Ashley Cole (Part 1)

Ashley Cole, born on December 20, 1980, is a retired English footballer and currently a football coach. He primarily played as a left-back and is renowned as one of the best defenders of his generation and among the greatest English players of all time. Cole is particularly celebrated as one of the greatest left-backs in football history.
Starting his youth career at Arsenal, Cole made his debut for the club in November 1999. During his time at Arsenal, he made 228 appearances and scored nine goals. He was a key figure in Arsenal's successful period, winning two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and notably being part of the legendary "Invincibles" team of the 2003–04 season, which went undefeated throughout the league season. Additionally, Cole featured in Arsenal's first UEFA Champions League final in 2006, although they were defeated by Barcelona.


In August 2006, Cole joined Chelsea after a highly publicized transfer saga. At Chelsea, he continued to achieve success, winning further honours including the Premier League in the 2009–10 season, four FA Cups, one Football League Cup, and one UEFA Champions League title. He departed Chelsea at the end of the 2013–14 season.
Cole's international career with England spanned from 2001 to 2014. He represented England in multiple major tournaments including the 2002, 2006, and 2010 FIFA World Cups, as well as Euro 2004 and Euro 2012. He was named England Player of the Year in 2010 and retired from international football in 2014 with 107 caps, making him England's most-capped full-back at the time of his retirement.


Ashley Cole's career began with his beloved childhood club, Arsenal. He made his debut for the first team on November 30, 1999, in a League Cup fourth-round match against Middlesbrough, which Arsenal lost 1–3 on penalties after a 2–2 draw at the end of extra time. On February 25, 2000, he signed his first professional contract with the club. His Premier League debut came on May 14, 2000, against Newcastle United, as part of an experimental Arsenal side that lost 4–2 away on the final day of the season.
Before establishing himself in the Arsenal first team, Cole spent part of the 1999–2000 season on loan at Crystal Palace, where he played 14 league matches and scored one goal. When Sylvinho, Arsenal's established left-back, suffered an injury during the 2000–01 season, Cole seized the opportunity to secure his place in the starting lineup and maintained his position even after Sylvinho's recovery.


During his time at Arsenal, Cole enjoyed considerable success, winning the FA Premier League twice (in 2002 and 2004) and the FA Cup three times (in 2002, 2003, and 2005, with Cole scoring in the penalty shootout in the final of the latter). Despite being injured for much of the 2005–06 season, he recuperated in time to feature in Arsenal's UEFA Champions League final defeat to Barcelona.
In the 2004–05 season, Cole had an impressive campaign, featuring regularly for both Arsenal and the England national team. He scored important goals for Arsenal, including a crucial winner against Manchester City and another goal in a victory over Aston Villa. Throughout his time at Arsenal, Cole made 228 first-team appearances and scored nine goals.


Ashley Cole's departure from Arsenal in 2006 was surrounded by controversy, stemming from a tapping-up scandal involving Chelsea. He was found guilty of making contact with Chelsea without informing Arsenal, resulting in a £100,000 fine by the Premier League on June 2, 2005. The incident occurred during a meeting at a hotel in January 2005, attended by Cole, his agent Jonathan Barnett, Chelsea manager José Mourinho, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, and agent Pini Zahavi.
An appeal in August 2005 upheld the guilty verdict but reduced Cole's fine to £75,000. Chelsea were fined £300,000, and Mourinho was fined £200,000, both of which were reduced on appeal to £75,000. Barnett's licence was suspended for 18 months, and he was fined £100,000 as well.


Despite signing a one-year contract extension with Arsenal on July 18, 2005, Cole's relationship with the club deteriorated rapidly. He criticized the Arsenal board in his autobiography, accusing them of treating him unfairly over the tapping-up incident. Arsenal, on the other hand, maintained that they were obligated to penalize Cole for his unauthorized contact with Chelsea.
Cole's departure from Arsenal was finalized on August 31, 2006, when he signed for Chelsea for a fee of £5 million, with William Gallas moving in the opposite direction. The deal was completed after the transfer window had officially closed and was confirmed over an hour after the deadline had passed.


The transfer sparked outrage among Arsenal fans, who felt betrayed by Cole's move to a rival club. He was derisively nicknamed "Cashley" by the fans, and during subsequent matches between Arsenal and Chelsea, supporters waved fake £20 notes with Cole's face on them.
Despite the controversy surrounding his departure, Cole's salary significantly increased upon joining Chelsea, rising from £55,000 per week at Arsenal to £120,000 per week with his new contract in September 2009. After joining Chelsea, Ashley Cole made his debut for the club on September 9, coming on as a substitute for Wayne Bridge in a 2–1 victory over Charlton Athletic. Following his transfer, he issued a public statement expressing forgiveness towards Arsenal for how he felt he was treated during his time at the club.


During his time at Chelsea, Cole encountered both success and challenges. He suffered a serious knee injury on January 31, 2007, but managed to return to action before the end of the 2006–07 season. He played a part in Chelsea's 2007 FA Cup final victory over Manchester United. Cole's relationship with manager José Mourinho reportedly soured, leading to him being dropped in favor of Wayne Bridge for the 2008 Football League Cup final, which Chelsea lost to Tottenham Hotspur. However, he bounced back by scoring his first Chelsea goal in the next game against West Ham United.
In the 2009–2010 season, Cole signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea and played a key role in their Premier League title win. He also featured in Chelsea's 2010 FA Cup final victory over Portsmouth, securing a league and cup double.


Cole continued to excel in subsequent seasons, winning his seventh FA Cup title in the 2011–2012 season and playing a pivotal role in Chelsea's UEFA Champions League triumph in the same season. He scored crucial goals, including one against Stoke City, and reached a milestone of 350 Premier League appearances.
In January 2013, Cole signed a one-year contract extension with Chelsea. He contributed to the club's success in the 2012–2013 season by playing in their UEFA Europa League final victory over Benfica.
However, during the 2013–2014 season, Cole found himself dropped from the Chelsea team, with César Azpilicueta becoming the first-choice left-back. Cole's final appearance for Chelsea came on the last matchday against Cardiff City, which ended in a 2–1 away win. He was subsequently released by the club at the end of the season, marking the end of his successful tenure at Chelsea.

References

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2. a b c d "Ashley Cole: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
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4. ^ "Poll: Is Ashley Cole England's best ever defender since 1966?". Talksport. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
5. ^ Ronay, Barney (24 February 2012). "Hail Cashley Ashley Cole, the epitome of undervalued excellence". The Guardian. London.
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9. ^ "Ashley Cole was nobody's hero and there were ugly undercurrents in the way he was perceived". The Independent. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
10. ^ "The Highs and Lows of Ashley Cole's Remarkable England Career". Beacher Report. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
11. ^ "The 5 Greatest Left-Backs of All-Time". The Sporting Blog. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
12. ^ "The Best Left-Backs of All Time". 90min. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
13. ^ Wilson, Jeremy (12 October 2010). "England v Montenegro: Ashley Cole is our best-ever left-back, says Stuart Pearce". The Daily Telegraph. London.