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Posted

I know this is a little late but please bear with me nonetheless.

When I was eight years old, my father landed tickets to a Chelsea FC match here in the States. As you guys know, big teams sometimes tour foreign areas in the summers. In this case, Chelsea was coming to play a friendly in my somewhat local area. I was going to see the first professional football match of my life.

At this point in my life, my father and I weren't close. We rarely interacted, and when we did we were usually yelling at each other. We never got along and mostly just stayed out of each others' ways. But a lot changed after this game.

Long story short, I fell in love with Chelsea FC. I can't even remember the team they played that day. But the way THEY played, the way they looked, they way they carried themselves. It was beautiful. I'm sure most on this forum can relate. I subsequently became an avid Chelsea fan.

Pretty soon, I forced my father to get Dish so I could watch my Chelsea matches. At first, I would just watch the games on my own, but after a little while (coincidentally around the time Chelsea acquired Drogba) my father became bored of crime dramas and started watching the games with me. And guess what?

He fell in love too. We began to watch so many games (in the past I'd skip some games if I wanted to sleep in or something but no longer) that it became a tradition to wake up early every Saturday morning to watch our Chelsea FC take the field.

A couple years later, Drogba had his first golden boot year (06/07). At this point, we began watching many soccer games, not just those in which Chelsea participated in. But it was always much more exciting to watch Chelsea games. Primarily of course because of our love for the team, but there was something else. Someone, one player, made them much more unique. Didier Drogba. He was such a...different...player. He was someone I always thought could play any position but was simply divine as a striker.

His playing style was so unique. His seemingly infinite strength, taking on numerous defenders and occupying an entire back four on his own. Whole teams would have to readjust their defense tactics simply because of Drogba. And of course, he's a man that lives for the big games. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, and no one embodies this more than Drogba. Just check out his goals:appearances ratio in cup finals. I think it was about 1:1? Absolutely insane.

He is also a unique person. He is one who not only gives back to the community but goes above and beyond the call of duty. For starters, he brought peace to his home country of Côte d'Ivoire. More recently, he donated all $3million of his Pepsi endorsement to building a hospital there as well. I'm sure most of us here are familiar with this.

Regardless, my father and I were huge Chelsea fans. But we also became huge Drogba fans.

And as we progressed through the years, we lived through the best and the worst together. The first title win in 04/05 (sorry to go back in time for a second but I can't leave that out of course!), the cup double in 06/07, the night in Moscow which we will never speak of again, the league/cup double in 10/11.

And as we lived through the best and worst of the club, we did with Drogba as well. Ecstasy when capturing his first golden boot, the anger, frustration, desperation, and sadness of Moscow, ecstasy again with the second damned golden boot!

The important thing is that we lived through these emotional experiences together. This was completely foreign to us. But Chelsea, and Drogba, brought us so much closer. And we both became better people because of it.

Then this year happened.

It was a year of ups and downs. For my father and I, we mostly only lived the downs. Before any of the real positives of the season had manifested, my father lost his long battle with cancer (May 9th 2:20 pm).

We had grown very close. I know that he would have loved to have seen the FA Cup victory, which at the time he was too sick to see. But even more so, especially after that night in Moscow, I know that he would have given anything to have seen Chelsea with the champions league (unfortunately he passed just a week and a half before the triumph). ESPECIALLY in the manner they did. Specifically, doing it as underdogs and with Drogba dominating.

In any case, I just wanted to say that although Drogba's generosity physically helped many in Africa, he touched many others as well. He was one of the major driving forces in me becoming close with my father. And even though it was only for a few years, they were without a doubt the best years of my life.

So to Drogba. I will miss you. Watching Chelsea won't be the same with you anymore (though of course, I will still follow them with great pleasure). But I'll always support you in whatever you do, and you'll always be my favorite player, past, present, or future.

Thank you.



Posted

Really touching story mate. Sorry to hear about your loss. I am really glad you got closer with your old man, you have memories that will never leave you.

Posted

sorry for your loss, great pity he didn't see our greatest achievement to date, but the main thing was how Chelsea and Didier got you and your Da back together.

Don't think Didier will every be replaced or forgotten (hopefully, just as you will not forget your father).

ktbffh



Posted (edited)

You have my sympathy I know what your going through. I lost my dad to cancer 5-6 years ago, Just remember those good years rather than those final bad memories that's what helped for me anyway.

Football was never big in my family, Rugby League was the No1 sport, but he liked coming to watch Chelsea play round my house on TV and later on He would always come to watch Chelsea in the champion League matches. So although he never said it quietly I think he Loved the Chelsea. Great times...

Anyway, look after yourself, and never worry about forgetting someone you love that much. You never will.

Edited by smileysmiles
Posted

Jesus Christ mate, what an emotional read. Thanks for sharing, I am sure it ad to be emotional just writing that, remembering the times you spent with your dad, and the ups and downs of your relationship. It's things like that which will make you love Chelsea for ever.

Thanks

Posted

What a brilliant read, and puts a lot into perspective. I`m glad you had time to enjoy the Chelsea with your Dad, and though it is obviously a shame he never got to enjoy seeing us win the CL I`m sure when that final whistle went you felt as though he was beside you celebrating.



Posted

Excellent post.It's great that you became close to your father due to Chelsea.Remember all the good times you shared together. The Drog is one awesome person, I was genuinely upset for days after I heard he was departing. The team just wont be the same without him.

Posted

Thanks for sharing. It's a touching story.

I was watching the final interview on CTV last night and the final thought that went through my head was one of almost disbelief that we were priveleged to have this exceptional player at Chelsea.



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