“They didn’t know the full facts” – Ashley Cole finally reveals why he left Arsenal for Chelsea

Ashley Cole Breaks Silence on Controversial Arsenal Exit for Chelsea

Ashley Cole has finally provided insight into the events that led to his infamous transfer from Arsenal to Chelsea in 2006, a move that stunned football fans and earned him the derogatory nickname “Cashley” from Arsenal supporters. Speaking candidly on That Peter Crouch Podcast, the former England left-back described how broken promises by Arsenal left him feeling disrespected and forced his hand in leaving the club he had grown up with.

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Arsenal’s Broken Promises

Cole explained that his departure stemmed from Arsenal reneging on an agreed salary package, leaving him frustrated and undervalued.

“My situation was I knew what I was worth,” Cole stated. “If you don’t want to pay it, no problem. But we did agree to pay it. Everything was agreed, and then they pulled the rug [from] under me. They broke their promise – I couldn’t tell you why.”

The conflict centered on Arsenal’s £55,000-per-week offer, which reportedly left Cole “trembling with anger.” Chelsea, by contrast, offered to double his salary, luring him away in a £5 million deal that also involved William Gallas heading to Arsenal.

Emotional Toll

Leaving Arsenal was not an easy decision for Cole, who said he bore the emotional weight of the transfer.

“It was hard [to leave],” he admitted. “People [don’t] understand the pressure that I was under to leave or to stay. Ultimately I felt disrespected. That was my boyhood club, I’d been living the dream. But I got shafted.”

Cole also highlighted the intense scrutiny and backlash he faced, including accusations of greed and betrayal from Arsenal fans, who famously waved fake £20 notes with his face on them during a December 2006 clash with Chelsea.

The Arsenal-Chelsea Saga

The saga was further tainted by Chelsea’s 18-month pursuit of Cole, including an illegal meeting with then-manager Jose Mourinho and CEO Peter Kenyon in 2005. The incident led to hefty fines for all parties:

• £100,000 for Cole (later reduced to £75,000)
• £300,000 for Chelsea
• £200,000 for Mourinho

Cole’s agent, Jonathan Bartlett, was also fined £100,000 and faced an 18-month license suspension.

Arsenal’s Treatment of Homegrown Players

Cole criticized Arsenal’s handling of academy graduates, drawing parallels with recent comments by former player Martin Keown about manager Arsène Wenger’s preferential treatment of big-name signings over homegrown talent.

“I look back and I was bitter,” he said. “You put me through some s***, and they just went like, ‘Ash, you deal with it.’”

Success at Chelsea

Despite the controversy, Cole’s move to Chelsea proved to be a career-defining decision. Over eight years at Stamford Bridge, he made more than 330 appearances and won eight major trophies, including the Premier League, the Champions League, and four FA Cups. Arsenal, in contrast, managed just one FA Cup during the same period.

Reflecting on the Fallout

While Cole expressed bitterness toward Arsenal’s management, he empathized with fans’ frustration.

“For 20 years I got abused. I don’t blame fans [though]. I understand their frustration. They didn’t know the full facts, they didn’t know the truth.”

Now regarded as one of the greatest left-backs in football history, Cole’s legacy remains untarnished at Chelsea, where he was instrumental in the club’s golden era.