Frank Lampard finally leaves through the front door

It took three tries, but Frank Lampard has finally received a proper send-off by Stamford Bridge. It’s ironic that it comes at the tail end of a most horrendous season, for both Chelsea as a Premier League club and for him personally as a manager, but despite all that he remains one of our greatest Legends, and we should always acknowledge our legends.

In 2014, when he left as a player, his future, much like many of Chelsea’s current squad, was up in the air. While he didn’t regret his eventual decision to join New York City FC (that is, go on loan to Manchester City), he did regret the way it happened.

“I left slightly out of the back door at the end of last season. I’d have preferred to go out the front door. It would have been a nice moment. It’s probably a selfish thing. I wanted to do it at the end of my last game but that’s not how football works. You can’t pick and choose everything to be perfect.”

-Frank Lampard; May 2015

In January 2021, when he left as a manager, football was played behind closed doors due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. His final game had no fans in attendance, his sacking played to the echoes of empty stands and a few banners.

So today, despite it all, Lampard finally got to say a proper goodbye.

“It’s been enjoyable to be back working at this club because of the feeling I have for it.

“I don’t like losing games, we lost too many games. [But] you live and learn in everything and I’m fortunate I can be at this club working for it, so I really appreciate that. I’m pretty level-headed about it.”

[...]

“I’m really connected to this club for life, it changed my life when I was 22 years of age and that will never change in my head no matter what. I really appreciate how [the fans] were through the game, and at the end of the game and I’m always a Chelsea person at heart though my work will go in different directions.”

-Frank Lampard; source: Football.London

Fare thee well, Super Frank. Thanks for trying.

Until we meet again — hopefully in better circumstances!