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'I smashed John Stones – after what he did I just thought you're getting it'
Troy Deeney has revealed he wanted to make a big impression in the Premier League by making his mark against one of the country's best defenders
Troy Deeney has opened up about his attempts to make an impact in his first Premier League game for Watford. Speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast, the former forward has opened up about how the build up and excitement of playing in the Premier League caused him to do something he regretted immediately.
Birmingham born Deeney spent 12 years at Watford, where he scored 131 goals in 389 appearances. He then went on to enjoy some success a Birmingham City where he netted 11 times in 55 run outs for the Blues.
However, the ex-striker has now told all on Crouch's podcast about a moment when he went in hard on an opponent and came to regret it.
Talking on the podcast, Deeney spoke about how in the run-up to his first Premier League campaign he was obsessed with being ready for the opening day. He said: "You know know that pre-season, yeah, all you're thinking about is this game one, like first day it's all the runs and it's like get it done because you got to be ready for day one and all of that."
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He then elaborated about what happened in an incident with John Stones, then of Everton, and even explained the reasons why he did what he did. Deeney added: "I don't know, all the excitement, just the build up built up and I remember I smashed John Stones and, I love John, but like he was at Everton and he was like being linked with City for 50 mil and he was just playing casually out from the back and I thought oh you're getting it."
The former Walsall hotshot revealed that he feared the worst as soon as he'd made the challenge on Stones: "As soon as the ball was gone I've ran and I thought 'you know you think you've got it' and he just played a little one round the corner, but I smashed him and I thought 'oh no' like instantly - face white."
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However, Deeney was spared a Premier League debut to forget as he was shown mercy by the referee. He added: "To be fair to the ref, he gave me a yellow card and said 'look calm down get get back in' and then thankfully I stayed on. But if I'd have got sent off in my first game, mate Jesus Christ how have we done there none of this would have happened."
Deeney recently turned heads when he joined Forest Green Rovers in August 2023 in a player/coach capacity. He even became permanent manager later that year, however he was sacked from the role in January 2024.
The former striker began his professional career at Walsall before moving to Championship club Watford in 2010 where captained the team to promotion to the Premier League in the 2014–15 season. After more than 400 matches with th Vicarage Road outfit, he then left the club as a free agent in August 2021 and spent two years with Birmingham City.