Such has been the interest in former Chelsea player Paul Canoville's story, as told in his autobiography, that giant global news network CNN asked to interview him. Stamford Bridge this week was the chosen venue so chelseafc.com also took the opportunity to speak with Paul.

Our chat was not so much about his life story. His tough upbringing; the way he faced and overcame racism from the terraces on becoming Chelsea's first black first team member; and his subsequent early retirement and battles against drugs and cancer are all told in detail in the book Black and Blue.

Instead Paul spoke about what occupies him these days and his undying love for Chelsea Football Club - the team he made 103 appearances for between 1982 and 1986.

But first he did talk about the book-writing process, which was aided by club historian Rick Glanvill.

'I thought it was going to be difficult but once we started, I couldn't stop, everything came flooding back,' Paul begins.

'There was so much to tell I'd be talking about it for three-to-four hours at a time.

'But the first thing was to tell my mum. Caribbean traditions are that they don't want anybody to know their business and I had to tell her, look, there is an opportunity for someone to help me write my book.

'She said okay and the next thing I knew, she was explaining everything for the book! When they sent me copies, she took six straight away and sent them off to the West Indies.'

Paul claims to be surprised by the interest in the autobiography, and by how many people tell him his importance in Chelsea's history.

'I keep hearing this. Although I was the first black player, I didn't think like that. I just wanted to be a footballer. Whether it was me or whether they would have allowed the next black player to come in after me, somebody would have come in.

'But when I was asked to come back here to a game a couple of years ago, and I saw the Chelsea substitutes were four black players, my first instinct was to think Chelsea have really come up - but then I thought, come on Paul, we are in different times now.

'I keep hearing I am part of the history, but I don't think it.'

For several years he appeared a disconnected part of the history after contact was lost - but his welcome return, greeted on the pitch by a huge ovation at the match he mentions in August 2006, was followed by projects with Chelsea's education department, including talks about his life to school children during Black History Month.

That in turn opened a new avenue to what has become a major part of Paul's life.

'Chelsea asked me to talk to kids about growing up and I found it easier and easier to do because I get on with the kids.

'I had teachers coming up and saying they had been teaching for 15 years and what I had done in one hour, they had never had that attention. I was asked if I was interested in becoming a teaching assistant and I thought they were having a laugh - you need an education for that!

'But it happened last year and I work at St Matthew's School in Victoria. I can see kids and think - that was me, he has an attitude - and I say I am telling you something here, and the reason I am telling you is I used to be like you.

'When they start getting their heads down, I know I have got through to them. They see me as a great influence and it is a great honour.'

Ex-players often view their former club with affection but west London-born Paul falls into the category of devout Blues fan. Nowadays living the Walthamstow area of north London, that is not always a comfortable existence.

'I have been having stick off the Spurs and the Arsenal because I am one of the only Chelsea boys there,' he explains

'I was upset about losing that League Cup final and when Arsenal were at the top and were losing a few points, I was getting hammered! To see Arsenal falter has been good. I've got my head high now.

'I won't say they haven't got a chance because there is only three points in it, but I think they still need a few more old heads to take command - Gallas can't do it all - and it showed against Liverpool.

'That Champions League game the other day, I wanted Arsenal so much to get through because I was thinking, Liverpool again, they always out do us and put on a performance in the Champions League.

'We need to be ready. Second leg at home or not, we have to do it different down their ground,' he reckons.

Paul names Michael Essien as his favourite current Chelsea player - 'the boys is so strong, he battles, I have seen him hold off three tackles' - and wonders how Didier Drogba would thrive on supply from out-and-out wingers in the mould of his day rather than the modern 4-3-3 incarnation.

'I love Drogba, I always did, and I think he has improved in his touch. I love Joe Cole also, he is always exciting and makes things happen, and we need Petr Cech. He is a great keeper.

'I love Chelsea itself. I was walking around the ground and I saw the pictures about blue being in the veins - and it really does feel like that. It is in my veins.'


Paul Canoville's autobiography Black and Blue is published by Headline.