Former Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell given hero's welcome in Turkey

Jul 5 2009 by Edward Chadwick, Sunday Mercury

A convoy of 50 buses and 250 cars trailing flags followed the 29-year-old striker’s limousine from the airport as he arrived in the Turkish capital for contract talks over a possible transfer last week.

A bemused-looking Vassell emerged hours later into the glare of TV cameras, clutching a bouquet of flowers and draped in flags and scarves from supporters of the top-flight side.

Ankaragucu fans will be hoping their celebrations are not premature, after the club shop was inundated with requests to have his name printed on the backs of their shirts. The side finished 13th in last season’s Turkish premier league.

Club chairman Cengiz Topel Yildirim stoked up the excitement by claiming: “We aim to secure a big signing as this year is our centenary. He will visit the city and our installations. Then he will make a decision.

“I hope we can include him in our squad.”

The anticipation may be fuelled in part by memories of the ex-England forward’s goal against Turkey at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in a Euro 2004 qualifier more than six years ago.

Sutton Coldfield-born Vassell made 162 appearances in a Villa shirt and picked up 22 England caps before moving to Manchester City for £2 million in 2005, where he featured just twice last season.

Back in 2005, the striker was exposed for fraternising with gangsters by the Sunday Mercury.

Vassell starred in a chilling real-life gangland video designed to glorify notorious Birmingham gang the Burger Bar Boys.

The footage showed a gang member in Vassell’s Lamborghini winding down the window and making a gun shape with his fingers. He pointed towards the soccer star’s car while mouthing “Bang, Bang’’ to mimick a drive-by shooting – a favoured method of execution in gangland circles.

Vassell later denied any involvement with the gang.