 37 Premier League games and is now largely forgotten outside of Manchester. However, there's definitely an argument that along with other overseas imports at the time, he paved the way for future City greats like Aguero, Silva, and De Bruyne.
