IT MAY HAVE been a routine game in the Premier League last night but Stoke City striker Peter Crouch did manage to create a piece of history as he reached a new milestone.
Crouch was introduced off the bench by manager Mark Hughes in the 73rd minute of Stoke’s 2-2 draw with Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
In the process he set a new record for substitute appearances in the Premier League, coming off the bench for the 143rd time.
That means he has surpassed the record he previously shared with former Newcastle United player Shola Ameobi, set during his time involved between 2000 and 2015.
The former England striker seemed unsure after the game whether he should be basking in the glow of setting a new record.
The 36-year-old has grown accustomed to his super sub role this season as he has yet to play from the start and has come on in nine games for Stoke.
He’s still making his mark though, netting three times in the games against West Brom, Southampton and Leicester City.
Substitute showings have accounted for nearly a third of the appearances during Crouch’s Premier League career that has spanned spells with Aston Villa, Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur before he moved to Stoke in 2011.
He’s bagged 15 of his 107 Premier League goals off the bench.
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