Chelsea FC’s 50 Greatest Players Of All-Time
28. Damien Duff: 2003-06
Damien Duff is known mostly for his exploits with Fulham in the late 2000s and 2010s but he made his name at Chelsea FC years before that. He began his career with Blackburn Rovers before being snapped up by the Blues for £17 million in the summer of Abramovich.
His first season with the club was excellent as he made an immediate impact and helped the Blues finish second in the Premier League. Duff saw his place threatened by the arrival of Arjen Robben but the Dutchman’s injuries helped him regain his spot under Jose Mourinho.
The Ireland international was crucial to the Blues’ title-winning sides in 2005 and 2006. He was a deft winger who was always keen to run at defenders, weaving in and out of them with relative ease. Unfortunately, his career with the Blues ended somewhat prematurely.
The emergence of Joe Cole made him surplus to requirements and he moved on to Newcastle United in 2006. Duff scored 19 goals in 125 appearances and was a key figure in the glory days of Mourinho’s first reign. The affection that the Stamford Bridge crown still hold for him was reflected by the rapturous applause he would receive each time he returned.
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