After 13 years as a Chelsea player and two separate managerial stints, Frank Lampard and the west London club are almost synonymous.
The midfielder signed for the Blues in 2001, setting him on a path which saw him win three Premier League titles, the Champions League and four FA Cups, among several other honours. Lampard’s dominance in midfield spanned across 648 appearances, while also becoming Chelsea’s all-time leading goal-scorer with 211 goals despite not being a striker.
It therefore came as a shock when, in the summer of 2014, he signed for Premier League rivals Manchester City as a free agent. To add insult to injury, he scored a volley against the club where he was idolised for over a decade during the 2014/15 season, before leaving City for sister club New York City FC.
His long-time team-mate and fellow Chelsea legend John Terry was still a Blues player at the time, before also hanging up his boots in 2017. And Terry did not hold back in admitting how bizarre it was to see Lampard playing in an opposition shirt.
READ MORE: Arsenal star's six-word comment about Frank Lampard speaks volumes
READ MORE: Sol Campbell insists he deserves knighthood and says 'I'm up with our sporting greats'
Terry’s comments came shortly after Ashley Cole, another Stamford Bridge hero, had also left for Serie A side Roma. The legendary captain said back in 2014: “It just doesn’t seem right to see them in different shirts. Maybe over time that will ease but it doesn’t seem right.
“We have grown up together and won and lost together at Chelsea. We have done many great things and it was sad to see them go.”
Lampard had once declared he would never play for a Premier League club besides Chelsea. But Terry insisted the move didn’t damage his huge legacy as the greatest player in the history of the football club.
The former centre-back added: “To me there is no doubt [he’s the best]. Before that there was Gianfranco Zola but Lampard has been an absolute legend here and his legacy will remain ever.
“It’s a legacy for the younger boys to come and try and fill those big boots and replicate what he’s done. That will be very tough for someone but he’s an absolute hero for the fans, with the players as well and how he pushed us individually and collectively.
“He has been an idol and someone I inspired to be like in training. Around the place he was a great character but footballing wise I have never come across someone who works as hard as he does to improve his game.”
Lampard couldn’t resist being away from Chelsea for long, however. Having earned his coaching badges after retiring in 2017, the now 46-year-old took charge of Derby County, impressing enough in the Championship to then be appointed Chelsea boss in 2019.
He thrived initially, being rewarded for his faith in youth players by reaching the FA Cup final in the summer of 2020, before being sacked in January 2021. The ex-England international returned for a caretaker spell in charge of his beloved west London club in April 2023 but left with a dismal win percentage of 9.1% at the end of the campaign.
He is currently out of work but is on the shortlist for the England manager's job, according to The Daily Telegraph. Intermin manager Lee Carsley, Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Pep Guardiola are also believed to be under consideration.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
