Ashley Cole becomes the 22nd player and manager, representing the best of the best from the Premier League era since it began in 1992, to be included in the Hall of Fame, and the fourth from Chelsea, following Petr Cech, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

The Premier League considers its Hall of Fame as the highest honour they can give and today recognises arguably the most complete full-back to represent Chelsea and England.

‘I’m honoured to join the Premier League Hall of Fame. It’s humbling and fulfilling to be rewarded at the end of your career,’ said Cole.

‘I went through my 20-year career span just trying to give my best and be good enough. You take it day by day and game by game. As a young kid, you never dream of any of this and you just do it for the love of the game of football.

‘I played for some fantastic clubs with incredible fans. Winning trophies with my boyhood club Arsenal and with Chelsea are amazing memories that will always be with me.’

Cole made a total of 338 appearances for Chelsea, 230 of them in the Premier League, and was part of the Blues side which claimed the title in 2010, as part of the club’s first domestic Double.

His time at Stamford Bridge also saw Ash claim a record seventh FA Cup winner’s medal – four of which came at Chelsea – as well as playing a key role in our maiden Champions League triumph in 2012.

The left-back was twice named Chelsea Players’ Player of the Year, in 2009 and 2011, won our 2009/10Goal of the Season award and was voted into the PFA Premier League Team of the Year on no less than four occasions.