JIMMY FLOYD'S BACK

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will visit Stamford Bridge next month when he returns to west London for our next Star on a Stool event.

It all started last season, when Shaun Wright-Phillips joined Ashley Cole in the Blues bar to spend an evening with the fans, answering questions and offering a unique insight into a footballer's life.

Since then names including Joe Cole, Dan Petrescu and Felipe Scolari have all fielded questions from true Blues and regaled audiences with their tales of football.

Now Hasselbaink adds his name to that list and becomes the next star to sit in front of the fans and reminisce on his time at Chelsea.

The former striker, whose prolific goal-scoring record saw him net 87 goals in 177 appearances for the club, formed a formidable partnership with Eidur Gudjohnsen during his second season, scoring 29 goals in all competitions, and helped Chelsea reach the FA Cup Final.

During his four years with the club he was Chelsea's top-scorer three times, despite competition from Gudjohnsen, Gianfranco Zola and Hernan Crespo, and was truly worthy of his record fee of £15 million from Atletico Madrid.

Hasselbaink ventured north in 2004, when he left on a free transfer to Middlesbrough, where he continued his illustrious career with an Uefa Cup Final under Steve McClaren.

Now the Chelsea legend returns to Stamford Bridge on Thursday 5 February 2009 for the next instalment of Star on a Stool.

Blues fans can share an evening with Hasselbaink for a mere £15 a ticket, which includes a meal and one drink voucher, and there'll even be a raffle of special Chelsea prizes with all proceeds going the Past Players' Trust.

Anyone planning to attend the event can book their tickets by clicking here or by calling 020 7957 8267.

Then coming up in March is the King of Stamford Bridge Annual Dinner, a three-course meal in celebration of the late, great Peter Osgood and his time with the Blues.

Peter Bonetti and Kerry Dixon will honour the King's life at the second of these annual events, sponsored by Speedy Hire.

The evening includes a question and answer session with former players, an auction of Chelsea memorabilia and a raffle, with all proceeds going to the Peter Osgood Trust.

Tickets cost £99 each and include complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks and a live band. There are tables of 10 or 12 available for the event, so to book your place either visit Special Events, call 0207 957 8267 or email specialevents@chelseafc.com.

source - www.chelseafc.com

VOTE FOR AFRICAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Didier Drogba has been shortlisted for the prestigious BBC African Player of the Year Award with voting to close on Friday.

The list has been compiled by football experts from countries across the African continent and this is the last chance for fans to vote to decide the winner.

Drogba faces stiff competition with names including Emmanuel Adebayor, Samuel Eto'o and Amr Zaki also on the list.

Fans who believe Drogba is Africa's best must vote before 5pm on Friday. The winner will then be announced on the BBC's premier African sports programme, Fast Track, on Friday 16 January.

True Blues can vote online by clicking here, alternatively to vote for Drogba you can text the word Vote 3 to +44 77 86 20 20 25.

source - www.chelseafc.com

JT: GOODBYE BRIDGEY

With a few days past since Wayne Bridge's departure for Manchester City, John Terry has had time to gather his thoughts.

The captain has always been close to the left-back since Bridge arrived from Southampton in the summer of 2003, at a time when two young careers were on the rise.

Since then Terry has made himself the first name on both the England and Chelsea teamsheets, while despite his undoubted class Bridge struggled to have the same impact, largely due to the form of Ashley Cole.

'He'll be missed and I'm still in shock a little bit, because it's a shame to see one of the lads go who you have grown up with and been with a long time. I'm disappointed but for him it was the right decision.

'We understand he's been here and tried to break in to become a first team regular but with him and Ash being the two best left-backs around by far, it was difficult for him to break through and get as many games as he liked,' Terry assessed.

'I think he felt at 28 he had come to an age where he needed to play week in week out, and he will definitely get that at Man City and show people he is right up there, as I said, with Ash.

'Once Bridgey starts playing people will realise how good he is,' he added, before touching on the levels of professionalism he showed while at the club.

'He was great to have around the place. A great professional too, coming in at eight some mornings to do an hour on the bike when he wasn't playing, just to keep his fitness there so when he was called upon he did well.'

Like many Blues supporters, Terry's own personal favourite moment of Bridge in a Chelsea shirt was that famous night at Highbury nearly five years ago, when in typical fashion he showed a burst of pace and energy, breaking into the Arsenal box to score the winner with two minutes remaining in the Champions League quarter-finals.

'It was a great night at Highbury and the fans have a great song about him there. They loved him as well, and the thing with Bridgey is he could play left-back or left-midfield and he is a great crosser of the ball and gets up and down, so we will miss him,' Terry explained.

There is plenty more video of famous Chelsea goals and famous Chelsea players like the one above available on Chelsea Plus.

source - www.chelseafc.com