Gary Cahill was the only new addition to our senior squad during the 2011/12 winter transfer window, but the impact he had on Chelsea was huge, both on and off the pitch, over a seven-and-a-half-year Blues career which ended with him bidding farewell as club captain.

When he arrived on 16 January 2012 from Bolton Wanderers, the then 26-year-old had become a key member of a Trotters side which often punched above their weight and started to make his mark on international football, with a handful of England caps to his name.

Few could have predicted the size – and speed – of the impact Cahill would have following that move. He would go from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge, becoming a regular for club and country while establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most respected defenders.

The defensive resilience was there from the start, not least his uncanny ability to be in the right place to throw himself bravely in front of opposition shots, but his use of the ball and ability to thread passes down the channels also improved steadily and significantly.

Within four months of moving to west London he was a European champion, with Premier League titles following before long. Gary was a key figure in those triumphs, which provided many of his most memorable moments as a Blue.

He was a near ever-present on both occasions he won the Premier League, first alongside John Terry in 2014/15, and then on the left of a back three, having had to alter his game for a new system in 2016/17.

Each time, Cahill was rewarded for the overall quality of his performances by being named in the PFA Team of the Season, an honour he achieved on three separate occasions during his time at the club.

Of course, no Chelsea supporter will ever forget the part he played on one of the club’s greatest nights, when we were crowned European champions for the first-ever time in 2012, in his debut season with the Blues.

Having picked up an injury in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, there was a real chance he would not make the ultimate showpiece. But with Terry and Branislav Ivanovic suspended, both Cahill and David Luiz were asked to play through the pain barrier for what proved, as they must have been dreading given so much training missed in the preceding weeks, the maximum 120 minutes.

Cahill played his full part in standing up to wave after wave of Bayern Munich pressure as we defied the odds to overcome the Germans on penalties in their own stadium.

Having only joined the club four months previously, Cahill had ended his first season at Stamford Bridge by helping us win two major trophies, the other being the FA Cup, and a year later his medal collection was bolstered further when we lifted the Europa League trophy courtesy of a 2-1 win over Benfica, the defender making a pivotal block in the dying seconds to prevent the Portuguese side from forcing extra time.

His partnership with JT was key throughout 2014/15, as we finished eight points clear of our closest challengers Manchester City to be crowned Premier League champions. He was also superb as we nullified the threat of Harry Kane and Tottenham in the 2-0 League Cup final win at Wembley.

Gary would be chosen to succeed Terry as club captain in 2017, shortly after the pair had lifted the Premier League trophy together for the second title of Cahill’s Chelsea career. It was a decision which went down well with fans and team-mates alike. Consistent and reliable whenever called upon, it was a huge honour for a man who never let us down.

In addition to his footballing ability, Cahill’s qualities away from the field of play also stood out. Friendly, humorous and always happy to help, Cahill is as genuine a person as you are ever likely to meet. He always led by example.

He said farewell to the Stamford Bridge crowd in May 2019, when brought on near the close of our final home game that season, a win over Watford. It was his 291st Chelsea appearance, those games yielding 25 goals.

Cahill’s final involvement was as an unused substitute in the Europa League final victory over Arsenal. He made four appearances in that campaign, adding an eighth winner’s medal to his haul at Chelsea.

Munich, title triumphs and Wembley wins. Cahill achieved it all during his time at Chelsea. A great player, a great captain and a great man. He arrived at a big club with big dreams, which he admitted he did not expect to be realised so quickly and to such an extent. He departed a Chelsea legend with his place in Blues history secured.