This weekend, Chelsea host Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Ahead of the fixture, we thought it would be good to look back on a former player who has played for both clubs.
A Nigerian defender, this player spent almost eight years in West London with Chelsea, and around three years in the North-East with Newcastle.
This week’s Forgotten Blue is Celestine Babayaro.
After coming through the youth academy at Nigerian side Plateau United, Babayaro earned a move to Europe and signed for Belgian side Anderlecht. He made a brilliant start in Belgium, and became a regular for the side. His fine form attracted interest from various clubs across Europe, and Chelsea were one club interested.
In 1997, Chelsea signed the Nigerian for a then-club record fee for a teenager of £2.25m. He made his debut for the club in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup against Slovan Bratislava, but only would make a handful of appearances in his first season with club, after an injury sustained against Tottenham ruled him out for the rest of the season.
His next season for the club saw him make 28 league appearances, and he scored three times. He was part of the side that defeated Real Madrid in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup. The next few years in West London were also memorable for Babayaro as he was a regular for the club, and he helped Chelsea win both the FA Cup and the Charity Shield in 2000.
During his time at the club, he faced competition from Graeme Le Saux, but often featured ahead of the Englishman. However, the signing of Wayne Bridge in 2003 saw Babayaro’s first team chances become limited. In his final two seasons at the club, the Nigerian only made 10 league appearances, before making the January move to Newcastle in 2005.
At St James’ Park, he established himself as the club’s first choice left-back, and became a regular with the Magpies. In his first six months at the club, he made seven league appearances.
The following season was a lot more successful for Babayaro, as he featured 28 times for the club in league as they finished in seventh place, and earned a spot in the Intertoto Cup, which they went onto win and earn a spot in the UEFA Cup as a result.
2006/07 saw Babayaro only appear 12 times for the Magpies in the league, as he was often left out of the team by manager Glenn Roeder. After many injuries during the next season, it was mutually decided that his contract would be terminated.
It didn’t take him long to find a new club, however, as he signed for MLS side LA Galaxy in January 2008. However, the Nigerian soon fell out of favour in the States, after a number of disagreements between himself and manager Ruud Gullit.
He played 45 minutes for Galaxy in a friendly against FC Seoul, and this would spell the end of his time at the club. He was waived from his contract, and the club’s bosses said it was in the best interests of both parties to part company.
This would prove to be his final club in football, and he retired in 2010.
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