Frank Lampard (part 1)

Frank James Lampard OBE, born on 20 June 1978, is an esteemed English professional football manager and former player, most recently serving as the caretaker manager of the Premier League club Chelsea. Revered as one of Chelsea's greatest players and among the finest midfielders of his era, Lampard boasts the record for the most goals by a midfielder in the Premier League, notably scoring the most goals from outside the box .Throughout the ten years from 1 December 2000, he ranked prominently in various statistics for Premier League players, including most games and most wins.


Beginning his career in 1995 at West Ham United, the same club where his father, Frank Lampard Sr., had also played, Lampard established himself as a box-to-box midfielder. However, he gained widespread recognition during his illustrious tenure with London rivals Chelsea, signing for the club in 2001 for a fee of £11 million. Over his thirteen years with the Blues, Lampard emerged as a prolific scorer from midfield, etching his name in history as Chelsea's all-time leading goalscorer with an impressive tally of 211 goals across all competitions.


His achievements at Chelsea include three Premier League titles, UEFA Champions League and Europa League triumphs, four FA Cups, and two League Cups. In 2005, he was honored as the FWA Footballer of the Year and finished as the runner-up for both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. Post his Chelsea stint, Lampard had brief spells with league rivals Manchester City and MLS club New York City FC before hanging up his boots in 2017.


Lampard's legacy extends beyond his goal-scoring prowess; he stands as one of only ten players, and the lone midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. Additionally, he holds the fourth position in the Premier League's all-time assists ranking, accumulating 102 assists.Lampard possesses numerous Chelsea and Premier League records, clinching accolades such as the PFA Fans' Player of the Year and the FWA Tribute Award.


Throughout his career, he earned three appearances in the PFA Team of the Year, garnered Premier League Player of the Month four times, secured the Premier League Player of the Season title once, topped the Premier League's assists chart thrice, and earned spots in the FIFPro World XI and a MLS All-Star. Post-retirement, Lampard received further recognition, featuring in the Chelsea Team of the Decade as voted by fans and gaining entry into the Premier League Hall of Fame.


On the international stage, Lampard represented England in 106 matches, making his debut in 1999. His international career spanned three FIFA World Cups and UEFA Euro 2004, where he earned a spot in the Team of the Tournament. Lampard contributed 29 goals to the England national team and was honored as the England Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. Following his retirement from international football, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2015 for his services to football.


Beyond his contributions on the field, Lampard extended his involvement in football as a team captain on the ITV sport panel show Play to the Whistle from 2015 to 2017. Additionally, he has ventured into literature, authoring several children's books.Transitioning to the managerial realm, Lampard embarked on his coaching career with Derby County in 2018, guiding the club to the final of the Championship play-offs in that season. Subsequently appointed as Chelsea's head coach a year later, he led the team to a fourth-place finish and the FA Cup Final in his inaugural season. However, a downturn in results led to Lampard's dismissal in 2021. Following a brief stint with Everton, he returned to Chelsea as caretaker manager in 2023.


Frank Lampard commenced his football journey at West Ham United, the former club of his father, entering the youth team in 1994. During this period, Lampard's schoolboy idol was West Ham striker Frank McAvennie. His father, Frank Lampard Sr., served as the assistant coach at West Ham when Lampard joined the youth team as an apprentice in 1994. He subsequently signed a professional contract in the following year. In October 1995, Lampard embarked on a loan spell with Second Division club Swansea City, making a noteworthy debut in a 2–0 victory over Bradford City and scoring his maiden career goal in a match against Brighton & Hove Albion. Lampard made nine appearances for Swansea before returning to West Ham in January 1996.

1995–97: Development

Lampard made his first appearance for West Ham on 31 January 1996, coming on as a substitute for John Moncur against Coventry City. His only other game of the season occurred on 5 May 1996, in a 1–1 home draw with Sheffield Wednesday, where he was used as a substitute for Keith Rowland.The subsequent season marked Lampard's first start for West Ham on 17 August 1996, in a 2–0 away defeat to Arsenal before being substituted for Robbie Slater. However, his season was cut short on 15 March 1997 when he suffered a broken leg during an away match, a 0–0 draw against Aston Villa. Carried off the pitch on a stretcher, his 31st-minute substitute was Rio Ferdinand, and the game also saw his first booking as a West Ham player.


Lampard claimed to have been jeered by West Ham United supporters during this incident, a moment that led him to contemplate leaving football. Throughout this season, he made 16 appearances in all competitions for West Ham.

1997–99: First-team regular

Starting from this season, Lampard adopted the number 18 squad number, having previously worn the number 26 shirt. On the opening day of the 1997–98 season, West Ham faced Barnsley in an away game. Lampard, entering as a 76th-minute substitute for Eyal Berkovic, scored the decisive goal barely a minute later, securing a 2–1 victory for The Hammers. Notably, this season also marked his first hat-trick, achieved on 19 November 1997 against Walsall in a League Cup fourth-round game. Lampard's three goals, along with one from John Hartson, led West Ham to victory against Walsall. In total, Lampard made 42 appearances in all competitions during the 1997–98 season, scoring nine goals.


Lampard continued to play a pivotal role for West Ham in the 1998–99 season, featuring in every match. His contributions were instrumental in West Ham securing fifth place in the 1998–99 Premier League and earning qualification for the UEFA Intertoto Cup—a historical high for the club in the league.

References

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