Cole Palmer – or should that be ‘Cold’ Palmer – is the cover star on the matchday programme for our FA Cup third round tie against Preston North End this weekend, which also features an exclusive interview with Benoit Badiashile.
The France international defender tells his back story, including his love of the atmosphere inside English stadiums.
'The atmosphere at games here is really nice,' he says. 'The fans are really behind us and we feel it when we play at Stamford Bridge, and even when we play away. It makes you want to give everything for them.
'It’s not the same as in France. Here, when you do a good tackle, all the crowd are like, "Aahhhh!"' he says, making a generic roaring crowd noise. 'I was shocked the first time I heard this, for me it was something crazy! Just one tackle and all the crowd is up! It was really nice, though.'
An FA Cup tie against opponents with the kind of heritage that Preston can boast also provides us with an opportunity to delve into the past with relish.
There’s a tribute to Tommy Docherty, who played over 300 games for the Lilywhites in the Fifties before becoming one of Chelsea’s most significant managers in the Swinging Sixties.
We also take a look back at a cup tie between these two teams that was interrupted by the floodlights going out during a fourth-round replay back in 1969, and speak to Carlo Cudicini about his FA Cup heroics in 2002, including a world-class save against David Moyes’ Preston.
You can also read the latest from inside the club in Mauricio Pochettino, Reece James and Lord Finkelstein’s columns, not to mention all the news from Chelsea Women and the Academy.
There’s plenty of content for you to get your teeth into as part of your matchday routine, so make sure you pick up your copy from the programme sellers around the ground or order one online from our publications partners Reach Sport.