Peter Crouch 'feels like a kid again' as he makes instant impact at Burnley

On the aqueduct that crosses high over Yorkshire Street, a few hundred yards from Turf Moor, one wit had posted a message of welcome for Peter Crouch. “Mind your head, lad,” it read.

The former England forward has been dealing with jokes about his height for the best part of 20 years; he can handle a few more if it means getting one last extended crack at the Premier League.

Having signed from Stoke City last Thursday for the rest of the season, the 38-year-old made an immediate impression at Burnley, coming on for the final 15 minutes and winning their first penalty in 68 league matches. Ashley Barnes converted it, with just about the last kick of the match, to earn Burnley another point as they aim for Premier League survival.

This is probably how it will be for Crouch at Turf Moor, coming on as an impact substitute to unsettle opposing defences. There was a roar of anticipation when he entered the field against Southampton; the visitors’ ensuing defensive panic was palpable.

“I never wanted to leave the Premier League,” said Crouch, who thought his top-level career was over after relegation with Stoke last May. “I’m just grateful for this opportunity. I feel like a kid again, being out there in the Premier League. That’s where I want to be and I’m excited about it.

“If I do the business and if I play well... I’ll be trying my best, so beyond this season, who knows?”

Whether Crouch will be in the top division next season remains to be seen, but Burnley ought to be, having responded to a Christmas crisis with a six-match unbeaten league run.

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They could easily have gone under against Southampton, with Barnes enduring a day of immense frustration before his penalty equaliser. The forward, booked very harshly for an alleged dive after goalkeeper Alex McCarthy brought him down inside the penalty area in the first half, berated assistant referee Adam Nunn with such fury that he risked a red card.

After Nathan Redmond’s sublime run ended with a drive to give Southampton the lead, Barnes was denied by both McCarthy and the crossbar before finally finding reward from the spot after Crouch’s header was handled by Jack Stephens.

The equaliser was perhaps harsh on the visitors, and certainly on Redmond. Having failed to score in the season’s opening four months, the Southampton forward now has six goals in 10 matches.

“Everyone can see how talented a player Nathan is,” Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong said. “His goal was fantastic. He’s got all the qualities you want in an attacking player.”

Crouch’s contribution helped to deny Redmond victory; the Burnley forward feels at home at Turf Moor, where he senses echoes of the dressing-room spirit built at Stoke by Tony Pulis. There is just one worry for the new arrival: the stories of training ground forfeits set by manager Sean Dyche, including one that requires errant players to lie in the freezing River Calder, which runs through Burnley’s training ground.

“I’ve heard about the river,” Crouch said. “Do you have to get into it? That’s inhumane in this weather!”