As many of you will know by now, Sam Hutchinson played 45 minutes for Chelsea’s Reserve team at Crawley Town yesterday afternoon.

It came as quite a surprise given that the young defender announced his retirement from the game last summer as he battled a chronic knee problem.

The question now being asked, of course, is whether he is attempting a return on a full time basis or if he simply played because of a lack of numbers.

A few weeks ago TalkChelsea broke news of a well sourced rumour that ‘Hutch’ was to attempt a comeback.

Talk of him receiving treatment in Dubai was followed by evidence of his involvement with the reserve team squad during pre-season training at Cobham and eventual involvement at Broadfield Stadium yesterday.

He played 45 minutes in central defence (as captain) and looked comfortable throughout, although he did concede a penalty for handball early in the contest.

What the future now holds for him is unknown, with Chelsea undoubtedly set to clarify things in the coming days. For now, at the very least, it’s simply good to see him back on the pitch again, a sight Blues fans will not have expected to see happen.