Can be very few complaints with this – he was a quality operator.
Ashley Cole has become the first 2024 inductee to the Premier League Hall of Fame, and the 20th overall since it was launched in 2021.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea stars becomes only the fourth defender to make it to the league’s hall of fame. He played 385 Premier League games over 15 seasons and won the league on three different occasions (twice with Arsenal, once with Chelsea).
Cole, who retired in 2019 after finishing out his career with Roma, LA Galaxy and under Frank Lampard at Derby County, played 107 times for England. He was included on four PFA Premier League Team XI selections, over the course of his career.
Previous Premier League Hall of Fame inductees
An hour after Ashley Cole was confirmed as the latest inductee, the Premier League released the names of the next 15 nominees for the next two open spots.
There are six former Manchester United players, three Chelsea and two Arsenal (Cesc Fabregas covers both clubs there), two Man City legends, along with Robbie Fowler, Jermain Defoe and Les Ferdinand.
There is still no place in the hall of fame for players such as Ryan Giggs (13 Premier League titles) or Denis Irwin, to name just two players that have since retired.
This is the fourth year in which players have been inducted to the Premier League Hall of Fame. Here are the previous inductees:
2021
- Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United)
- Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
- Eric Cantona (Leeds United, Manchester United)
- Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest, Manchester United)
- Frank Lampard (West Ham, Chelsea, Manchester City)
- Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal)
- David Beckham (Manchester United)
- Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
2022
- Wayne Rooney (Everton, Manchester United)
- Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
- Ian Wright (Arsenal, West Ham)
- Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City)
- Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
- Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
- Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
- Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
2023
- Rio Ferdinand (West Ham, Leeds United, Manchester United, QPR)
- Petr Cech (Chelsea, Arsenal)
- Tony Adams (Arsenal)
FRANK LAMPARD ON THE LATEST ‘UNFILTERED’
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