, ▁V ass ell ▁was ▁taken ▁on ▁by ▁the ▁club ' s ▁School ▁of ▁Ex cell ence . ▁While ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁club ' s ▁youth ▁team ▁V ass ell ▁set ▁a ▁club ▁record ▁by ▁scoring ▁ 3 9 ▁goals ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁season . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁team ▁debut ▁as ▁a ▁substitute ▁in ▁a ▁ 3 – 1 ▁win ▁against ▁M idd les br ough ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁V ass ell ' s ▁best ▁qual ities ▁were ▁his ▁speed ▁and ▁ag ility . ▁A ston ▁Villa ▁fans ▁l ament ed ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁his ▁best ▁performances ▁seem ▁to ▁come ▁with ▁England , ▁where ▁he ▁has ▁proved ▁particularly ▁useful ▁as ▁a ▁" super ▁sub ", ▁coming ▁on ▁for ▁the ▁last ▁ 1 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes ▁of ▁a ▁game ▁to ▁trouble ▁a ▁tired ▁defence ▁with ▁his ▁exception al ▁pace . ▁One ▁odd ity ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁was ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁never ▁finished ▁on ▁the ▁losing ▁side ▁in ▁a ▁league ▁game ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁scored . ▁This ▁run ▁ended ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁when ▁he ▁scored ▁for ▁Le ic ester ▁City ▁during ▁the ▁ 3 - 2 ▁defeat ▁to ▁Not ting ham ▁Forest . ▁ ▁Manchester ▁City ▁ ▁V ass ell ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Manchester ▁City ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁for ▁£ 2 m . ▁During ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁for ▁Manchester ▁City , ▁V ass ell ▁scored ▁eight ▁league ▁goals ▁in ▁ 3 5 ▁appearances