Gus Poyet

This ebullient midfielder suffered another injury-marred season at Chelsea in 2000-01.

A damaged ankle sustained against Arsenal in September led to a seven-match absence and his loss was keenly felt in the shock UEFA Cup exit at the hands of St Gallen.

Fortunately for the Blues, Gus quickly returned to demonstrate his knack of snatching vital goals with efforts against Southampton, Leeds United, Derby County and Bradford City before Christmas and, on New Year's Day, he skippered the team in the absence of Dennis Wise and Marcel Desailly.

He maintained his reputation as the most prolific midfielder in the Premiership with a final tally of 11 goals - a vital contribution that helped the club to a place in the 2001-02 UEFA Cup - and made all the more remarkable by the fact that he was consigned to the substitutes' bench for much of the second half of the campaign.

He notched another two goals in the 4-0 win at Derby County in April but, rather surprisingly, handed in a transfer request at the beginning of the summer break.