PROFIL : ASHLEY COLE

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V WIGAN ATHLETIC - 06.04.2012

With the dust barely settled from Wednesday night, it's back to the Bridge again for the first of an SW6 Easter double-header of league games...

TERRY UPDATE - 05.04.2012

The club has released a statement regarding the fitness of John Terry...

LAMPARD: TIME TO BELIEVE - 05.04.2012

Frank Lampard dismissed suggestions that we will be out for revenge when we take on Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final...

BARCELONA TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 04.04.2012

The ticket selling arrangements for our Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge have been announced...

TEAM NEWS: CHELSEA V BENFICA - 04.04.2012

Ramires returning in place of Daniel Sturridge wide on the right is the only change from the side that started the win against Aston Villa at the weekend...

CHELSEA TV HEADLINES: ALL TO COME - 04.04.2012

Gigi Salmon brings you the latest news from a Stamford Bridge buzzing with excitement ahead of our Champions League second leg with Benfica.

PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V BENFICA - 04.04.2012

After two seasons falling short of the semi-final stage, Chelsea are one good home performance away from reaching the last four of this year's Champions League...

WORDS WITH: JOHN MIKEL OBI - 04.04.2012

Back as a regular starter in the side, John Mikel Obi is in fine form. He is hoping it can help us into the Champions League last four...

WORDS WITH: JOHN MIKEL OBI - 04.04.2012

Back as a regular starter in the side, John Mikel Obi is in fine form. He is hoping it can help us into the Champions League last four...

DI MATTEO: EXPERIENCED BUT AWARE - 03.04.2012

The state of the tie is very different to this stage against Napoli in the previous round but Roberto Di Matteo is demanding his team approach the second leg in exactly the same way...

RAMIRES: BEATING BENFICA - 03.04.2012

Ramires insists nobody in the dressing room is taking anything for granted as we prepare for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against his former side Benfica.

LATEST ARSENAL TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 03.04.2012

The latest ticket selling arrangements for our Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal have been announced...

FA CUP SEMI-FINAL TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 02.04.2012

The latest ticket selling arrangements for our FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley have now been announced...

LATEST ARSENAL TICKET DETAILS ANNOUNCED - 01.04.2012

The latest ticket selling arrangements for our Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal on Saturday 21 April have been announced...

• Profile
• Stats

Name:	Ashley Cole
Nationality:	English
Date of Birth:	20/12/1980
Height:	5' 9" (176cm)
Weight:	10st 6lbs (66.0kg)
Previous
Clubs:	Crystal Palace (loan), Arsenal
Position:	Defender

Chelsea career
Now in his sixth season at the club, Ashley Cole was a 2006 summer deadline day signing from Arsenal, to whom we paid £5 million plus William Gallas, and he made his debut against Werder Bremen in September that year.
A fabulous athlete who loves to go forward, he admitted at that season's end that Blues fans had yet to see him at his very best, a series of injures having hindered the settling process. Competition with Wayne Bridge for the left-back slot had ended with a roughly even share of games.
An ankle operation in the summer cleared the way for an uninhibited start to the 2007/08 campaign and with Bridge injured, Ashley got off to a flyer and enjoy the lion's share of matches that season, particularly for the big encounters.

His first Chelsea goal was lashed in away at West Ham in March 2008, and after surviving an injury scare in training on the eve of the Champions League Final, he recovered to put in one of the best displays on the night, including a successful shoot-out penalty.
In 2008/09 under Luiz Felipe Scolari, Ashley was utilised far more in attack but with the arrival of Guus Hiddink, the full-back had his wings clipped, focusing more on defence, a tactic that paid off with a number of clean sheets.
Voted Players' Player of the Year at the end of 2008/09, Ashl