Daniel Sturridge makes debut for Perth Glory as England’s forgotten man plays first game in 21 MONTHS

DANIEL STURRIDGE was back on the pitch for his first game in nearly two years when he ran out for his Perth Glory debut.

The former England international was brought on as a late sub as Perth were held 1-1 by Adelaide United in their A-League opener.

The striker was given ten minutes to shake off the ring rust after spending two weeks in hotel quarantine on his arrival in Australia.

And while he couldn’t help his side find the crucial winner, his impact at HBF Park was felt even before kick-off.

The club proudly announced the game was sold out, with a capacity crowd of 20,500 hoping to get a glimpse of their new signing.

Sturridge was once a Liverpool and England star but in recent years has struggled to hold down regular football.

He was hit with a four month ban in March last year after breaking betting rules.

Former employers Trabzonspor ripped up his contract after just 16 appearances for the Turkish outfit.

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That was followed by a 21-month spell out of the game as the 32-year-old searched for a career lifeline.

Potential opportunities in the United States and Spain fell through as he continued to train alone during his exile.

In then came Perth Glory, who offered him a one-year deal to move to Western Australia.

And the ex-Manchester City youth player was itching to get started after a fortnight spent in Covid isolation after arriving in the state.

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