Former Manchester United, Newcastle and Blackburn striker Andrew Cole inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame

Andrew Cole has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame alongside John Terry, following Ashley Cole as the second and third members of the 2024 class.

Andrew Cole profile

One of the greatest strikers in Premier League history - and certainly one of the most under-rated - Andrew Cole was often unfairly labelled as needing too many chances to score a goal, ever since being labelled as wasteful by then-England manager Glenn Hoddle.

Hoddle famously claimed that Cole needed seven or eight chances to score a goal and omitted the striker from his 1998 World Cup squad, though Cole did get the last laugh, beating Hoddle's Tottenham to win the League Cup with Blackburn - in which Cole scored the winner - in 2002. Were Hoddle's maths correct it would have meant Cole found himself on the end of around 2,000 chances throughout his Premier League career and at his peak he'd have been getting about eight every match; a figure most managers would love to see their striker on the end of.

Of course, Cole was an outstanding goalscorer, but where his numbers are actually better than they first appear is that in his career, Cole scored just one penalty. Across his time with Newcastle and Manchester United, his clubs scored 32 penalties; give those to Cole and he jumps above Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero to second in the Premier League standings.

Indeed, when deducting penalties from every player's goal tally, Cole ranks second in Premier League history, just 18 behind Alan Shearer. As outstanding as Erling Haaland was in his debut campaign, Cole still holds the record for the most goals in a season without penalties, with 34, which happened to be his debut campaign for Newcastle.

So many of the records Haaland broke in 2022/23 belonged to Cole (fastest to 50 goals, most goals in a debut season, most goals in a season), but there are a few he left untouched. Cole shares the record with Shearer for goal involvements in a single season (47 in 1993/94), while Cole was the first, and is one of five players, to score five goals in a single game.

After impressing with Bristol City in England's second tier, Cole moved to promotion-chasing Newcastle. The Magpies did secure promotion that season and Cole finished with 24 goals.

But it was his maiden campaign in the top flight where Cole rose to national attention, scoring 34 goals, despite only turning 22 part way through the season.

Cole scored nine goals in his first 18 games for Newcastle in the 1994/95 season before his shock departure to Manchester United coincided with the Kevin Keegan's side falling down the table.

Cole would quickly become a hit at Old Trafford, winning the title in five of his first six full seasons, scoring 80 goals over his first 145 appearances. The departure of Eric Cantona saw Cole lead the line with the support of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 1997/98 season, but it was the arrival of Dwight Yorke in the summer of 98 that saw United reached uncharted territory.

The two struck up an instant, almost telepathic connection creating one of the most potent striker partnerships the Premier League had ever seen. Strangely, Cole revealed that their understanding wasn't forged through hours and hours spent together on the training pitch; on the contrary, Cole and Yorke played on opposite teams in training.

Yorke and Cole combined for 39 goals in the Premier League that season, but it was in Europe where their partnership was seen at its very best. In the 3-3 draw against Barcelona in Camp Nou, Roy Keane fizzed a pass into the feet of Yorke, who left the ball for Cole. A first-time layoff back to Yorke, who played the one-two with Cole; one touch from Cole, goal. It was a goal scored at lightning speed that left the Barca defenders in knots.

The duo would score 13 goals in the Champions League that season as United went on to complete the Treble, with Cole having his best season in a United shirt the following campaign, scoring 19 goals and being named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Cole spent another 18 months at Old Trafford before moving to Blackburn, where he'd score another 27 goals in 73 games, finishing his career with cameos at Fulham, Manchester City and Portsmouth.

He may not have earned the deserved recognition at international level, but there's no denying Andrew Cole is a Premier League legend.

Liam Williams

• Manchester United F.C.
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