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Scott Minto: Cup victory was our greatest day
Evening Standard 14 Feb 2008
It is just over 10 years since Chelsea won the FA Cup to kick-start a decade of success at Stamford Bridge. The 1997 Wembley triumph against Middlesbrough was the first trophy the club had won for 26 years and as a member of the team it was, without doubt, the best day of my professional life.
Frank Sinclair was one of my best mates and we share some great memories. He is still going strong at 36 and in the middle of negotiating a new contract with Huddersfield to play for them for another season.
The defender thought he'd played his last game against Chelsea - where Frank made his name and spent 15 years of his life - when he dropped out of the Premier League.
But when he heard the FA Cup fifth-round draw that pitted Huddersfield against the Blues at Stamford Bridge this Saturday, Frank said the phone just didn't stop ringing...
Scott Minto: So, is Saturday going to be an emotional day for you?
Frank Sinclair: Definitely. My last game at the Bridge was with Leicester in 2000 when we lost 2-1 in the FA Cup. I was there as a guest of the club two years ago and went on the pitch at half-time. I wasn't sure what sort of reception I would get but the fans were brilliant - I can't wait for Saturday now.
SM: Can you remember what your first experience of Chelsea was?
FS: It wasn't good. I was nine years old and going to a day centre with 15 other kids. The guy in charge amazingly took us to a game and we stood in the Shed. But I'd never been so scared because at the time there was a lot of abuse to black players so we just kept quiet. Two years later, I started training with Chelsea and they treated me so well that the previous experience didn't bother me.
SM: What are your best memories of your Chelsea career?
FS: Scoring at Wembley in the League Cup Final in 1998 was a highlight but winning the FA Cup has to beat it. It put the club back on the map and it all started for Chelsea then. We were playing great football with Zola, Di Matteo and Mark Hughes. Robbie's early goal gave us more confidence and I'm sure that's the quickest he's ever run after that strike!
SM: One of my memories of you was on tour in Thailand after that game when you, me and Eddie Newton went to a club and you ended up singing in front of a thousand people!
FS: Yeah, I'd had a few drinks so I said to the guy on stage that I wanted to sing with him. He didn't look up for it but let me do it and I think I sang Stand by Me by Ben E. King. I was buzzing as the people were cheering me.
SM: What about the worst memories of your time at the Bridge?
FS: The 1994 FA Cup Final when we played Manchester United. I was only a kid but playing regularly and we'd beaten them home and away in the League. Gavin Peacock hit the bar when it was goalless in the first half, but they played us off the park after the break and won 4-0. I still maintain the penalty I gave away for the third goal was outside the box and the referee has since said it was as well.
SM: But what about leaving Chelsea - was that hard?
FS: I've never spoken about this before. The previous season we won the League Cup and Cup-Winners' Cup, signed Albert Ferrer and Marcel Desailly and I was looking forward to the next campaign. But in pre-season, my agent told me the club had accepted a bid from Leicester. I was really shocked. The manager, Gianluca Vialli, said he wanted me to stay but added that they needed the money. I wasn't convinced by his argument. Leicester were very keen, so I made the decision to go. I was disappointed but I ended up playing under Martin O'Neill which turned out to be good for me.
SM: You've had your share of off-the-field problems during your career. What advice do you give to youngsters to avoid the pitfalls of being a professional footballer?
FS: I felt I was a victim of circumstance and I hadn't done anything wrong so I had a clear conscience. But agents play a big part in today's game and they can be a father figure to the players. They can't control everything but players know they need to be careful with everything magnified nowadays.
SM: What will you do after you finish playing? You certainly won't be a roofer because of your dislike for heights. Remember our holiday in Cyprus?
FS: I don't know how you persuaded me to do that bungee jump! I've never been so scared. It took me four goes before I actually did it. I feel good and enjoy training so I want to carry on for as long as possible. I have a property business with a friend, so we'll see.
SM: You could be up against Joe Cole on Saturday. Are you looking forward to that?
FS: I've man-marked him once before for Leicester against West Ham and he gave me the run-around! I came off the pitch thinking I didn't want to do that again.
SM: Is he the best player you've seen at Chelsea?
FS: He is one of the finest but Zola is the best. He was a totally dedicated professional.
SM: And I hear that we could be seeing another Sinclair on the pitch in the future?
FS: Yeah, my son Tyrece is seven and at Manchester United's academy. He'll probably be a midfielder. He's a confident lad and keeps telling me I'm rubbish - he'll be there on Saturday but with a Didier Drogba shirt on!
SM: Are you worried then that you may get a hammering on Saturday?
FS: Not at all. We might surprise a few people. Our players won't be overawed, most are in their mid-20s and very experienced. Watch out for midfielders Andy Holdsworth and Danny Schofield, who are stars of the future.
