It's about time!. Ashley Cole get's some credit for once!.

People who follow football and the tabloids in this country are well aware of Ashley Cole. Unfortunately it's the reports in the tabloids documenting what goes on outside football that dominate headlines more often than not. Tonight there is not a single article featured on the tabloid sites that I can find from our press confirming a positive for once that Ashley Cole has been voted into the UEFA team of the year and is the only English player and Premier League representative selected by the 400,000 voters.

I for one do not care what Cole does or doesn't do away from Chelsea as he has his own life to lead away from football. Of course everyone is aware of what he has done in the past and Cole will always be given stick by away supporters and England fans because he is an easy target. It's the footballer that Ashley Cole is and has become that should take precedent and hopefully this award is the turning point as far as the press is concerned.

Cole is quite simply (as the vote confirms) the best left back in the world right now and we should never ever dress it down. One of the most successful domestic players in his position and his desire to continue to succeed and to remain the best is there for all to see.

Ashley Cole will remain as one of the first names on the team sheet each week and rightly so. His ability to affect a game in defensive areas in addition to the final third is fantastic and if there are any young left backs coming into the game who want to learn their trade and are looking for a role model on the pitch then they should take a look at Ashley Cole.

It remains to be seen for how long Cole will remain the target for abuse from the terraces and if it will ever die down. For me Ashley Cole is now up there with the John Terry's and Frank Lampard's at Chelsea and there is no one I would rather have in that position.

So it's congratulations to Cole for his inclusion. It's about time Ashley Cole gets some credit for once!.

KTBFFH.