Cole enters Premier League Hall of Fame

Ranked fourth in the competition's all-time goalscoring chart, Cole has been handed the accolade today, along with ex-Chelsea captain John Terry. Ashley Cole was inducted last month.

The 52-year-old joins other Reds legends David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Peter Schmeichel, plus iconic manager Sir Alex Ferguson, in being added to the Hall of Fame since its inception in 2021.

Cole receives a personalised medallion and a £10,000 donation to a charity of his choice.

"I’m proud of everything I’ve achieved in football, which is thanks to my family, my coaches and my team-mates," he said. "Being inducted into the Hall of Fame makes me very proud.

"Football is a game of ups and downs, but I enjoyed every single minute of my career. My dad wanted me to play cricket, but I said, ‘No dad, I think I’m good at football.’ Looking back at my career always fills me with great pride and puts a smile on my face.

"The reason you play football and compete at the highest level is to win major honours. It was so, so special for me to win so many trophies and five Premier Leagues. To get my first one was crazy and after that I just wanted more."

To be successful in his career, was something the Treble winner always wanted to achieve, and he finished up winning the title five times with the Reds, following his move from Newcastle United in 1995.

"Sometimes I hear people saying, ‘It’s not about winning’," he added. "If you’re playing at an elite level, what’s it about? It’s about winning.

"When you play for one of the leading clubs and there’s a chance to win the Premier League, the FA Cup, the Champions League, that’s what you’re meant to do. That was always my mentality from when I was a kid, I wanted to be a winner.

"I just wanted to be able to look back on my career and know I’ve done just fine."

There have been 24 inductees in total since the launch and it is the highest individual honour presented by the Premier League, celebrating those who have contributed to it.

Congratulations to Coley for a thoroughly deserved accolade from all at United!