Today is Dean Ashton's birthday. But rather incredibly, considering he hung up his boots in 2009, the former West Ham striker turns just 33.

Indeed, the end of Ashton's career is one of the saddest tales in recent Premier League memory, forced into early retirement six years ago, aged 27, amid a spate of injury problems.

And most saddening of all, the injury problems started when the powerful front-man received his first England call-up in 2006, suffering a broken ankle after a tackle from Shaun Wright-Phillips in Three Lions training.

He was called up again to face Estonia, but once again missed out with a sprained medial collateral ligament.

In 2008, Ashton finally claimed his first England cap against Trinidad and Tobago in June.

But a matter of months later, the forward played his final competitive fixture before eventually calling it a day at the end of the 2008/09 campaign.

So to celebrate Ashton's birthday, we've created a select XI in his honour. Here's the England XI that never was - filled with top talents whose Three Lions careers were halted by injury problems, mitigating circumstance or managerial preferences.

Goalkeeper

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500 plus appearances in top flight football for Birmingham, Watford and Manchester City, Tony Coton can count himself mightily unfortunate not to have been given the chance to wear the white strip of England.

The moustache-sporting shot stopper was named Manchester City's Player of the Season twice and entered into Watford's Hall of Fame but only ever represented the Three Lions' B squad.

Defence

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What a centre half pairing these two would have made if injury and manager preference wouldn't have kept them out of the international side respectively. Ledley King was perhaps the best English defender of our generation, and the omission of Steve Bruce by Sir Bobby Charlton was described as his 'worst decision as England boss'.

At right-back, we have Micah Richards. Not the Micah Richards of Aston Villa, but the young Micah Richards of Manchester City who had promised so much but ultimately was never given the chance by club nor country. Big, strong and athletic, the youngster had all the attributes to go on and be a great full back.

On the opposing flank, Ron 'Chopper' Harris. While not his natural position, the no-nonsense defender and Chelsea's all time leading appearance maker was known for his versatility and toughness in the tackle. Despite his reputation and success at club level, he was never once capped by England.

Midfield

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Let us start with a more recent omission - Victor Moses. The now high-flying Chelsea winger played for England up until U-21 level, but then opted to play for Nigeria. He has since won the African Cup of Nations, as well as the Europa League with Chelsea, and his energy and optimism out wide looks like something England could do with at this moment in the time.

Move over Eric Dier and Dele Alli, hello Dennis Mortimer and Jimmy Bullard. The former was perhaps Aston Villa's best ever player, guiding them to both League and European success - something which seems a lifetime ago these days in the Midlands. The latter, while better remembered for his antics on Soccer AM, was indeed a thoroughly good footballer - technically gifted with a penchant for the spectacular, he just loved to play football.

Out wide again we go, and to modern times again we come. A real zero-to-hero story (no, not Jamie Vardy), Michail Antonio has risen from the depths of non-league football with Tooting and Mitcham to Premier League glory with West Ham United. Their top scorer this season with six goals already, its baffling the in-form Englishman is yet to be given his chance to shine on the international stage.

Strikers

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Of course, we have Dean Ashton. If you ever needed reminding that Ashton was one of England's most talented strikers of the past decade, all you need to do is watch his overhead kick during Mark Noble's testimonial match earlier in the year. Moments like that we not uncommon during his career and we could have had tasted plenty more too, if only it wasn't for that damn ankle.

Imagine scoring 148 goals during your 19 year career at the top level and never receiving an England cap. That is the case of poor Kevin Campbell, who holds the unwanted title of being the highest scorer in Premier League history not to win an international cap. While he may not have been Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney, Campbell was a consistent goalscorer who should have been given a chance.