Ashley Cole departs as Chelsea remind Arsenal just what he achieved here!

In a busy day on the Official Chelsea Website yesterday, the club also confirmed that Ashley Cole has left the club after his contract expired after eight successful seasons at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea even took time out to aim a dig at Arsenal in their tribute the one of the greatest left back's this country has ever seen!

Part of the tribute posted here says:

"Cole has had no reason to regret his switch across the capital, collecting winners' medals for the Champions League, the Premier League, the Europa League, the League Cup, the Community Shield and the FA Cup four times, taking him to his all-time record seven wins in that competition's long history. Arsenal without Cole did not lift silverware until this year's FA Cup final a week after he played his final Chelsea game."

Forgetting the torrid times Arsenal had faced and concentrating on Cole it's safe to say that he will be missed at Chelsea and is someone the manager will find it hard to replace.

Without question (and before he came to Chelsea), Cole was head and shoulders above anyone else as the best left back in England and developed his game to become one of the best in the world.

Reliable, dependable and consistent, Cole formed an integral part of the backbone of the Chelsea side during the most successful period in our history. You think of the tackles, the goal-line clearances and his goals, Cole played such an important part in our history. To step up and take one of those penalties in Munch, under all that pressure shows the character of the man. A true Chelsea legend.

Unfortunately, as time moves on and we all get older, the pace of the game begins to catch up with you and this past season Cole struggled to come to terms with faster opponents. Towards the end of the season, as Chelsea parked the bus in games such as at Anfield, Cole played as well as anyone but the manager has decided that it's time to freshen things up.

So Cole leaves us and will go down in history as the greatest, most successful left back we have ever had at the club and hopefully, will be someone that inspires others here to try and replicate what he managed to achieve.

Thank you Ash for everything you gave to the shirt and for the supporters. You are and always will be a legend.

"Ashley Cole's won the European Cup!"