Ashley Cole holds the report for essentially the most FA Cup closing wins and appearances as a participant.

Little marvel, then, that the previous Arsenal and Chelsea left-back is within the Match of Their Day scorching seat on what would have been FA Cup closing weekend.

The 39-year-old received the FA Cup seven occasions – three with the Gunners and 4 with the Blues – and performed in a complete of eight finals.

Cole has picked his first and final FA Cup wins, when Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-Zero in 2002 and Chelsea triumphed 2-1 against Liverpool in 2012.

However the 107-cap England worldwide additionally chosen the one FA Cup closing he misplaced, Liverpool beating Arsenal 2-1 in 2001, a match in any other case often known as the Michael Owen closing.

“Being an Englishman rising up, watching finals and semi-finals, like Paul Gascoigne destroying Arsenal (in a 1991 semi), it leaves recollections,” says Cole.

“To get an opportunity to play in it and win it as many occasions as I did is one thing I’ll by no means, ever overlook.

“To go on and win seven winners medals and make historical past… after I was taking part in I did not take it without any consideration as a result of I beloved and revered that competitors.

“Whenever you look again now and see, over 100 years of historical past that I’ve that report… it’s there to be damaged and I hope somebody does however I hope it takes one other 100 years.”

Listed here are Cole’s three traditional matches.

Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool

12 Might 2001

With Wembley being rebuilt, Arsenal and Liverpool followers headed to a sunny Cardiff in 2001 for the primary of six FA Cup finals to be staged at Millennium Stadium.

This was Cole’s first season as an everyday with the Gunners and he saved his place for the ultimate, with Arsenal hoping to win their third trophy beneath Arsene Wenger after successful the Double in 1998.

Liverpool had already received that season’s League Cup however have been on the again foot for a lot of the sport till Freddie Ljungberg broke the impasse on 72 minutes.

However Michael Owen conjured a late fightback for Gerard Houllier’s males, scoring twice within the final seven minutes in a efficiency that went a protracted approach to incomes the England striker the Ballon d’Or for 2001.

Cole: “We dominated. Henry had two or three one-on-ones, we had a few handball shouts. I can not imagine we did not win this sport.

“However Owen was dominant that season when it comes to timing his runs in behind.

“His first objective got here from a free-kick I’ll always remember. We attacked the primary ball however did not get it very far and there was perhaps just a little ricochet and Owen, who Martin Keown was marking, was free.

“I bear in mind two days later Keown saying to me ‘that was your fault’ and I am a 19-year-old child, in my first closing, pondering I might performed alright and making an attempt to recover from the desolation of pondering I would by no means play in a closing once more.

“He says to me ‘when that ball goes out it’s important to discover a man, do not mark area’. So I bought a rollicking however it’s one thing I realized and took into video games after that.

“I all the time had these mentors, both telling me to not get forward of myself or to maintain my head up.”

Arsenal 2-Zero Chelsea

four Might 2002

Arsenal returned to Cardiff 12 months later as league leaders so have been hoping to win their second double in 5 seasons.

A disappointing closing burst into life with 20 minutes remaining as Ray Parlour curled in a magnificence from 25 yards.

Ljungberg then topped that with 10 minutes left, choosing the ball up in his personal half and beating John Terry for tempo earlier than curling it contained in the far put up.

The Swedish winger turned the primary man to attain in successive finals since Tottenham’s Bobby Smith in 1962, and 4 days later Wenger’s males went to Outdated Trafford and received 1-Zero to safe Arsenal’s third double.

Cole: “We had the momentum going into the ultimate after which 4 days later to go to Outdated Trafford and… I used to be going to say nick a 1-0 – win the title was a fantastic achievement.

“Being across the legends that have been at Arsenal on the time – Martin Keown, Tony Adams, David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Ray Parlour – that they had already instilled that can to win and calls for wanted every day.

“I bear in mind Ray Parlour telling me, ‘You might go on and win a report’ and also you by no means imagine it or take something without any consideration however it got here true in the long run.

“Whether or not he operated within the centre with Patrick Vieira, or giving vitality on the proper aspect, Ray was a giant a part of it (Arsenal’s success). Not simply on the sphere however a fantastic character off it, maintaining folks on their toes.

“However that workforce had each ingredient you need to battle for titles and win competitions. We had high quality and depth in each place.

“To do the Invincibles season is unbelievable. Getting into to video games, tactically we did not put together as a result of we felt unbeatable at occasions. We all the time had that perception that we have been untouchable.”

Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1

5 Might 2012

After successful one other league title and two FA Cups with Arsenal, Cole accomplished a protracted, acrimonious transfer to Chelsea in 2006.

There he received the FA Cup in 2007 and 2009, plus the Double in 2010, and after Roberto di Matteo took cost in March 2012, Chelsea reached each the FA Cup and Champions League closing that season.

The Blues confronted Liverpool at Wembley, with Ramires and Didier Drogba scoring early in every half, earlier than Andy Carroll pulled one again.

Petr Cech then pulled off a shocking save to maintain out a late Carroll header and clinch victory. There was extra drama to return two weeks later as Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to develop into European champions.

Cole: “It was a little bit of a patch-up job for Roberto Di Matteo when it comes to rebuilding confidence and getting our mentality again after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.

“To go to Wembley and beat a fantastic workforce in Liverpool was a fantastic feat. What would come after with Di Matteo was particular. I really feel that now many individuals bear in mind us successful the FA Cup that 12 months as a result of we additionally received the Champions League.

“What Jose (Mourinho) did for Chelsea was unbelievable, when it comes to the arrogance and perception he gave the gamers. He gave the steadiness and set what the calls for have been.

“Each supervisor needs to place their stamp on a membership however from then on the managers that attempted to power that an excessive amount of did not work. We knew what we have been good at and what our weaknesses have been.

“We bought so used to being a decent group and realizing the way to win that it did not matter which kind of supervisor got here in. We had a fantastic group and it wanted tweaking at occasions however not a full circle of fixing every part.

“As an aspiring coach now, I take the bits from the managers that I appreciated.”