Cole took time out of his busy schedule to make an emotional trip down memory lane when he returned to his old school in Islington on Monday.

The England midfielder was back at Saint Aloysius College in North London to help promote the FA Learning Grassroots Coach of the Year in conjunction with McDonald's.

And it proved to be an extra special day for Cole as he met up with his first ever coach in the game, Terry Howard, who first spotted his talent aged 11.

Cole will never forget the influence Howard had on his career and the first trophies he won as a player at school.

And the Chelsea star admits he would have no hesitation in voting for Howard as his choice for the McDonald's Grassroots Coach of the Year.

Cole said: "It was fantastic for me to go back to my old school and see all my old teachers. It brought back a lot of memories for me.

"I have seen my old French and Art teachers - two subjects I was never good at when I was at school.

"But it was also good to meet up with my first ever coaches in the game - Terry Howard and Francis Tardioli. They are both fantastic people and it is great for me to give something back to the game.

"I would certainly put Terry Howard in the frame for McDonald's Grassroots Coach of the Year and I'm sure some of his players now would say the same.

"This is a great idea because you need coaches to bring these players on. This is what football is all about because the kids can hopefully learn a lot from these coaches and will make them better players.

"This is how England is going to progress - not just in the next five years. But in the next ten to fifteen years.

"I really hope the kids enjoyed the experience and seeing me come back to the school because I really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can send them home with a smile on their face."

Cole will certainly have a smile on his face if Chelsea manage to wrap up the Premiership crown this weekend and win the Champions League come the end of the season.

And if he does manage to achieve the unthinkable, he will spare a thought for Howard and his former district side who helped him progress on the long road to becoming one of the best players in the English game.

Cole added: "I played a lot games on these Islington playing fields as a youngster. This was our home pitch and we won both the London Cup and Greater London Cup.

"We had a great team back then and I have a lot of fond memories playing for them.

"We had people like Jay Bothroyd and Alan Dunne, who also became professional players, and all credit to Terry and Francis for putting together a great side and doing such a great job.

"Apart from Chapel Boys, they were the first team I won trophies with and we went something like four and a half years without losing a game.

"And even after I went to Lilleshall, they still went unbeaten and had a great side.

"I am still mates with a few of the boys and we are talking about having a reunion and meeting up for dinner. It would be nice to see how everyone is doing."