Thank you, Brian

After almost 56 years of service to the club he has supported since he was a boy, today is the legendary Brian Pullman’s final game as Chelsea press steward before his retirement.

To the world’s media, Brian has long been the friendly face of the club – the first person they see when they attend a press conference at Cobham or arrive at Stamford Bridge to cover a game.

Brian went to his first Chelsea game as a schoolboy in 1948 and began working as a steward for the Blues 20 years later. He first reported for duty on 14 August 1968 for a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest.

It wasn’t long until Brian moved into the role and he has since become a mainstay at the Bridge, welcoming media to the press room for over half a century.

Ahead of our win against Bournemouth, Brian was presented with a gift on behalf of the club from Chesea head coach Mauricio Pochettino, in addition to a plaque being erected in his honour in the press room that has long been his office.

The current press pack also made a special presentation to Brian ahead of Pochettino's final pre-match press conference, featuring some gifts from the reporters and a warm tribute from The Sun football reporter Andy Dillon.

And Pochettino paid tribute to Brian with words of his own before he addressed the media on Friday at Cobham.

'Brian,' he said. 'Thank you so much for everything that you did, for myself and also for my team. It has been a real honour to work with you and we are going to miss, so much.'

Everyone at Chelsea Football Club will miss Brian greatly and wishes him the very best in retirement. We could not have asked for a better representative. Thank you, Brian.