10 forgotten heroes of the Premier League

Michu is just one of the Premier League's forgotten heroes.
Michu is just one of the Premier League's forgotten heroes.

#4 Michu

Michu took the Premier League by storm with Swansea.
Michu took the Premier League by storm with Swansea.

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

Rob Lee was one of the key players for Newcastle in the 1990's.
Rob Lee was one of the key players for Newcastle in the 1990's.

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

John Carew was Aston Villa's top striker during their most successful Premier League period.
John Carew was Aston Villa's top striker during their most successful Premier League period.

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

Patrik Berger became wildly popular for a time at Liverpool, and spent longer there than fans remember.
Patrik Berger became wildly popular for a time at Liverpool, and spent longer there than fans remember.

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.

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Edited by Zaid Khan