Chelsea player

[SeaJayPea]

This is doing my head in. While cricket was being watched in my local this afternoon, somebody with nothing better on his mind started talking about a player who signed for Chelsea, was with them for about four years and never played a match. I remember it, think he was French and also think his name had a 'ou' or 'au' in it. That's as far as I can go. Any ideas? It was no more than ten years ago, possibly fewer.

[SeaJayPea]

I suppose the important part of the question, the one I missed out, was that he was on about £50,000 a week.

[lesblue]

I might be barking up the wrong tree, but are you thinking of Winston Bogarde? Yes, I know he's Dutch, not French, but he was at Chelsea for four years "earning" over 40 grand a week. He played, probably, less than ten matches, mainly League Cup. Chelsea couldn't get rid of him, because he wouldn't move anywhere to be on less money. He was relegated to the reserves, then sent to train with the youth team in an effort to offload him, but he saw out his lucrative four year contract to the end.

[SeaJayPea]

That's exactly the man we were thinking of Les. Thanks so much.

[lesblue]

You're welcome