Who will join Frank Lampard's Blues? Get our daily Chelsea newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Steve Sidwell has lifted the lid on Chelsea players’ reactions to the sudden news that Jose Mourinho was leaving the club in September 2007.

Mourinho had brought huge success to Stamford Bridge since joining the club in 2004, winning back-to-back Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups in just three seasons.

However, a series of disagreements with owner Roman Abramovich and a slump in form led to the Portuguese’s abrupt departure from the west London club just weeks into the 2007-08 season.

And the news was so unexpected that Blues players were either speechless or overwhelmed by emotion, according to former Chelsea midfielder Sidwell.

“I never felt that tension or thought he was in trouble,” he told The Athletic. “There were a few games before, you could see things in the press and it really bubbled up.

(Image: Getty Images)

“But you didn't feel it on the inside. The players were all united, no one was turning against him, he hadn't lost the dressing room.

“The day he went, I was driving my wife to the airport and the news came on the radio. I just thought, 'S***, he's gone. What's going to happen?' We were then all called into a meeting at Cobham.

(Image: Getty Images)

“It was awkward when Jose came to say his goodbyes. You could have heard a pin drop. It felt like someone had died.

“When you see strong characters like Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry either crying on the floor or certainly welling up… I got upset as well. It was really weird.”

Prior to Mourinho's departure on 20 September, Chelsea’s form had slipped after a defeat to Aston Villa and a draw with Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.

This was compounded by a 1-1 draw with Norwegian club Rosenborg in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge - a game at which Abramovich was in attendance to see that the stadium was half empty - and Mourinho was swiftly replaced by Avram Grant.