West Ham striker Dean Ashton has admitted defeat in his bid to return from an ankle injury by announcing his retirement at the age of 26. The former Crewe and Norwich star only earned one international cap for England – in June 2008 against Trinidad & Tobago - but it would have been more had he not been injured training with the national side two years previously. Ashton, who has not played for the Hammers since September 2008, joined the club from the Canaries in January 2006 for a then club-record £7.25m fee and went on to score 19 goals in a injury-ravaged spell at Upton Park. West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said: "This is a sad day and our thoughts are with Dean. "I would like to place on record our thanks to him for all his efforts and wish him the very best. I would also like to thank the fans for their patience and understanding during what has been a difficult time." Ashton first burst on to the scene as a teenager, scoring 74 goals in 177 games for Crewe before sealing a move to Carrow Road in 2005 where he hit 18 goals in 46 matches.