Sport & Fitness

It’s well documented that Ashley Cole may have been ill-advised in writing about his departure from Arsenal and the reasons behind it, but I doubt whether anyone was considering the reactions of Chelsea supporters when he and his publishers were considering the content. What this book actually turns out to be is a last love-letter to the Gunners faithful and a plea for understanding – hardly endearing to fans of his new club.

We also get a visit to the World Cup and his marriage to Cheryl Tweedy, but it’s last season’s tapping-up scandal with Chelsea that everyone will want to read about. At a time when the Arsenal board were more worried about how to pay for their new stadium than keeping their players, his contract comes up for renewal. Edu has already left after what Cole describes as an insulting offer; Keown, Kanu and Wiltord likewise; while talisman Patrick Viera is told the board is ‘neutral’ on whether he stays or goes.

Despite team-mates and his agent advising him to go for an £80-£100k a week salary, he asks for the ‘lottery win’ of £60k and his agent rings a few days later to confirm he’s shaken hands with Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein on the deal. Cole sees Dein as the club’s figurehead – a man of big smiles and even bigger reassuring words, which unsettle the player – whose command of the English language, judging by the vernacular employed throughout, leaves something to be desired. But Dein comes up against resistance in the boardroom and returns with a ‘best and final’ offer of £55k.

Upset at this undervaluation (!) and resigned to moving abroad, Cole and his advisor seek guidance from super-agent Pini Zahavi, who fits them in for a quick meeting before some other clients arrive. Cole’s naivety shows through when he swears his agent (since banned for two years) didn’t know the clients were representatives from Chelsea. The parties exchange pleasantaries but are spotted leaving, according to Cole, two plus two makes 12 and he is ‘hung out to dry’ by Arsenal, fuelled by their dislike of Chelsea.Ashley Cole was a man in love with Arsenal who never wanted to leave – and in his heart still wishes he hadn’t.

He wanted financial recognition for his part in the team’s successes and the club pushed him too far over a comparatively small amount of money. But while Gooners may be nodding knowingly, Blues fans can seek solace in the fact that for every word Ashley Cole has written, you could replace his name with that of William Gallas. It makes you wonder just who emerged happy from this appallingly messy affair.