Villa fans give troubled former Holte End hero Darius Vassell a Turkey treat

Jan 10 2010 by Andy Walker, Sunday Mercury

Aston Villa fans have shown their true claret and blue colours by lending support to former Holte End hero Darius Vassell during a spate of personal problems.

The former England striker has opened his heart on the internet, setting up his own revealing website, as he attempts to make a success of his career in Turkish football with Ankaragücü.

A blog at www.vassell.net documents the Brummie’s desperate battle to fend off homesickness, the heartache of a long-distance relationship and his struggles to settle into Turkish culture.

The 29-year-old’s heartfelt honesty in the last three months has attracted an army of internet followers ranging from football-mad Turks to lonely ex-pats.

Word has spread to the Villa Park faithful who have come out in force with web comments to show Vassell that he may be gone but he’s not forgotten in B6.

The usually shy footballer has opened up a window to his life in lonely hotel rooms with articulate, and occasionally poetic, blog posts since November 25.

Despite being desperate to make a go of it with Ankaragücü, having been touched by the support of their passionate fans, Vassell’s time has not been plain sailing.

The Sutton Coldfield-born star has had to deal with being labelled overweight by local journalists, constant rumours that he is to be sold and the embarrassment of being thrown out of a hotel due to unpaid bills. To make matters worse, the hotel is still refusing to return some of his personal belongings.