Darren Ambrose Goal

I've always had a bit of a soccer crush on Darren Ambrose. I think I first encountered him as an inexpensive midfielder in fantasy who had a nice run for me over the course of a month or so - I honestly don't recall the year. As I had a chance to follow up a little bit while he was still in the Premier League, I enjoyed the fact that he doesn't really look much like an athlete - in fact he looks more like a late night talk show host (see Fallon, Jimmy). The fact that he has a tendency to unleash rockets from 30+ yards out only increases my enjoyment of his game.

It was all capped off two seasons ago when I had the occasion to go to Crystal Palace for a match and sit about five rows back at about the halfway line. Palace was fighting for its life at the bottom of the Championship. They were trying their hardest to stave off financial doom as well. With all that on the line, they put together a great performance against Preston and Mr. Ambrose scored a nice goal. The sort of thing that turns someone otherwise neutral into a supporter and a modest appreciation of Darren Amrbose into a huge fan.

That he has now deepened United's malaise with another of his trademarked rockets and helped eliminate them from the Carling Cup just makes me happy. If anyone has a link to video that is still working, I think we'd all appreciate it (well, maybe not the United supporters).

Video after the jump. -Jeremy