Ben Foster Named the 3 Hardest Players He Ever Encountered in His Long Career

Ben Foster’s time between the sticks saw him come across some of the most feared brutes of the English game, many of whom were his teammates.

The former Manchester United shot-stopper once recalled how ‘horrible’ iconic Serbian centre-back Nemanja Vidic was in training and feared being selected on the same team. His ex-Red Devils teammate’s determined mindset was displayed on the pitch with a never-say-die work ethic, throwing his body on the line for Sir Alex Ferguson’s Reds.

Foster also had spells at West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City, where he encountered the likes of Congolese midfield tackling menace Youssouf Mulumbu and 6ft4in colossal Swedish defender Jonas Olsson. But that trio weren’t among the three ‘hardest’ players Foster encountered during his playing days. He named three Englishmen who were frightening on and off the pitch while speaking on his The Cycling GK podcast.

Troy Deeney

The first Foster named was Troy Deeney, the former Watford striker and captain, who became a fan favourite at Vicarage Road with inspired performances up top. The English frontman, who retired in January 2024, struck 140 goals in 419 games for the Hornets, but his colorful personality is perhaps more familiar to football fans than his actual ability.

Foster spoke about Deeney’s physique and how he doubts most players in Europe could handle him:

Deeney’s ill temper surfaced while at Watford when he claimed he grabbed the club’s former director of football, Cristiano Giaretta, by the throat. The 6-foot ex-Birmingham frontman told the Italian, laugh at me again, I dare you. I’ll put you in the ground’ while his teammes watched, most likely in fear. He also served three of a 10-month prison sentence for attacking students outside a nightclub in 2012.

Darius Henderson

Darius Henderson was another giant of a striker who also spearheaded Watford’s attack during the mid-2000s. A cult hero of the English Football League, he became a journeyman in English football, also plying his trade for Sheffield United, Reading, Millwall, Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion.

The highlight of Henderson’s career came in 2007 when he impressed for the Hornets, managing 13 goals in the EFL Championship. He appeared 35 times in the Premier League, but Foster suggested that he may have preferred taking to the boxing ring:

The six-foot Henderson picked up seven straight red cards during his playing career, and the fighting antics Foster spoke of came to fruition in a bar on New Year’s Eve 2011. He was cleared of causing grievous bodily harm after hitting a man and leaving him requiring surgery.

Graham Stack

Graham Stack was Foster’s goalkeeping coach for a period at Watford, and he’s admitted that he was in awe of the ex-United shot-stopper while working with him and Heurelho Gomes. The Hampstead-born Stack, who appeared seven times at U21 level for the Republic of Ireland, spent his career between the sticks at 11 clubs, including Arsenal, Millwall and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Most of the six-foot-two goalkeeper’s career was spent at Barnet, where he made 129 appearances, keeping 46 clean sheets. He was a decent shot-stopper with strong leadership skills, captaining the Bees, and this fighting spirit spilled into pubs, according to Foster:

The Times claim Stack’s mischief at Arsenal included selling stolen Gucci gear to youth and first-team players. Crashing the Gunners’ team bus, smashing the windscreen, which left the driver bloodied. He also won £200 off Ray Parlour and Francis Jeffers after dipping his head in an ice bucket for over a minute. Hard as nails.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – correct as of 05/03/2025.

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