Damien Duff has revealed that he cried when he left Chelsea for Newcastle United in 2006 and regrets his decision.
In the early 2000s, Duff was one of the most exciting players in the Premier League while playing for Blackburn Rovers and had attracted plenty of interest from several clubs, including Liverpool.
However, when Chelsea’s new money arrived from Roman Abramovich, Claudio Ranieri made him one of his big signings and the Irishman became a key part of Jose Mourinho’s title-winning sides.
Duff helped the Blues win the Premier League in 2005 and 2006, as well as the League Cup, before leaving after just three seasons, and he has now admitted that he cried after leaving.
He told FourFourTwo: “I cried on the day that I left [Chelsea] – looking back, that probably should have told me I was making the wrong call, as I never cried when I left Blackburn, Newcastle or Fulham, or even when I retired. But it was my own decision.”
And there were NO tears from Newcastle fans when he left St James' Park!
His own goal at Villa Park on the last day of the season got us relegated!