My Favorite Ashley Cole Memory – Mike Adams

When our editor Khaled asked us to submit our thoughts on what our favorite memory of Ashley Cole was, I did not have to put much thought in to it at all. Some of the other guys said it was the clearance against Napoli, and others said the penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final. But for me, my favorite Ashley Cole memory would certainly have to be from September 22nd, 2012 when Ashley scored the winner against Stoke City in the 85th minute.

I was studying abroad in London for the Fall 2012 semester and this was the first Chelsea match I was able to get tickets to and go see. I had bought them from a season ticket holder off of the now defunct @Chelseatickets Twitter handle. I was not sure where the seats were and I was completely amazed when I found out that they were in the East Stand, three rows back from the pitch.

It was a surreal day and a great game of Premier League football played against a typically hard-nosed Stoke City side. The Blues could not find a goal all game until late in the match when, after a string of quick passes, Ashley Cole found the ball at his feet in the box and had the composure to dink it over the Stoke keeper. The move was started by Ashley Cole who squared it to Frank Lampard, who laid it off to Victor Moses who found Branislav Ivanovic outside the box. Brana drove a low cross in that found Juan Mata who flicked it on with a beautiful backheel  that Ashley finished easily. That win capped off what had already been a perfect day and further cemented my love for the club.

Arrivederci Ashley, all the best at Roma.

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