Wenger urges Arsenal fans to respect Cole

Arsene Wenger urged Arsenal's fans to bury the hatchet with their former leftback Ashley Cole when he plays at the Emirates Stadium with Chelsea for the first time tomorrow.

Arsenal supporters fluttered fake money in the direction of the England left-back last season at Stamford Bridge. The fans have never forgiven Cole for his fury at being offered "only" £55,000 a week and then for his advisers to engage in secret negotiations with Chelsea before finally joining their fierce rivals.

But Arsenal manager Wenger said last night: "I want our fans to be behind our team and not to especially have resentment with Ashley Cole, because he had done well for the club as long as he had been here.

"You want, ideally, for everybody who has played for you to be respected."

He added: "What is over, is over and it is good to take a distance from that. He has been educated here and has done well for us and overall we want him to get a fair reception.

"Usually players who come back here get very good treatment. Patrick Vieira came back with Juventus and fans still chanted his name. It depends always on the circumstances.

"The difference is people don't accept the way Ashley Cole left but, finally, that is only a minor problem."

Cole insists it is utter nonsense to say he's been afraid of the reception he might get at the Emirates. Cole claims the only reason he didn't appear last season was that then manager Jose Mourinho thought it was better he had an operation to be fit for the FA Cup Final.

Cole says: "What do people think I'm scared of? Fans booing me? I had it all last season and nearly all my life.

"I will go there and prove I'm not scared. I was gutted when I couldn't play at Arsenal last season but there was nothing I could do.

"A lot of people were saying I was scared and too afraid to play but that was and never will be the case."