Roberto Di Matteo
© Getty Images
It took just one season for Roberto Di Matteo to forever endear himself to the Chelsea fans following his club-record move from Lazio in 1996, first scoring on his home debut and then ending the campaign with a sensational opening goal in the FA Cup final after just 42 seconds - at the time the fastest FA Cup final goal ever.
There was more silverware in his second campaign as Chelsea won the Cup Winners' Cup and the League Cup, with Di Matteo again scoring in the latter final against Middlesbrough - the same opponents he had helped to beat at Wembley the previous year.
The Italian then completed a special hat-trick by scoring the winning goal in a third cup final at Wembley as Chelsea beat Aston Villa to lift the FA Cup in 2000.
A severe leg break early in the 2000-01 campaign ultimately spelled the end of his playing career, though, and he officially retired from the game in 2002 having scored 26 goals in 119 Premier League appearances for Chelsea.
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Barney Corkhill
