Highlights

  • The streets will never forget these cult heroes who dazzled the Premier League with their skills and performances.
  • From Hatem Ben Arfa's audacity to Adel Taarabt's flair, these players left a lasting impression and entertained fans in their prime.
  • Whether it's goals from Michu or long throws from Rory Delap, these players are true cult heroes.

There are some former footballers who, for one reason or another, weren't able to cement their status as Premier League legends but are still remembered fondly by those of us who were able to watch them. It could be their level of skill, individualistic trait or for some extraneous reason. One thing is for certain, however, and that is that they all exclusively fall under the bracket of being crowd pleasers, entertainers – but, most importantly, players that have forced fans to move towards the edge of their seats over the years.

The phrase: 'the streets will never forget' applies specifically to these cult heroes. Basically, ex-players who bossed it for a brief period of time before usually falling off the radar. This isn't an article to celebrate legends who've been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, or even for those who stand an outside chance of being inducted alongside the likes of Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Roy Keane and co.

Instead, we're here to take a trip down memory lane, taking a closer look at the one-time ballers who, albeit temporarily, lit up the league and managed to leave a lasting impression. Indeed, GIVEMESPORT has taken a moment to celebrate 24 of the greatest 'streets will never forget' players to have ever graced the English top tier.

Hatem Ben Arfa

Newcastle United and Hull City

Hatem Ben Arfa

Hatem Ben Arfa, who is now without a club, was an outrageous footballer who probably could – and perhaps should – have reached the very top of his profession had his attitude been more refined at times. The skill, the gloves, the audacity – the now 37-year-old had it all in abundance.

Newcastle United fans were treated to some breathtaking performances from the Frenchman, who scored some Lionel Messi-esque worldies during his 86-game stint at St James' Park, with him wreaking havoc more often than not during that 2011/12 season. Doubtlessly one of the greatest showmen in English top-tier history, the streets will forever salute you, Hatem.

Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse

Newcastle United, Chelsea (Demba Ba Ba) and West Ham United (Demba Ba Ba)

Demba Ba

We couldn’t include one without the other – after all, some say that the best things come in pairs. Football fans of a certain age will always remember Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse as a deadly duo. The former is probably best known for latching onto Steven Gerrard’s slip for Chelsea all the way back in 2014.

But it would be remiss to disregard the telepathic nature of his relationship with his former teammate and compatriot Cisse – who bagged that iconic wonder goal against Chelsea. They scored 29 times between them during the 2011-12 Premier League season as a replacement for Andy Carroll, when everything they touched simply turned to gold. A two-man strike partnership is so rarely seen nowadays – but this pairing provided viewers with so much fun.

Andrey Arshavin

Arsenal

Andrey Arshavin - Arsenal

An outstanding footballer at the peak of his powers, Andrey Arshavin earned a move to Arsenal from Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2009 following his magnificent performances for Russia at the 2008 European Championships – and much to Arsene Wenger’s delight, the Frenchman’s dealings immediately paid off.

The winger produced one of the great individual performances of the Premier League era away at Anfield in April 2009, scoring all four of the Gunners' goals in a famous 4-4 draw against Liverpool. Arshavin blew hot and cold for Arsenal over the next few seasons and eventually returned to Zenit on a permanent basis in 2013, but the streets will never forget his refined brilliance.

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Morten Gamst Pedersen

Blackburn Rovers

Morten Gamst Pedersen

A scorer of some great goals – including a few top free-kicks and a couple of sensational volleys – Morten Gamst Pedersen lit up the Premier League for several years with Blackburn Rovers in the mid-2000s – and he’s unforgettable thanks to his frosted tips, especially when he was stood over a dead-ball situation.

The left-footed Norwegian winger, who was still playing professional football in his home country at the age of 41, could probably have played for a superior club to Blackburn but that merely added to his status – but he'll always be welcomed back to Ewood Park with wide open arms.

Michu

Swansea City

Swansea City's Michu roars with delight after scoring.

The streets shed a tear when they remember just how good Michu was when he arrived at Swansea City as a complete unknown from Rayo Vallecano in July 2012. The Spaniard, who cost a measly £2 million, ended his first season in England with a remarkable 18 goals in 35 Premier League games. Oh, and a League Cup winners' medal for the Welsh side.

Michu unfortunately suffered a serious dose of the feared ‘second-season syndrome’ and eventually returned to Spain in 2015 following an unsuccessful loan spell at Napoli. His unforgettable debut season is considered one of the best of the Premier League era – and rightfully so, the talisman exceeded all expectations laid before him and more.

Adel Taarabt

QPR, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur

Adel Taarabt

In terms of pure skill, Adel Taarabt is right up there among the best players of the Premier League era. Those who had the privilege of watching him – whether on TV, or live in the stadium – will almost certainly concur with that assessment. The undisputed king of the streets, they just don't make them like him anymore.

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The Moroccan winger produced some genuinely unbelievable moments of individual brilliance during his spell with Queens Park Rangers. Writing in his MailOnline column in 2020, former teammate Peter Crouch waxed lyrical about Taarabt when asked to name the most talented but inconsistent footballers he played with.

"Adel Taarabt would be up there. I was with him at Tottenham when he was a young lad and while he had all the tricks and skills, he was more interested in trying to nutmeg a defender than play the sensible pass. He had so much ability but never put it together."

Clint Dempsey

Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur

Clint Dempsey Fulham

Arguably the best outfield American player to play in England’s top division, Clint Dempsey was unstoppable during his final couple of seasons with Fulham, scoring 29 goals. In total, the attacking midfielder/second striker scored 50 strikes in the league for the Cottagers, totting up an impressive 17-goal return during 11/12.

Dempsey then packed his bags and completed his switch to Tottenham but, unfortunately, it failed to work out for him at White Hart Lane. He briefly returned to Craven Cottage on loan midway through the 13/14 season, when he was on the books of Seattle Sounders FC.

Andy Johnson

Fulham, Everton, Crystal Palace and QPR

Andy Johnson and David Moyes at Everton

A traditional form of striker, Andy Johnson may have flattered to deceive at times, but the streets will never forget when he finished as the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer during the 2004/05 campaign with Crystal Palace – just one year after England slumped at Euro 2004.

Sven-Goran Eriksson continued to overlook the – at that time – 25-year-old, which meant the Bedford-born gem retired with just eight caps to his name, though it’s fair to say his free-scoring exploits deserved more of a chance on the international stage. The hard-working centre-forward netted 21 goals that season before eventually earning a move to Everton, where he made sure Liverpool’s Pepe Reina would always have nightmares about him.

Benni McCarthy

Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United

benni mccarthy

Benni McCarthy was ruthless during his first season in the Premier League with Blackburn, netting 18 goals. He scored 24 in all competitions that season and Rovers fans - along with the streets, of course - will always remember him fondly as a vital cog in one of their most impressive teams in history.

The season to follow was not as fruitful thanks to a litany of injuries and the form of Roque Santa Cruz, but he still managed to accumulate 11 goals. A move to West Ham beckoned before the 2009/10 season – but his best days in England were spent further north. The South African currently works as a first-team coach at Manchester United alongside Erik ten Hag.

Jay-Jay Okocha

Bolton Wanderers

Jay-Jay Okocha premier league

Similarly to the aforementioned Taarabt, Jay-Jay Okocha was so incredibly fun to watch. The Nigerian playmaker had just about every skill you could think of – and others you couldn't even dream of – in his locker. Week after week, the versatile forward would make a mockery of defences up and down the country – all under the stewardship of Sam Allardyce.

The Premier League's version of Ronaldinho, it's a crying shame that more players in Okocha's mould aren't around these days. When he was in the mood, he was an unstoppable figure for Bolton Wanderers between 2002 and 2006. He returned to England soil for Hull City in the summer of 2007 but, by that point, they were in the second tier.

Roque Santa Cruz

Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City

Roque Santa Cruz

Roque Santa Cruz managed to bag 19 Premier League goals in his debut season with Blackburn with the seasoned Paraguay international making an instant impact in England after joining from Bayern Munich as he danced round defenders like they weren’t there.

Despite only scoring four Premier League goals the season after, the man – one of football’s finest one-season wonders – still earned a £17.5 million move to Manchester City in the summer of 2009. However, Santa Cruz struggled to produce his best form at the Etihad Stadium, and briefly returned on loan to Blackburn during the 2010-11 season – where he scored zero goals in 10 appearances.

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Benjani Mwaruwari

Portsmouth, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland

Benjani Manchester City

Benjani started off in insipid form after joining Portsmouth before finding his feet in England. After scoring 20 strikes and assisting a further six for the side from the south, the Zimbabwe native eventually sealed a move to Manchester City and famously scored on his debut against Manchester United in the Manchester derby.

His most notable Premier League moment came after he netted a hat-trick in Portsmouth’s 7-4 victory over Reading – the highest-scoring match in Premier League history. A true cult hero with a career littered with moments of brilliance. By the way, if you've never heard Harry Redknapp's superb story about selling Benjani to Man City, you're in for a treat. Watch the full video below.

Florent Malouda

Chelsea

Florent Malouda Chelsea

Florent Malouda somewhat ran out of steam after his astonishing 2009/10 campaign when helped Chelsea to secure a record-breaking, 100-goal season with his scintillating displays on the left flank. French-Guinea born Malouda scored 12 Premier League goals in 2009/10 and 13 the season after that, proving to be a machine for a couple of seasons for the capital club.

His legendary goal celebration with Didier Drogba is arguably one of the best we've seen during the Premier League era, too, and that sort of flair just adds to his cult hero status at Stamford Bridge and beyond. Malouda swirled into obscurity after leaving the Premier League and only made four appearances internationally.

DJ Campbell

Blackpool, Birmingham City, QPR

DJ Campbell

A journeyman of a striker but one who managed to shine in the Premier League with Blackpool, by tucking away 13 goals with relative ease during his debut campaign in 2010/11. For that reason alone, DJ Campbell, the streets will always remember you.

Unfortunately, his glut of strikes was not enough to see them retain their spot in the top flight - and fans of Queens Park Rangers would have been packed to the brim with excitement when the un-capped Englishman arrived at Loftus Road the following year. His potency was not on show as often for the London club, however, with him scoring once in their colours across 14 outings.

Laurent Robert

Newcastle United, Portsmouth and Derby County

Laurent Robert

Did Laurent Robert possess the best left foot of the Premier League era? There certainly haven't been many left pegs better since 1992 – and before they returned to Europe’s top table last season, he was part of the Geordies' last Champions League XI from 2003. Some of his Newcastle goals are among the best of the Premier League era, with his left foot boasting a devastating blend of cannon-like and wand-like details.

The former France international was a classy operator by the time he arrived at St James’ Park thanks to his experience with Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier. After leaving Newcastle, the left-winger enjoyed Premier League spells with Portsmouth and Derby County.

Amr Zaki

Wigan Athletic and Hull City

Amr Zaki Wigan

Having signed for Wigan Athletic on loan back in 2008, Amr Zaki briefly churned out performances Pele would be envious of for about seven games for the then-Premier League outfit before it all went horribly wrong for the centre-forward.

Zaki, a 66-cap Egypt international, went on a tear in the early stages of his temporary stint and even managed to notch on his debut. The Egyptian soon lost his goalscoring boots, however, and was chastised for his unprofessionalism – a key part to becoming a true Premier League cult hero. It wasn't long before he was back playing in his home country.

Dean Ashton

West Ham United and Norwich City

West Ham striker Dean Ashton

If a host of injuries hadn’t played their part, there is no doubt that former Norwich City and West Ham United striker Dean Ashton would have enjoyed a long career at the top level. After graduating from Crewe Alexandra’s youth set-up, Ashton was offered the chance of first-team football at Norwich – and following 18 goals in 46 outings, a move to West Ham beckoned.

His innate moment of genius against Manchester United, which resulted in a sublime overhead kick, encapsulated what Ashton was about: trickery and audacity. The one-cap England international was sadly forced to retire aged just 26 – a shockingly young age, really – but the streets will certainly never forget you, Dean.

Tugay

Blackburn Rovers

Tugay

There’s something nostalgic about the grey-haired Tugay shrugging off opponents while striding through the middle of the park. While the true midfield maestro is best known for smoking 20 cigarettes a day, the Turkey international was firmly a fan favourite at Ewood Park during his eight-year stint between 2001 and 2009.

Regarded as one of the players to have shone despite being aged over 35, Tugay was still seen hitting world-beating strikes for the Lancashire club at a ripe age. A simply magnificent servant for Blackburn, there is every reason to believe that he could easily have played for a bigger Premier League club.

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Odion Ighalo

Watford and Manchester United

Odion Ighalo Fulham

A legend for Fantasy Football aficionados from the 2015/16 season, Odion Ighalo scored a grand total of 15 goals for Watford that year. His goal-scoring talents began to plateau, however, with him netting a total of 40 goals in his 100-game stint with the club – but there was much more to his game than bagging goals.

The Nigerian returned to the Premier League in 2020, albeit as a stop-gap solution, completing a shock loan move to Manchester United from Shanghai Shenhua. A hard-working striker, definitely, but he was out of his depth at a club the size and stature of the Old Trafford club.

Asamoah Gyan

Sunderland

Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan could have played for a bigger European club but opted to chase the money instead, signing for Al Ain in 2012, but his short but sweet 37-game stint with Sunderland in the Premier League stands out as his most notable years in the sport.

Very much a 'streets won’t forget' calibre of striker, Gyan was also a force to be reckoned with for his native Ghana, scoring 51 goals in 107 appearances – with him often regarded as being better for his country than he was for any of his clubs. Still, he was class for the Black Cats and, for that reason alone, he deserves to be remembered fondly by Premier League fans.