Stars gather to honour 2024 Hall of Fame inductees

Stars from the world of football and beyond gathered in London on Tuesday to honour the three 2024 Premier League Hall of Fame inductees, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole and John Terry. 

The former players received medallions engraved with their names in front of an audience which included members of their families. 

Andrew Cole, a five-time Premier League champion who scored 187 goals, said: “When you're playing football, you've got to enjoy it. The feeling of scoring a goal never gets old. It's fantastic to be able to do that for your team and I never imagined I would score as many I did, so I'm proud of that.

"The Treble season will always stand out for me. Knowing we had the opportunity to achieve that and to complete - it was special. It's not often I reflect on my career but during COVID, I was at home shielding and some of my matches came on TV and I remember thinking, yeah I was half decent.”

Ashley Cole, a three-time champion and considered by many to be the Premier League's greatest ever left-back, said: “I feel immensely proud to be in the Hall of Fame and amongst some amazing players that I played with and against in my career. Now that you don’t get the opportunity to put boots on anymore and run out in front of the fans, it's massive to reflect and look back at what you achieved at the time. It's special for me to have this moment and to have my family here.”

Former Chelsea captain and five-time Premier League winner John Terry said: “To be honoured and join the Premier League Hall of Fame six years after retiring, has made me very happy. It’s a very proud moment to be recognised and especially to have my family here for it. It means a lot to be here alongside Ashley Cole, my fellow teammate, who I played alongside for so much of my career.

“Ashley Cole was the best player in the world at his position and it was a pleasure for me to play alongside him. I remember once when we played a Manchester United side with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo but Ashley was bouncing before the game - he wasn't nervous at all. That was his mindset and his skill level. He just wanted to test himself against the best and said before the game, ‘JT we'll be fine, just show them outside to me!’ ”