Ashley Cole: one call changed everything | Part two (with George Cooper)

7 Apr 2026 · 52 min · 24 chapters

Ask about this episode

Ask anything about it. ChatGPT or Claude reads this page and answers with the times it was said.

Connect VO and ask about every podcast you hear, including the moments you saved. Add to ChatGPT · Add to Claude

In short

Ashley Cole’s 2006-2012 “villain era” and how one phone call, tabloid scandals, and on-field success shaped his reputation, ending with his later career and public persona.

Guests

George Cooper (podcast co-host/interviewer). Ashley Cole is the subject via his book and anecdotes; other figures mentioned include Steve Hodge, Sven-Göran Eriksson, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Cheryl Cole, and various tabloid accusers.

Key claims

Cole’s memoir “My Defense” argues Arsenal “hung him out to dry” over contract talks; a call on the A406 allegedly changed his offer from £60k to £55k/week, triggering his break with Arsenal and move to Chelsea. From 2008-2012, tabloids allege multiple affairs and explicit messages. A 2011 incident claims Cole shot a work-experience student with a 22-calibre air rifle at Chelsea training. He later wins trophies with Chelsea, plays in the 2012 Champions League final, and becomes a Roma/LA Galaxy/Derby coach/player.

Notable examples

Maradona shirt swap story (Steve Hodge); Channel 4 “Sven shagging” parody in England’s hotel; Amy Walton “kiss-and-tell” (vomiting in a car/bed); Sonia Wild MMS claims; Vicky Goff hotel-sex claims; Alexandra Taylor alleged 2004 hookup; Tom Cowden air-rifle shooting; Cole’s Chelsea-to-Arsenal trophy Twitter image.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Maradona's Impact on England

0:00 to 0:45

Learn about the aftermath of Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal.

“So after Maradona destroyed England with his hand of God and then that worldie in the infamous 1986 World Cup, the England players after the game could like barely look at him.”

Ashley Cole's Rise in Football

2:04 to 4:23

Explore Ashley Cole's journey from a rising star to a tabloid target.

“At the end of part one, Ashley Cole was riding high.”

England's World Cup Disappointment

4:23 to 5:40

Revisit the highs and lows of England's 2006 World Cup experience.

“So it's, they're starting to break up, but for Ashley losing to Barcelona in that final is the start of a very busy summer.”

Sven and the Team's Humorous Moment

5:40 to 7:30

Hear a funny story involving Sven during a team gathering.

“drank and got wasted through to daybreak.”

The England Squad's Post-World Cup Revelry

7:30 to 8:52

Discuss the celebrations and antics of the England squad post-tournament.

“Then Sven looked at us, started to smile and said, my taste isn't that bad.”

Ashley Cole's Wedding and Public Image

8:52 to 12:20

Learn about Ashley Cole's marriage to Cheryl and its media portrayal.

“They also showed Rio Ferdinand's, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard's Iron Appa sex tape as well, just on Channel 4.”

Controversy of Ashley's Memoir

12:20 to 14:00

Understand the fallout from Ashley Cole's book and its impact on his career.

“So, you know, you wonder what's next for Ash's big summer 06 honeymoon, a bit of pre-season training, or how about totally incinerating his reputation at his boyhood club?”

Ashley Cole's Transfer Drama

14:00 to 15:10

An exploration of Ashley Cole's tumultuous transfer from Arsenal to Chelsea.

The Infamous Book Release

15:10 to 17:00

Discussion about the controversy surrounding Cole's book and its reception.

“a statement telling Arsenal that he forgives them for how they treated him and then the book comes out, my defense.”

Ashley Cole's Villain Era

17:00 to 19:20

Overview of Ashley Cole's controversial period from 2008 to 2012 in media.

“at one point where he's like, well, I was on the A406 road, which, northbound, in my new form on day.”
Show all 24 chapters

The Kiss and Tell Scandal

19:20 to 23:30

A detailed account of Ashley Cole's scandal involving the hairdresser Amy Walton.

“He just got a contract rise and he sort of paid for everyone.”

Further Allegations and Affairs

23:30 to 28:00

Discussion on further allegations against Cole, including his actions and denials.

“what the moral justification for this story.”

Ashley Cole's Denial and Past Affairs

28:00 to 29:00

Learn about Ashley Cole's denial regarding leaked photos and details of his past affairs.

“They used to lend friends their old phone.”

Scandalous Encounters with Vicky Goff

29:00 to 30:59

Explore the scandalous details of Ashley Cole's affair with Vicky Goff, including vivid anecdotes.

“Cheating Ashley Cole turned up the TV before a hotel sex session with his blonde lover so that Chelsea captain John Terry would not hear them from his next door room.”

More Allegations Against Ashley Cole

32:18 to 34:14

Delve into the allegations of Ashley Cole's infidelity and the impact on his relationship with Cheryl.

“Next up, though, was he's back to home turf with a glamour model by the name of Alexandra Taylor.”

The Air Rifle Incident

34:14 to 36:04

Learn about the bizarre incident where Ashley Cole accidentally shot a work experience student with an air rifle.

“because it was just like finding out in the newspaper must be so grim.”

Media Reactions and Consequences

36:04 to 38:05

Explore the media's coverage of the air rifle incident and its consequences for Ashley Cole.

“It does sound like he did a bit of damage.”

Anecdotes of Taxidermy and Random Gifts

38:05 to 42:00

Listen to humorous anecdotes about strange gifts sent to footballers and taxidermy.

“I should say there is no evidence that Jermaine Pennant was the man who sent the gun.”

The Taxidermy Story

42:01 to 43:31

An amusing anecdote about a friend's taxidermy hobby.

“And it used to be like they live around St.”

Ashley Cole's Football Achievements

43:31 to 45:00

A discussion on Ashley Cole's notable career milestones at Chelsea.

“Now we should probably say, back to Ashley Cole, that as well as caught in controversy, he was really good at football at Chelsea.”

The Twitter Controversy

45:00 to 46:30

Exploring the backlash Ashley Cole faced from Arsenal fans on Twitter.

“Can't say the same for Chelsea fans, because he does end up leaving them for AS Roma in 2014.”

Ashley Cole's Personal Life

46:30 to 48:06

Insights into Ashley Cole's relationships, including a brush with Meghan Markle.

“And Ashley had seen Meghan on Suits, the show where she made her name.”

Life After Football: Coaching and Punditry

48:06 to 49:20

Ashley Cole's transition into coaching and his punditry career.

“So he did a couple of years at LA Galaxy, actually.”

Reflections on Ashley Cole

49:20 to 50:40

A candid discussion about Ashley Cole's character and legacy.

“There's a real lack of self-awareness there.”
Hear the part that matters, and keep it.Open this episode in VO. Double tap your headphones to save a moment as you listen.
Get VO free

Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:00Ashley Cole:So after Maradona destroyed England with his hand of God and then that worldie in the infamous 1986 World Cup, the England players after the game could like barely look at him. They were so angry. There was one England player who didn't mind cozying up to him though, Steve Hodge, who managed to persuade Diego to swap shirts with him in the tunnel. Steve then came into the dressing room wearing Maradona's shirt and all his England teammates were disgusted, especially because Steve Hodge is the one who hit the looped back pass that led to the hand of God. Although Steve had the last laugh because he sold Maradona's shirt four years ago, but seven million quid.

0:33Ashley Cole:Seven million. Yeah, in an auction. Wow, okay. Yeah, memorabilia is like very valuable. Look, most people don't have Maradona's Hand of God shirt, but if you own a piece of World Cup history, now is the time to cash it in because Buds, the auction house, they're holding the largest World Cup memorabilia auction ever. They've got some good shit. They've got, actually, they've got Peter Shilton's shirt from the Hand of God. Oh, really? Nice. So if you want to get your free valuation, just Google Buds, which is spelled B-U-D-D-S, World Cup. Just Google Buds World Cup's first result. This episode is brought to you by Ferrero.

1:04Soccer's biggest stage is approaching, and Ferrero is making it easy to go all in. Pick any two Ferrero brands from Kinder Bueno to Ferrero Rocher, and you could win the$1 million grand prize, plus an exciting range of daily and weekly prizes. Don't miss your shot. Official rules apply. Learn more at GoAllInAndWin.com.

1:52Ashley Cole:Welcome back to the Upshot's two-part special on the life and times of Cashley, Noughty's icon, greatest left-back ever, all-round solid bloke, Ashley Cole. Hi, George. Hello. How's that? Hey, Jack. How are you doing? At the end of part one, Ashley Cole was riding high. He was tearing up the Premier League. He was shacked up with Britain's biggest heartthrob. But the papers were out to get him. We'd already seen how they tried to accuse him of putting a phone up his bum. For larks. I hate it when that happens. It's bloody annoying, isn't it? We all go through that in our careers. Anyway, he batted off those bullshit allegations, but there were plenty of real scandals about to break.

2:39Ashley Cole:So that Master Steps... Sorry, I don't know why he's becoming the face of it. The DJ Master Steps Nokia 3310 debacle. That was all happening during the 05-06 season. Cole was very much still an Arsenal player at this point, despite that tapping up scandal. Just had a thought, is there any world where DJ Master Steps planted this story? Because I've got to say, I've never heard of DJ Master Steps before, but he has potentially got a good 20 years extra on the end of his career out of this story. It's like Kim Kardashian sex tape. No publicity, as they say. I don't feel that Master Steps quite made good on the Kim K arc.

3:20Ashley Cole:billionaire celebrity first ever billionaire garage DJ yeah that wasn't it was a bit of a path for a bit wasn't it didn't Paris Hilton also say that it kind of made her phones up the bum well she was the she was the first wasn't she yeah the OG you never hear of the guy though Ray J Ray J he was quite a big like rapper wasn't he I won't be honest he's done I think he released a song about the sex tape after he did it did that not I don't feel that he kind of had the cultural cut through no no but he's definitely he's more of a name than the Paris Hilton or even Master Steps you know how like an entire generation of women have kind of modelled their style on Kim Kardashian is that would you say the same for DJ Master Steps I for one have yeah anyway yeah so that whole that whole debacle was happening 05-06 season so we'd had the tapping up scandal but Ashley had remained loyal to Arsenal at this point he has a bit of an injury plague season but he features a lot for Arsenal and he plays in that Champions League final where they lose to Barca remember it well that felt like a bit of a changing of the guard even at the time I thought yeah definitely do you remember there was a lot of speculation that Thierry Henry was going to leave for Barcelona and I swear after the game he was asked like is that it for you Henry he does I think he did stay another season after that yeah I think like the Invincibles team were starting to you know the cracks were starting to show they're all moving I think Vieira was about to go to Juventus he might have moved before it's actually my favourite line in the book he's talking about Vieira and like Vieira leaving and he says we all know when world class legend Patrick Vieira whose French blue blood had all been transfused with the blood of red and white it's like even like what there's a weird analogy but even like if blue was transfused with red and white that's the trickle or it's still French

5:12it's not the trickle or it's purple yeah

5:14Ashley Cole:green tea but yeah they were all starting to sort of like, you know, look elsewhere, I think. Yeah. So it's, they're starting to break up, but for Ashley losing to Barcelona in that final is the start of a very busy summer. So first up, he's got the world cup in Germany. Obviously another very disappointing tournament for England, 2006. They end up going out to Portugal on penalties again. Ashley doesn't take it too well. He says, after the game, I went to the bar with the rest of the lads, drank and got wasted through to daybreak. I got to my room at 9.45 AM. I've been up with Jermaine Genis and Aaron Lennon having a blurred kickabout in the hotel lobby it's weird that they I don't know just having a kickabout you think you've done enough of that must man's holiday yeah but like can you imagine the England squad now stay up till 9.45am in like the lobby of their hotel yeah I think they deserve to at the end of a world cup that is when footballers should party I didn't realise Jermaine Genis was in that squad Grealish did I'd like I don't know if England I mean that's after after they like crashed that but if England did I could see I could see a bender of all benders do you think yeah I mean Grealish famously did that after that was after they'd won the Champions League though they'd won the treble I never like it when they get shit for partying after going out in a tournament it's like just let them have their fucking summer holiday anyway we've obviously covered a lot of the best stories from that World Cup in our Barden Barden special so I strongly recommend listening to that if you haven't already but there is one good one that we missed that is in Ashley's book.

6:46Ashley Cole:So he's describing being in the team hotel during the tournament in the TV room. And he said, there was me, Rio, Wazza and two masseurs and we flicked on channel four. It was showing that piss take program, Sven, the coach, the cash and his lovers. There was this scene showing a Sven lookalike having sex with some woman over a pool table. I love that this is on channel four. He said, all of us started hooting, belly aching with laughter, roaring the place down. What is this? Said a Swedish voice behind us. That's when the laughter stopped dead. The real Sven had been behind us the whole time with Sammy Lee Ray Clements and Steve McLaren watching us laugh our socks off.

7:29Ashley Cole:It was like your parents walking in on you watching a dirty movie. Shit, I thought. Then Sven looked at us, started to smile and said, my taste isn't that bad. there's a really funny like line up with sammy lee who is like it seems to be like he was eternally the sort of the assistant manager big sam's big sam's and then he was at liverpool for a while as well with um with hodgson i think yeah he's just always just sort of constantly like lurking in the background mclaren as well yeah he or sammy lee always reminds me of um you know the the little like goblin thing who works in Gringotts in Harry Potter does he look like that?

8:08Ashley Cole:yeah he does oh man it's not the kindest comparison but it's oh yeah but like can we get up the Gringotts there's a really funny type in Sammy Lee Hodgson as well there's a funny photo of the two of them how do you say it? type in Sammy Lee Hodgson there's a really funny photo of the two of them Hodgson funny yeah that's the one of them both like in motion quite a famous image

8:42Ashley Cole:both yeah I always thought he was loyal to Big Sam I didn't realise he was a sort of a journeyman ass man oh yeah he's looking very Gringos there actually you got him you got Ray Clements goalkeeping and then Steve McLaren waiting in the wings to take Sven's job Ashley really loves Sven by the way it comes across he said like he describes him as having a really cool sense of humour he does yeah even that anecdote is a great example of just like so many other people would reacted in even if they weren't angry they just wouldn't have quite nailed it but Sven sort of has comic timing yeah ability to laugh at themselves again we've talked about the tabloids but I just love the idea of just a major terrestrial broadcaster just showing a reconstruction of the England manager shagging on a pool table.

9:31They also showed Rio Ferdinand's, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard's Iron Appa sex tape as well, just on Channel 4. Channel 4 was racy, wasn't it? Yeah. Was it one of them sort of like Kevin Bishop kind of like Star Stories piss take things? Yeah, maybe. Or was it actually like Sven Special? Yeah, or was it like a bit more, was it a comedy thing? Or was it like, this is how it would have looked? Yeah, I mean,

9:53Ashley Cole:if you're having reconstructions of him shagging, it must be quite lighthearted. Yeah. Did they get the same actor who played him in the Sven, Sven, Sven? Ellen Sterling. Ellen Sterling, that's it, the music video. Just a ball bloke. Just a ball bloke with a little, like, nun, a grey nun haircut stuck around the edge. Anyway, obviously the tournament doesn't go to plan, but back in the UK, Ashley's got more important business because he and Cheryl are about to tie the knot. And it's the big celeb wedding of the summer. OK Magazine pay a million for the photo rights. The independent newspaper call it Gordy even by the standards of their peers.

10:32Ashley Cole:And this was a Gordy era. This is like, you know, we'd obviously had Posh and Bex's all purple ensembles. We're looking at a picture of the happy couple. I've never before seen a satin morning suit. I don't think that's what Ashley's wearing. It's got an element of TV game show host. Obviously it's got tails on it. Wow. It's quite a look. Shell's dress is quite... It's a really terrible colour. Well, because it's sort of cream. yeah it's like cream but i call that like champagne yeah yeah color swatches it is though isn't it and it's shiny it's satin yeah you got yeah and then he's got he's got the full sort of look and they're they're in front of some stone steps there's a lot of different shades of white basically um but yeah i mean they look very happy there is another famous picture of them that is my favorite we're looking at might be my favorite image of all time so they So they're both in all white.

11:23Ashley Cole:She's in a sort of ruffle skirt dress thing with like big sleeves. And he's got a like cream blazer, but it's open. You can see a lot of his bod. And what are they in front of a classic white Rolls Royce? Yeah. And then there's like clouds in the background. It's quite a music video. What is this picture? It's actually from, it was a photo shoot for, they did a promo for the National Lottery. Is that why Cheryl's? Just crossed her fingers. I always wondered what that was yeah this is like this could be you yeah as if like that's what that's what everyone aspires to yeah because it is normally they show someone on like on holiday with a glass of champagne yeah yeah they're quite sort of you've made it naughty angels yeah I always for some reason I always remembered it that they're in angel costumes yeah it's probably the photo for this episode but if not we'll link to it so yeah he's had a busy old summer you know he's playing the Champions League final the World Cup got married, started in a major advertising campaign.

12:23Ashley Cole:And it's still only early July. It's early summer. So, you know, you wonder what's next for Ash's big summer 06 honeymoon, a bit of pre-season training, or how about totally incinerating his reputation at his boyhood club? Because this is when it all goes tits up with the gooners. Ashley starts promoting his new book, My Defense. So basically the premise of the book is, it is the most defensive celebrity memoir ever written, I would argue. Because the whole thing is basically like, you've been booing me, my own fans, because you think I was trying to leave. Well, actually, I've been wronged by Arsenal and I've stayed loyal.

13:02Ashley Cole:And so he goes in on Arsenal. I cannot believe that he ever thought he was going to stay at Arsenal having written this book. Surely he didn't. Do you think he'd already made up his mind? This was like to seal the deal. But the book's coming out in July. So it's like he goes to the World Cup and stuff. Do you think he's already just told the club I'm leaving? Yeah, I think so. I think like he, you get the impression he's obviously had so much speculation about it. This is his version of like setting the record straight. But it's like really full of contradictions because he was like, he really banging the drum of, it's not about the money.

13:34It's not about the money. But like, you know, when you're on 25 grand a week and you're looking at your peers who are all on 80 grand, 90 grand, 100 grand a week, you can't help but like draw comparisons. But it's like, actually, that is still about the money. what else is that about

13:50Ashley Cole:so here's an excerpt so this is before the books come out it's early July he starts doing promo and here's some of the promo he says Arsenal hung me out to dry using me as a scapegoat to get back at Chelsea the board rewarded me in inverted commas with an insult and threw back years of loyalty back in my face I'll reveal the shattering truth about who fed me to the Sharks so it's you're not coming back from this there's not much coming back so he basically thinks that the club hung him out to dry over the whole tapping up thing that they didn't stand by him needless to say this book release destroys his relationship with Arsenal and within a month he's joined Chelsea joins on deadline day so there must have been a sort of early August awkward you know is he gonna play thing going on back at training yeah so Chelsea pay five million plus William Gallas I miss the old like chuck a player you're in you don't get that anymore do you who do you think got a better end of that deal I always feel for the player who's been thrown in as the deal the make weight the sweetener yeah William Gallas was quite handy he was a very good player but he wasn't Ashley Cole was he going forward yeah he's a bit more versatile anyway 5 million's not nothing as well anyway once the transfer's done Ashley he doesn't help things because he releases a statement telling Arsenal that he forgives them for how they treated him and then the book comes out, my defense.

15:17Ashley Cole:It's described in The Guardian as the least self-aware media outing since a turquoise tracksuited David Icke proclaimed he was the son of God on Terry Wogan. Marina Hyde there. Yeah, the great Marina Hyde. The passage that is probably the most infamous is the bit where he describes his contract negotiations with Arsenal in 2005. So you know I mentioned, he said they had a verbal agreement offering him 60 grand. So he describes this, he's in his car. He says, I was sitting pretty, turning up the R &B tunes, thinking the deal was all but done at 60 grand per week. I didn't realize I was about to be kneed in the nuts.

15:55Ashley Cole:Somewhere along the A406 North Circular Road, one telephone call changed everything about how I viewed and felt about Arsenal. So the calls from his agent, Jonathan, who's ringing to break the news that Arsenal are in fact only offering a pathetic 55 grand a week. measly he says when I heard Jonathan repeat the figure of 55 grand I nearly swerved off the road he's taking the piss Jonathan I yelled down the phone I was incensed I was trembling with anger I couldn't believe what I'd heard yeah he does he think that this is going to elicit so much sympathy from everyone just like poor guy he's going to be out on his luck he's going to be out of house and home poor old Ashley I mean he's probably got a point if they've reneged on a deal, but like, why do you think the ordinary fan is going to sympathize?

16:44Ashley Cole:Yeah. Yeah. Like, I need a book because then the Arsenal fans will side with me. It is the most ill-judged book in sort of football history, maybe. Yeah, I think that's fair. And we've read a lot of dodgy ones. I like that it almost drifts into Alan Partridge at one point where he's like, well, I was on the A406 road, which, northbound, in my new form on day. Yeah. Needless to say, it does not go down well with the media or with the fans at Arsenal who brand him cashly so when he returns as a Chelsea player they all do you remember they all wave the fake £20 notes yeah not to be confused with Mike Ashley I can see why some people would to be fair he's sort of I don't know he doesn't seem that affected by it no he does seem to say everything in his stride doesn't he this is what I like about him he doesn't seem big skinned yeah and he also just doesn't take anything too like seriously including his marriage unfortunately.

17:41Ashley Cole:But yeah, to be fair, that's a fun Chelsea dressing room to walk into. It's like Mourinho, you've got all these new signings. He joined Chelsea at the exact right time and left Arsenal at the right time. I mean, was he the catalyst or the symptom of that? It's interesting because Henry left on very good terms. Yeah. But is that because it's like, well, it's Barcelona, we can't begrudge him. I think so, yeah. Stayed that extra year. Yeah. I think, did Vieira leave on good terms as well when he went to Juventus? I think so yeah but yeah I mean it's it's rivalry also like I felt quite like Arsenal's so incensed about it but like they did exactly the same thing to Tottenham with Sol Campbell so it's like exactly the same thing yeah presumably he makes way more money at Chelsea yeah I mean Sol Campbell didn't release an autobiography slagging off Tottenham in his defence has he not done a book because I feel like it would be quite it'd be a good read yeah yeah he's a character certainly a character anyway so they Chelsea win the FA Cup in that first season nice bit of silverware that summer he heads out to LA to celebrate with his his England pals Michael Richards and Adam Johnson got a pick of them here in LA who's that on the right as well I really reckon you can see the the trio I mentioned it's not Master Steps is it Nokia 3310 in his hand wouldn't be in his hand if it was Master Steps to be fair there's a lurid red drink in his hand yeah do you reckon what's that what's that Vimto cheeky Vimto cheeky Vimto Charlotte Church's favorite drink, isn't it?

19:11Ashley Cole:It's red, it's port and WKD blue. And it does taste like Vimto. Really? Delicious. Micah Richards said that he spent 150 grand that night. He just got a contract rise and he sort of paid for everyone. How did he go about spending that much money? It was nice of him to fork out for Ashley because Ashley could hardly have scraped a few pennies together after what they did to him at Arsenal. He hasn't got a pot to piss in that life. Zach, if you are hitting up LA with the boys and Adam Johnson, then you might be happy spunking 150 grand on champagne. Yeah, of course. Who doesn't? Yeah, some god-awful nightclub.

19:45Ashley Cole:But you're going to be quite fucked off if your data is limited and you can't, you know, you can't send some pics back home. That is a nightmare. Yeah. Or different scenario. You're abroad and DJ Master Steps text you and says, can you call my Nokia 3310? Right now. Right urgently. I need you to ring me now. not in five minutes and then you go to do it and you you've got no data yeah that would be an absolute nightmare for everyone involved we're all involved fortunately I've got a solution Saley cheap data abroad it's what it was built for yeah moments like this conundrums yeah and Saley is a new eSIM service app brought to you by the makers of NordVPN it's basically an app where you can get cheap data for 200 countries So when you're abroad, you just use the app and yeah, you've got, you've got, and then you can send as many photos, videos, call your friends on demand.

20:45Ashley Cole:Yeah. Vibrating phone calls. Yeah. It's cheapest, easiest way to use your phone abroad. Um, and best of all, 15 % discount for Upshot listeners and you get NordVPN free. Yeah. So just download Saley. That's S-A-I-L-Y in the app store. Use the code Upshot at checkout and you'll get 15 % off. And those details are in the episode description box below. Yeah, I wanna. Little does Ashley know that the controversies are only getting started. They are. So sort of 2008 to 2012 could be described as Ashley Cole's villain era, really. So up to this point, him and Cheryl Cole, they were sort of seen as the perfect couple.

21:27The tabloids love them. But at this point, it emerges that behind the scenes, Ashley Cole has been a bit of a dirty dog. So it all kicked off in January 2008 when the hairdresser Amy Walton sells a kiss and tell to the sun. So I'll just read out a bit of it. The headline is Chelsea Love Rat. Pretty blonde Amy Walton told last night of her wild sex romp with Ashley Cole. Amy said he's wild, really rude in bed. He knew exactly what he was doing and he was pretty good despite not being very big so when i first read he's really rude in bed the mind instantly thinks you know maybe he's a bit kinky although she might mean rude in another sense of the world in sense of the word which uh we'll come on to but i'll just rewind in the night so they they met in the the cc club which was this sort of celeb hangout in in piccadilly and they were dancing Ashley was pretty drunk.

22:28He kept making eyes at her. And eventually he asks the bouncers to get her to come over into the VIP section. And they get on, they're chatting away during the night. Clearly he's a little bit shy because eventually he gets one of his mates to ask whether she'll come back home with him. She agrees, at which point it seems like Ashley very much loses his inhibitions. So she said at this point he slapped my backside so hard his wedding ring left an imprint. I assumed that was in the bedroom. I always assumed that was in the bedroom as well but from the storyline that she gives it sounds like that was when they were still at the club which

23:09Ashley Cole:that line is like the ultimate nail in his coffin isn't it? Yeah. It's I mean what I remember well. Yeah. Well the wedding ring imprint. Yeah because it's like symbolically just It sounds a little bit too good to be true. I, I, I cynic in me thinks that the son might've told her to say that, um, just to remind people of the, what the moral justification for this story. Um, anyway, they've, they've agreed to go home together and they end up cramming onto the backseat of her mates, Vauxhall Astra on their way back to princess park manor. So they're going back to one of his, his mates flats. There's a few of them.

23:46Cause he, he must no longer live there. He's with Cheryl, right? Yeah. I like that.

23:49Ashley Cole:It's back to, back to Princess Panna. All the lads are in the car. Everyone's going back to the flat. And Amy says, during the ride, Ashley was slurring his words and was a right mess. Then he just threw up everywhere. In the car. In the car, in her mate's car. My friend was going mad, but he just smiled and said to me, she should be privileged. Ashley Cole was sick in her car. You know. I think it's funny. I think there's a style of him saying that that's actually a bit of a joke. It's quite funny. I don't think he's just complete. was saying it in a funny way to be honest um she she says his t-shirt was covered in sick and he took it off i remember being really disturbed by how violently ill he was a lot disturbed it's not very it's not hot anyway um anyway they they get back to the flat and ashley leads her off to to one of the bedrooms she says ashley said he needed a drink and went to the toilet to get some tissue to wipe sick off his arm.

24:48How's he recovering from this? It really gets you in the mood. Yeah. He then got a glass of water from the kitchen and asked me to take him up to bed. He begged me to tuck him in. I went to the toilet and when I returned, he was sitting stark naked on the bed. We started having sex, but it wasn't long before he said he felt sick again. Then he just rolled over and vomited on the floor all over the cream carpet. It was disgusting. Yeah, I mean, get a bucket after the first form, I think.

25:13Ashley Cole:Yeah. Also, car sickness. I can understand that. And I think this might be what she referred to when she said Ashley was rude in bed. Oh, the vomiting. Would make sense. This is the same girl who said that he was like wild in bed despite being... I know. It was like when you... Is this a different occasion? Because it sounds horrible. Yeah, yeah. So the first... Oh, this is wild sex. The report, the first sort of... It's been sick on himself. Subtitle. The subtitle of this story makes it sound like it was quite a good encounter. Yeah. Good sort of one night stand. But it doesn't sound like it, to be honest.

25:52No. And, you know, after rolling over and throwing up on your mate's cream carpet, I think most people would probably call it a night, but Ash is made of starder stuff. So Amy said, he had some mouthwash, then jumped back in bed. Okay, so maybe then. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe a while. Yeah. Unfortunately, as they begin to get down to it, his mates burst into the room. as well. So apparently they'd been downstairs. It was, it was the Ricky hat and Floyd Mayweather fight. I remember that. So it was on at like 3am or something. And the lads were downstairs watching the fight and I don't know, at some point decided to go and bundle.

26:30Ashley Cole:I mean, Princess Park Manor is just, it's just a uni halls, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Even the vomit. So eventually after all of these, these episodes, they do, do get down to it. and obviously she then she then sells the story it's a kiss and tell and it's pretty damning stuff for Ashley and his relationship with Cheryl particularly because that turns out to be just the tip of the iceberg so it's always the way isn't it it's the Tiger Woods thing isn't it they all come tumbling out yeah if Cheryl had read his book that was a big hint I mean when you find yourself being sick and yourself in a hotel room in a Vauxhall Vectra with a beautiful woman yeah well more beautiful women start tumbling out of the woodwork next up in February 2010 is the whole based glamour model Sonia Wild who accuses Cole of sending her sex and x-rated snaps of himself on a pay as you go mobile what's the significant pay as you go though are they suggesting he's got a second phone I don't know is this sort of his burner Nokia 3310 didn't know that 12p a text that would have been an x-rated snap well I mean for an x-rated snap it's gonna be it's gonna set you back at least a quill it'd be an MMS wouldn't it um so one of these pics that he sent her was a shirtless coal um with the message I look so ugly ex um vulnerable yeah so actually actually he tried to deny that it was him who sent these pics he said that he'd lent his phone to a friend who must have must have sent them to Sonia as a prank he said can't believe I gave my phone away that still had that stuff in it, it's memory.

28:13I thought I deleted it.

28:14Ashley Cole:Oh, like it's an old phone. Yeah. People did used to do that. They used to lend friends their old phone. Could be, could be true. Would be slightly easier to believe if he hadn't also called Sonia four times that night. And a couple of days later, once he's given this denial to the paper, she tells the mirror about these calls and says, if that wasn't Ashley Cole, then I'm a nun. Presumably also a line fed to her. And then in the same month, another tabloid reveals that Cole had had an affair with a 30-year-old secretary called Vicky Goff back in 2008. So apparently she would sneak him. This happened on a few occasions that she'd sneak him into the team hotel before matches.

28:58So I've got an excerpt of the story here. Cheating Ashley Cole turned up the TV before a hotel sex session with his blonde lover so that Chelsea captain John Terry would not hear them from his next door room. the secretary secretary told how she and cole watched two dud sci-fi films before getting down to sex shortly after one dud sci-fi don't you just stick on dud sci-fi needless jive at some film yeah she added it wasn't raunchy stuff more like relationship sex on the second occasion a tracksuited team aide collected her from the hotel lobby and silently led her to cole's room silent like an execution yeah exactly long walk do you like your last meal honey once inside Cole turned up the telly and smirked JT's next door don't want him to hear us I said Justin Timberlake I'm in the wrong room he said no John Terry that didn't seem to get my joke

29:59Ashley Cole:that's really good what no Justin Timberlake doesn't play for England what's wrong with relationship sex Vicky Goff what are you snagging off relationship sex what's that missionary socks on Saturday morning without fair clock radio goes off at 10 only time of the week we can both make time for it

Read the full transcript

30:25yeah efficient

30:25Ashley Cole:I like how all the women in this story have very noughties names as well there's like Amy Walton Amy with two e's Sonia Wilde, Vicky Goff Vicky Goff is a very kiss and tell name it wouldn't be the same names now would it who's next next up we don't actually have a name of it the next one to come forward was a US local government worker she claimed that she'd had sex with coal in Seattle what a civil servant DVLA or something yeah I think so they say you should learn something new every day like how you should only drink Jägermeister at zero degrees Fahrenheit ice cold like those frozen cavemen they find which makes you wonder what would a caveman think of Jägermeister Well, if you served it warm, he'd probably throw it in your face, say Oonga Boonga, and storm off.

31:12Ashley Cole:And nobody wants that. So drink it cold or not at all. Jägermeister. Damn, that's cold. Drink responsibly. Jägermeister liqueur, 35 % alcohol by volume. Imported by Masked Jägermeister, U.S., White Plains, New York. You tell yourself no one wants your college-era band tees. But on Depop, people are searching for exactly what you've got. You once paid a small fortune for them at merch stands. Now, a teenager who calls them vintage will offer that same small fortune back. Sell them easily on Depop. Just snap a few photos and we'll take care of the rest. Who knew your questionable music taste would be a money-making machine?

31:48Your style can make you cash. Start selling on Depop, where taste recognizes taste. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You know those friends who support your preference for podcasts over music on road trips? That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance. With over 19 ,000 local agents, they help you find the coverage that fits your needs. So you can spend less time worrying about insurance and more time enjoying the ride. Download the State Farm app or go online at statefarm.com. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Next up, though, was he's back to home turf with a glamour model by the name of Alexandra Taylor.

32:27and she alleged that she'd slept with Ashley back in 2004 the same day that he went public with Cheryl just minutes after waving goodbye to Cheryl on their first official night out together he sidled up to Alexandra Taylor in the bar of a London nightclub the shameless footballer brought Alexandra home for sex in his bachelor flat in the same apartment complex where Cheryl was living she said he was so off his face with drink he could barely do the deed it lasted about 15 minutes and was really lousy he gets quite pissed doesn't he yeah yeah so this is this is in princess park manor uh and apparently the following day one of ashley powell ashley's powers obviously heard what happened and that gets her number and is begging her not to tell the press which which she does she doesn't she doesn't go to them until all these other stories start coming out and she's like might as well yeah but it's not i'm not gonna be the straw that breaks the camel's back on this one yeah but that last story does prove to be the final straw for sherry it was the straw yeah i mean it's exactly what we didn't want to happen um yeah and they they separate that month so i think i've been finding out that he cheated on you on the day that you go public facebook official yeah that's although i slightly feel

33:48Ashley Cole:like they've kind of the paper sort of confected that drama yeah uh did all these stories break within like a sequence of months? Was it years? The first one was in 08. The first one was 08 and then 2010. So she stuck by him for a couple of years. Yeah, she stuck by him after that and then 2010 they started tumbling out. So is the suggestion that he carried on or they were just all older but it was like so many? I mean, this one was from 2004. It was basically revealed that he's been a dirty dog throughout their relationship. It was quite unpleasant because it was just like finding out in the newspaper must be so grim.

34:19Ashley Cole:In his defence, it's too young to get married they get married young these footballers and they're not ready to grow up and be a faithful husband and stuff and he should have just been out there single yeah that's about as good a defense as I can you know what I mean yeah he should have he should have just shouldn't have got married if he wanted to like by the time they get divorced they're 30 in fact he's 29 I yeah I think you know in this day and age you wait till you're 30s but the managers always want them to get married really young don't they encourage it and then I think this is partly the outcome Cheryl Tweedy comes knocking I'm not defending it he's been an absolute shit but I just don't think blokes are mentally like developed enough at that age no I would have to agree yeah so it's a weak defence I tried tried Ashley it wasn't just affairs that were getting Ashley into trouble though so he's broken up with Cheryl it's now 2011 February and Ashley's at the training ground Cobham getting ready you know for the week ahead when he's told that a mysterious package has arrived for him.

35:23Ashley Cole:It's a big, like, massive brown parcel. And it's been sent to him. Apparently, it's a gift from an unnamed footballer. We still don't know who it is. My money's on pennant. Best mate. Apparently, it was a friend. Anyway, he opens it to find an air rifle complete with muzzle and scope. It's a serious air rifle. 22 caliber. And Ashley's, like, fucking finding it hilarious. He's, like, fucking around with it, sort of loads it, and it's just, like, you know, sort of dicking about when it goes off. and unfortunately it goes off in the direction of 21 year old work experience student Tom Cowden who's just five feet away from Ashley and bang Ashley Cole has just shot the work experience looking at a Guardian headline it's not it's not a headline you want to read Ashley Cole shoot student at club training in your left back was larking about with 22 caliber rifle when he fired at a work experience student from five feet away so you were saying that he was like fiddling with it and then it went off in his hands is that well he must have loaded it yeah yeah because i i was picturing it more of him like sniping them oh what like in the bushes they used to like a balotelli with them yeah with the darts yeah i always find it funny with these um with these newspaper um well it's just like online article it seems but the the choice of photograph that they do because obviously the headline is he shot somewhere there they're like obviously searching through some image data like can we get a photo of Ashley looking defensive defensive yeah but he's obviously on a football pitch yeah we'll make it fit occasionally they'll have like a footballer who's done a gun celebration yeah perfect perfect a source is quoted in the story saying it's truly inconceivable that a Premier League footballer could bring a gun to the training ground but Ashley pulled the rifle from a box and started larking about with it in the changing room.

37:16Ashley Cole:Yeah, and then shot this kid. It does sound like he did a bit of damage. So apparently the student had to be treated by medics at the scene and then again two days later because the wound was whipping. That's on the medics, I think. Not on Ashley. Just infected. I did also read, so the athletic said that actually the work experience guy was sort of showing it to people in the canteen being like, you won't believe what happened. Kind of loving it. Yeah. I mean, you would. If Ashley Cole would show you with an arrow. I don't think it was that big a deal, but obviously when the papers find out, it's Chelsea have to punish him.

37:47Ashley Cole:He has to send an apology letter to the kid. He insists that he didn't know the rifle was loaded, but it wouldn't have come loaded, would it? No, absolutely. I reckon Jermaine might have sent it loaded up. I'm surprised that this got through the Chelsea post room without getting checked. Can you just send packages to Premier League footballers just containing weapons? Yeah, I guess. I should say there is no evidence that Jermaine Pennant was the man who sent the gun. Yeah. But yeah, so he's now shot someone. It's surprisingly low. My dad used to work at security for Fulham, and he said that it's just like people just send so much random crap.

38:25But there's no like, I don't know, X-ray or anything like that. So yeah, apparently Fulham chairman used to get sent some fucking weird shit, like taxidermy rats and stuff. I don't know, really. Which chairman are we? because I can think of one yeah not Al Fired he'd long gone since you don't want to see the things that got delivered to his office taxidermy rat it wasn't actually that it was like stuff like that like just weird like what do the players just get get random stuff as well is there any good yeah I think like it was quite a funny story for when my dad so like he like when he was interviewing in he got the job but then um alistair mackintosh the the chairman um or ceo whatever he is pulled him into the office i was like oh yeah um paul nice to meet you um you know i've seen you 15 years in the prison service uh i'm full and fan as well great to have you on board um but i just i just have to ask you are you the same paul cooper who's been sending me abusive letters in the post the last five years my dad's like quite an awkward bloke and he was like no absolutely no not at all.

39:37If only you could hear like the receptionist like with a glass pressed at the door and like absolutely pissing themselves outside.

39:43Ashley Cole:You're not the Paul Cooper with the turds. Yeah. I also love the moment that the chairman thought that his security, head of security was sort of a it's an inside job. He's the one who smeared the marmite on the gusset. I'm surprised that didn't come up during his interview process. Well, yeah, he wasn't like my dad was like interviewing with the head of security before and then it was like i don't know it wasn't part of the interview process but it was like paul cooper where do i know that great plot twist if it happened yeah yeah we um we're obviously like charlie cooper's a full of fun as well and like um him his dad is called paul cooper we're at a game with him um and my dad asked him he was just like it wasn't you was it and then paul just goes guilty as charged I think that's a joke I don't think it was actually him it was pretty funny he's in this country yeah he's Martin Muckler yeah he's fucking amazing it'd be amazing if it was him yeah whatever he sent he always had to be taxidermy rats in the post taxidermy rats sounds like if you're learning to do taxidermy start on a rat yeah goldfish then rat yeah you're not going to see one on display in someone's home goldfish I think with pretty expert levels quite fiddly like yeah because isn't the way I remember Zach you were saying the way you do taxidermy is you boil it and the bones fall out yeah there's like a sort of chemical well no there's different didn't you used to do it or something no I didn't do it so my my dad's cousin was a taxidermist and like actually really she sort of pushed forward taxidermist she was really she did it she did it she did it for like Damien she did Damien Hirst things oh really she was like really good taxidermist but um um yeah she she sort of made this like chemical sort of thing that would um dissolve the flesh of things so you could put the animal she had this really cool um frog like skeleton that was like sat in its position that um you basically put it put it into its position make it stay and then use this chemical acid to like dissolve all of the flesh so you're just left with the skeleton in its like natural position.

41:58Good way to dispose of a body. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As a friend of a friend did taxidermy just like as a hobby. I knew the guy quite well. It's not like a tenuous thing. Like he's a mate. And it used to be like they live around St. Albans and they'd be driving around and Simon would be like, yeah, Henry, there's a badger on the A4 and he'd just be there like pick it up. And like he doesn't, it wasn't as, he was very much a hobbyist but they used to get he used to say that he used to get these like sealable tubs and like skin the whatever it was like it's proper like serial killer shit but anyway it was skin the thing and then you dump it in this tub and put this like you know powder on or whatever and then it dissolves all the flesh so the idea is at the end you're left with just the hide but like if you open the thing before the process is fully happened obviously you're just like met with this like horrible smell of decaying flesh and somebody said he went around henry's house and he was just like I'm just going to go check on my badger.

42:54And like took it to the back end of the garden, sort of like peeped the thing like that, put it back down, walked about five yards and just goes, what? Just like throws up, throws up everywhere. And like wipes his mouth and just comes back in and was like, yeah, no, I wasn't ready.

43:14So it was quite - Do not open that lid. I thought you were going to say that you'd be like, yeah, the beers are down in the basement. but you're just like, she's in that tub. That's quite the tangent. I enjoyed it. That stays. Now we should probably say, back to Ashley Cole, that as well as caught in controversy, he was really good at football at Chelsea. They won a lot of trophies. He won four more FA Cups with Chelsea. So that's seven FA Cups in total. He's won, which is a record. Won the Prem as well and played a really pivotal role when Chelsea won the Champions League in 2012, scored his penalty in the final against Bayern.

43:58And all of that success did come in handy later that year when Ashley Cole joined Twitter. And immediately he got a lot of vitriol from jilted Arsenal fans who were still angry about that transfer. And he responded by tweeting this. We're looking at a picture. Since Ashley Cole left Arsenal in 2006, there's a picture of him and an array of trophies that he's won and then the Arsenal badge with zero trophies.

44:23Ashley Cole:I can't help noticing he has padded it with the Community Shield. There are eight trophies there. You don't need to put that. Do you reckon Ashley Cole's made it himself on Microsoft Paint? How has he conjured up that image? So he's cropped the trophies out. I'm quite impressed. That's a good canvas skill. He's got them on a transparent PNG. Dropped them in. Yeah, I quite like that he sort of baits the Arsenal fans about it. It's pantomime, isn't it? People aren't actually that angry. Do you think Arsenal fans still, when they bump into the street now, surely is it? Probably. People can be quiet.

44:58Do you think?

44:59Ashley Cole:That's it. Can't say the same for Chelsea fans, because he does end up leaving them for AS Roma in 2014. Leaves on better terms than he left Arsenal. So when he leaves Chelsea, he's only lost 15 % of his 385 Premier League games. Wow. Pretty amazing. that is crazy so the Roma move was a sort of swan song really, everyone knew getting to the end of his career joins up with his new teammates at Roma and obviously bonds with them very quickly we're looking at the famous team photo where all the Roma squad, the wider squad are all sat sort of close together arms virtually interlocking apart from Ashley Cole who's just to one side hands behind his back, sort of a foot away leaning in it's an iconic image isn't it it's so funny do you think he's deliberately trying to be funny in that moment or it's just like doesn't really know anyone it's just been a bit awkward did people start photoshopping that into famous photos yeah just Ashley Cole with his hands behind his back the pose is perfect but it properly became a meme I remember when that photo came out it was big but you know his teammates might be shunning him but Ashley is having no such trouble with the ladies.

46:16Ashley Cole:He's out dating again. He's a single man. And among the women he is courting is none other than Meghan Markle. Wow. Was she the Duchess of Sussex or something now? Yeah. Whatever she is. What might have been. Yeah. So this is 2013, actually. This is just before he goes to Roma. And Ashley had seen Meghan on Suits, the show where she made her name. And he'd slid into the DMs and he kept saying to her like, oh, let's go for a date when you're in London. And so when she's in London, Megan's considering it but she decides to seek the opinion of a Daily Mail journalist seems like a weird choice but she asks this Daily Mail journalist she's like yeah this guy Ashley Cole he's like really keen he wants to go on a date what do you think and apparently this woman just immediately fills Megan in on the rich history of womanising at which point Megan Markle says I think I better leave it then it's a Daily Mail journalist always saying I know this lovely guy dresses up as a Nazi you'll love him I mean that is sliding doors moment to think yeah what could have happened I guess we would have just known Megan as Ashley Cole's wife and yeah who Prince Harry would have married sliding doors certainly anyway no matter because Ashley's off to the city of love it's Rome and in Rome he meets Italian model Sharon Carnu who he's still with they're married we're kids so actually he's on the straight and narrow from this point.

47:40Ashley Cole:Yeah. It's actually perfectly lovely. Anyway, so he does two years in Rome with Sharon. Then he goes to LA Galaxy. Do you remember that? Yeah. Yeah, briefly. And then does that half a season at Derby with Frank Lampard. Yeah, that's completely sort of player coach at that point, I think. Yeah. It's a bit like come and sort of impart some experience. Yeah. Yeah. He's pretty much retired. What year was that? I'm going to say 2018. Yeah, I think it was something like that. I can just check. Yeah. 2019. 19. So he did a couple of years at LA Galaxy, actually. He did 89 appearances at LA Galaxy. That's mad.

48:14So he was 39 when he eventually retired.

48:16Ashley Cole:Anyway, after that, he goes into coaching. He was assistant manager to Lee Carsley with England under-21s. Do you remember they won the under-21 Euros and Ashley was sent off for scrapping on the touchline during that game? Good to see. But I would say his post-playing career, if it's famous for anything, it's the Europa League draw he did in 2021 where he did have some trouble pronouncing some of the team's names. Stad Renz. Stad Rene.

48:46Spagna. Spagnol. So, Spagnol. Spagnol, don't worry, Ashley. It's okay. We've understood. Istanbul. That's a challenge. I mean, that's a hard one.

49:00Ashley Cole:It's Spagnol and he just goes, Spagna. I love the very part of the hesitation. You can see him just like, and he's like just go for it it's called a running jump that yeah to be back Istanbul Basak Shahir yeah that's a tough one yeah that's fucking odd he's a good sport about it as well I mean that pretty much brings us up to date you don't see Ashley Cole much he does a bit of punditry he pops up on punditry every now and again but yeah do you think he's underrated as a player his kids certainly underrate him he said I've got two young kids and they're always asking me was I a good player my daughter thought I was a referee that's really good yeah that's the thing you can be the greatest footballer of all time but your kids will just take you down a peg or two yeah I mean yeah definitely I don't think he was underrated I think everyone's pretty like unanimously I decided that he was he was very good have I changed your mind that he's just a good guy really I don't know about that I like there's elements of his personality which I find quite like like when he's doing the pronunciations there He's got this grin on his face where he knows it.

50:07He's like, I can't do it. He seems like he can laugh at himself. But I don't know. There's a real lack of self-awareness there. There's some big blind spots. I think he got bad advice.

50:17Ashley Cole:Look, he was a knob in his 20s. I mean, bone wheel. He was a cheeky chappy who liked having fun in his 20s and just shouldn't have been married. Shouldn't have got married at that point. So I think he was clearly a bad husband. and yeah I think it would be alright to be friends with but not married to yeah that's true of almost everyone we speak about alright all's well that ends well George thanks a lot my pleasure we finally banished the ghosts of the book I can finally put that chapter of my life back in the drawer I mean yeah surprisingly hard to get a hold of this yeah do you think there's a chance you'll read it a third time I'm very much it would be the only book I've ever read three times so they're like yeah there's a quote on the back saying the most sensational sports book of the year I guess it was then well it does sort of beg the question is like who was this book like for Arsenal fans you think Arsenal fans like who was the target audience I think it was Arsenal fans but he totally misjudged it but yeah it was basically just like a yeah mental yeah mental alright well let's get you back on for something anytime anytime next nice to think about that if this is the first time you've encountered George Cooper I strongly recommend our Crazy Gang episode on the golden age of football japes.

51:38Ashley Cole:Some absolute psychopaths in that episode but it is very funny. It's an all-time favourite. Yeah. And also that one we did on Wimbledon. Horny Wimbledon special. Yeah. Includes some fan. Some Subarka fan fiction. Do await the call as Wimbledon rolls around. Yeah, as you guys know is my favourite time of the year. You can smell the cut grass in the air and you're just thinking horny tennis. Fan fiction. Yeah. Alright, thanks George. Mate, my pleasure. Thanks for listening. Please share it with all your Ashley Cole supporting friends. See you next time.

52:30in store today, and we'll give you a better deal on the best network. Based on RootMetrics' best overall mobile network performance, U.S. second half 2025.

52:37Ashley Cole:All rights reserved. Must provide very recent post-paid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions, and restrictions apply. Every morning, I go through my chicken breakfast sandwich checklist. My breakfast sandwich has to deliver great value, deliciousness, and lots of variety. McDonald's checks all my boxes. Like that savory McChicken biscuit for just$2.49? Consider my boxes checked. If I'm feeling spicy, a hot and spicy chicken McGriddles is breakfast checkmate. Whatever's on your checklist, a$2.49 chicken breakfast sandwich at McDonald's will check all your breakfast boxes.

53:07Prices and participation may vary. Cannot be combined with any other offer or combo meal.

From the publisher

It’s 2005 and Ashley Cole is riding high, tearing up the Premier League and shacked up with Britain’s biggest heartthrob.

But the papers are out to get him…

Download SAILY in your app store and use our code UPSHOT at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/upshot

Links from the episode:

Gaudy wedding pics: https://share.google/8L0PzHOVPkZupUl5V 

Lottery advert photo: https://share.google/QRoUIEl9cwLedDk7i 

Roma team photo: https://share.google/xdVoozIdnS3XwfIx9 

Europa League draw: https://x.com/UpshotTowers/status/1431213166814453768 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More from The Upshot

All 110 episodes
Ashley Cole: one call changed everythingThe Upshot · 52 min
Listen in VO