The man to kick us off in this line up managed not only to upset one club and its fans, but also the Football Association for the way he went about it. Ashley Cole's protracted move from Arsenal to their London rivals Chelsea sparked much controversy when the possibility of a move first appeared in 2005. The England left back had come through the ranks with the Gunners, rising to become one of the so called 'Invincibles' when the club went an unprecedented 49 games in the league unbeaten during the 2003/2004 season. Cole was at the forefront, and was turning into a world class left back just as city neighbours Chelsea were starting to make their mark on the Premier League. The club had been bought by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovic, and they were looking to buy up the best talent in the league. This also extended to their title rivals' players, and with Cole failing to agree a new deal swiftly with the Gunners, the Blues decided to chance to their luck. A meeting took place in January 2005 without Arsenal's knowledge between Cole and his agent, and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon. This did not go down well with either Arsenal or the FA, with the latter handing out a £100,000 fine to Cole, a £200,000 fine to Blues boss Mourinho and a £300,000 fine plus a suspended three point deduction to Chelsea. This was not the end of the affair though despite Cole signing a one-year extension with Arsenal. The drama continued when the player was once again the subject of speculation of a move to Chelsea as the result of Arsenal's offer of a £55,000-per-week contract offer rather than the £60,000 he was looking for. With his relationship with the Gunners at an all time low, Cole finally made the move to Stamford Bridge in the dying minutes of the 2006 window, in a deal worth £5 million plus William Gallas. Gunners fans to this day have never forgiven him, dubbing him 'Cashley' for his role in the tapping up scandal, and throwing fake bank notes at him on his first return to the Emirates Stadium. The player had the last laugh though, winning four FA Cups, one Premier League title, and one each of a Champions League and Europa League winners' medal.
Began writing about football aged 16, I've previously worked for Goal and I'm currently writing for Inside Spanish Football. Specialise in anything linked, connected with or involving football!
