Frank's dramatic equaliser in the Champions League Final in Moscow took him to the 20-goal milestone for the third season-in-a-row. It also gave him 80 goals in four seasons. And all from midfield!!

Eyebrows raised over an original £11 million transfer fee paid seven years ago have long been forgotten now Frank has an impressive collection of winners' medals; is Chelsea's top scoring midfield player ever; is the club's seventh highest scorer of all-time and is only the second player to win 50 international caps while a Chelsea player.

In 2006/07, his 62 games was the highest total by any Chelsea player in a single campaign and although last year was affected by two rare injuries and bereavement, Frank continued to drive Chelsea on from midfield game after game after game.

No-one of his age has enjoyed more Premier League football and no-one plays more often at Chelsea.

When in December 2005, he finally missed a game due to a virus, it brought to an end a new Premier League record of 164 consecutive appearances.

Ironically, Frank's ever-present habit was one of the reasons why he was under-appreciated by some at the club that nurtured him.

With Frank's father the West Ham first team coach, sections of the support at Upton Park cried nepotism over young player's regular place in their side. He was ever-present in the Hammers team that finished fifth in '98/'99 and was capped for England the next season.

When manager Harry Redknapp and Frank senior were sacked from Upton Park, it was time for our Frank to move on.

After a quiet start at the Bridge, he bloomed into one of Europe's finest and in 2003/04, Frank's phenomenal form was only beaten by Thierry Henry when English football's individual awards were handed out.

He was well worth his place in the Euro 2004 team and was voted the England team's Player of the Year.

The top performances continued to come, as did the goals, Frank's powerful shooting firing Chelsea to the 2004/05 Championship as he top-scored from midfield with 13 in the League and 19 overall.

He created more goals than any Chelsea player in recent memory and there was no-one more appropriate to score the magical goals at Bolton to clinch the title.

The Sportswriters' Footballer of the Year that year (only the second Chelsea winner in over 50 years) and runner-up in the European and World Player of the Year voting for 2005, Frank continued to prove as close to indispensable as can found in modern squad-based football as his team duplicated the Premiership success in 2005/06.

Again the vice-captain was top scorer, this time with 20 goals. His 16 in the League was the highest total ever by a Premiership midfielder.

That made it all the more surprising when Frank failed to register on the score sheet in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, despite shooting more frequently than anyone.
It drew outside criticism, his years of incredibly consistent achievement seemingly forgotten over night.

He needed to prove himself to no-one at Chelsea and last season he went one better again with his goal tally of 21. Only Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba among top flight players had scored more over the three seasons, and both of them were strikers.

Midfielder Frank also continued to create goals at a rate unrivalled at Chelsea, leading former boss José Mourinho to simply describe him as unique.

In 2007/08, having missed September with a thigh injury, his return to the side in early October coincided with a gradual climb up the league table. He contributed 11 goals before his other thigh was strained on Boxing Day. Another six weeks were missed.

That was unfortunate but genuine tragedy struck in April with the death of Frank's mother. His courage and nerve in scoring a vital Champions League semi-final penalty against Liverpool on his return from compassionate leave, followed by his Moscow goal, were among the season's strongest images.

Even Frank's harshest critics began to revaluate their opinions.