The Misfits of the Premier League: 10 Forwards Who Dared to Dream Beyond the Big Four (2000-2010)

The early 2000s were a peculiar time in the Premier League. While the riches and fame gravitated towards the usual suspects - the Big Four clubs of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool - there were a few maverick forwards who said "No thanks!" to the glitz and glamor. They chose, instead, to embrace the path less taken. 

These players plied their trade for the so-called "unfashionable clubs" - the teams constantly scrapping for survival or desperately clawing for European glory. But what they lacked in resources, they made up for with their flair, guile and good old-fashioned grit.

Let's celebrate 10 of these misfits who brought joy, madness and the occasional dollop of magic to the Premier League between 2000-2010.

Kevin Phillips: Sunderland's Non-Stop Goal Machine 

Kevin Phillips was a man on a mission during the 1999-2000 season - to put the ball in the back of the net as many times as humanly possible. His tally that year? 30 goals for Sunderland - a club record. An outstanding achievement, since Erling Haaland with 36 goals last season has set a new single-season record for the whole League. Can you predict if he or somebody else try and beat these numbers at the end of the season? Place your bets at the Betway app using the www.telecomasia.net install guide at the link and let's find out.

Phillips attacked with the intensity of a raging bull seeing red. Defenders bounced off him like ping pong balls as he smashed shot after shot. Phillips fired Sunderland to seventh place - their highest finish in decades.

Also Read: Most Goals in the Premier League for a single club

Yakubu: The Nigerian Bulldozer 

Yakubu terrorized Premier League defences with the ferocity of a bulldozer on steroids. After tearing up the league for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough came calling in 2005. 

In his debut, Yakubu flattened Arsenal's defence to score a brace. By 2007-08, he was donning an Everton jersey and continued his path of destruction, muscling 33 goals for the Toffees in total. 

Yakubu turned defenders into quivering wrecks. He made "beast mode" fashionable long before it became a hashtag.

Darren Bent: Mr. Reliable

While other strikers dazzled with the spectacular, Darren Bent put his nose to the grindstone and scored goal after goal - year after year - with ruthless efficiency. 

After leaving Charlton, Bent endured a tough time at Tottenham. But he rediscovered his scoring boots at Sunderland in 2009-10, smashing in an epic 24 league goals. 

Bent was a striker's striker - never fazed, always focused. He let his goals do the talking while he silently tore through backlines.

Also Read: Most goals in Premier League History

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: When Leather Met Ball

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's left foot was a lethal weapon. The Dutchman joined Chelsea in 2000 and proceeded to pepper goals in with thunderous strikes. His free kicks, in particular, were nuclear missiles - leaving keepers no chance.

Hasselbaink's goals were not just spectacular, they were important. He scored crucial winners against Man United, Liverpool and Leeds as Chelsea qualified for the Champions League and eventually became a part of the Big Four.

Jimmy unleashed pure combustion every time leather met ball. The man had dynamite in his boots.

Craig Bellamy: Pace and Passion 

If caffeine was a footballer, it would manifest as Craig Bellamy. The Welshman infused matches with boundless energy and passion. His searing pace tormented fullbacks at Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool.

Bellamy was the ultimate team player - chasing down lost causes, pressing relentlessly, setting up goals and blazing down wings. He covered every blade of grass like his life depended on it. 

A temperamental firecracker? Sure. But also a footballer whose drive and desire were unquestionable. 

Peter Crouch: The Robot with Velvet Feet 

Peter Crouch was a walking contradiction. At 6 feet 7 inches, he was all limbs - an improbable footballer. Yet he had the deft touch of a nimble-footed magician.

Crouch dazzled fans with outrageous goals - overhead kicks, 25-yard volleys, delicate chips. He even unveiled the "Crouchie robot" dance to celebrate.

Who cares if he resembled a newborn giraffe finding his feet? Crouch had tricks up his (really long) sleeves.

Louis Saha: Grace, Power and Misfortune 

Louis Saha combined grace, power and clinical finishing in a potent striker's cocktail. He was the complete package. For Fulham and early Manchester United years, he was practically unstoppable.

Then misfortune struck. Injuries - so many injuries - stole the prime years of his career. But Saha persevered with class and professionalism.

At his peak, he was world-class. And even on one leg, he produced bits of magic - a reminder of glory days gone by.

Robbie Keane: Ireland's Lucky Charm

Robbie Keane played football with a child-like joy and enthusiasm. The puckish Irishman had an uncanny knack for timely goals. Both at Leeds and Tottenham, he served as a talisman - his goals spurring clubs to success.

Keane brought smiles to fans with his cartwheeling goal celebrations. He was a footballer who knew how to have fun. And his 100 Premier League goals prove he was no slouch in scoring either.

Mark Viduka: The Melbourne Monster 

Hailing from Melbourne, Mark Viduka was built like a 6-foot, 4-inch Australian tank. This was a man who could bulldoze through entire defences on his way to goal. 

Viduka carried Leeds United into the last four of the 2000-01 Champions League almost single-handedly. But for all his strength, Mark had a delicate side too - he caressed the ball into the net with all the finesse of a masterful craftsman. 

Viduka might have been a monster, but he was a skilful one.

Ricardo Fuller: The Caribbean Entertainer 

Jamaican Ricardo Fuller played football with Caribbean flair and joy at Stoke City. He brought showmanship and unpredictability to the Premier League.

Fuller perplexed defenders with step-overs, backheels and extraordinary improvisation. One moment he'd uncork a thunderbastard into the top corner, the next he'd miscue a tap-in - such was his eccentric genius.  

Fuller cared not for reputations or scripts - he lived in the moment. And his offbeat brilliance made the league much more entertaining.

So let's raise a glass to these mavericks who brought laughter and light to the 2000s Premier League! They proved that you could defy expectations and dazzle in the big leagues - even beyond the realms of the all-powerful Big Four clubs. Their stories are a reminder that football, ultimately, belongs to the misfits, the dreamers, the entertainers. The pitch was their playground, joy was their purpose, and they played the beautiful game beautifully.