It has now been 20 years since Arsenal won the Premier League undefeated, and for most players, this would have been the pinnacle of their careers.
Arsene Wenger’s side secured the title with a 2-2 draw away at Tottenham Hotspur, and immortalised themselves as the Invincibles, as the only team to ever win the Premier League undefeated.
The majority of the squad established themselves as legends of the club, and there are statues of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp outside the Emirates Stadium.
However, one player who should have become a legend did not, as left-back Ashley Cole caused significant anger amongst the Arsenal fanbase when he decided to leave and join Chelsea two years later.
Cole was one of the greatest left-backs in Premier League history, and whilst his performances for the Invincibles would have him up there with the greats, his Arsenal legacy was tarnished by the circumstances of his departure.
Ashley Cole’s controversial move from Arsenal to Chelsea
The summer of 2006 saw Arsenal reluctantly accept an offer from Chelsea of £5m and William Gallas for Cole, who refused to sign a new deal after his relationship with the club broke down.
Cole later admitted that he fell out with the club over financial terms on a new contract, with Cole wanting £60k-a-week, and Arsenal offering him £55k.
Fans were furious that the club had lost a homegrown defender who was one of the best in the world in his position, and anger was directed towards Cole for years given the saga that ensued over such a minor financial detail.
However, years later, Cole has still admitted that playing for Arsenal was a dream come true.
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Speaking to TNT Sports, Cole has now claimed that despite the circumstances of his exit, he still has massive respect for Arsenal.
“When you retire, you respect both clubs immensely. The joy I had at Arsenal, my boyhood club – it gave me everything and I’ll never, ever forget that,” he stated.
“In terms of a magic moment, even though I won trophies, it has to be making my debut at Highbury. As a kid, walking up that Highbury Hill and into that marble hallway, it gives me goosebumps. Going through those massive black doors, how tight the pitch was, I lived the dream.
“I never expected at 18 to be playing for Arsenal. All that hard work is gifted with an opportunity. The minute you play for Arsenal, you understand there’s more hard work, it’s going to be a long road. But the feeling of putting on that shirt was very satisfying. It was an incredible feeling.”
Cole then admitted that despite winning several major trophies with Arsenal, his best moment came when he wore the shirt for the first time.
“After a while, it becomes a job where you have to win. It’s not about the trophies in this instance – my magic moment has to be making my debut,” he added.
Arsenal fans still do not hold any affection for Cole, but there is an acceptance that the club were also to blame for losing a player who could have become one of the biggest Arsenal legends in history.
