The archetypal Gunner, Ashley Cole had the skills, pace, spirit and desire that made him a hero among the Highbury faithful. He carved out his current reputation as the best left back in the world, winning three FA Cup medals and two Premiership titles, and starring for England in one Euro Championship and two World Cups. But Ashley's Arsenal dream began to turn sour when he found himself the focus of tabloid attention in the infamous tapping-up scandal. In MY DEFENCE he sets the record straight: over the supposed meeting with Chelsea, the vicious stories over his private life that forced him into a legal battle to clear his name, and his eventual high-profile move to Stanford Bridge And then there is the World Cup 2006, his behind-the-scenes view from within the England camp, and the most talked about wedding of the year. Whether it is about life in the back-four or a legal battle to clear his name, this is Ashley's defence in every sense of the word.