On the day that Frank Lampard announced his retirement from football, Chelsea season ticket holder Rory Jennings pays tribute to the midfield maestro.

February 2, 2017 is a date that the Premier League should always look on with sorrow. The greatest player to have graced the league has decided to hang up his boots. No player has demonstrated a better attitude or more application to reach the zenith of the game.

Of course he is an incredibly gifted footballer but it is fair to say that he may not have been blessed with the natural ability of some of his peers. However, his desire and intelligence saw him evolve into a better player than all of them.

Paul Scholes is often viewed as one of the greatest goalscoring midfielders ever. I would agree with that statement but I'd also acknowledge that Lampard scored more goals than him.

Frank Lampard celebrates in front of the Chelsea fans after winning the Champions League

Steven Gerrard is seen as one of the best passers in the game. I'd agree. But again I'd acknowledge that Lampard registered more assists. In fact, whatever attribute any alternative midfielder is supposed to be fantastic at, chances are Lampard was better.

I was in the ground when he opened his account against Levski Sofia, bobbling one in from a Zenden cross and have been there for almost all of the glorious moments since. In 2006 when Ronaldinho was simply unplayable, it was Frank Lampard who finished second in the Balon d'Or hierarchy.

And indeed the Brazilian said that Lampard was his greatest ever opponent. Balon d'Or nominations, breaking goalscoring records all over the place and captaining Chelsea to the most successful night of football our capital city has ever been a part of... all pretty standard stuff for Lampard.

Spectacular goal after spectacular goal. I remember when we played Bayern Munich at home and Lampard scored one of the most special goals I have ever seen. Can vividly remember my dad turning to me at the time and screaming 'How'd he do that?' The truthful answer is I have no idea. Just like I have no idea how he scored on the turn and chipped the keeper in the Nou Camp.

Lampard scores the first goal of his Chelsea career against Levski Sofia in 2006

It is, of course Lampard's goalscoring that sets him apart. He is the highest scoring midfielder ever and is the fourth highest Premier League goalscorer. He played in midfield.

He is one of only eight players to score four-plus goals in two different Premier League appearances. He also scored against 39 different teams in the Premier League, a record in the competition.

The paragraph above is incredible isn't it? However, that selection of incredible stats only tell half the story. It is the nature of the goals that are so dazzling. Goals to win Premier League titles.

Lampard scores against Bolton in April 2005 to win the Premier League title

Goals to win cup finals. Goals in Champions league finals. His goal against Everton in the FA Cup final in 2009 is enough to secure him legendary status at the club but due to the enormity of his other contributions its often overlooked. He has proved everyone wrong.

If you ever called him Fat Frank, the jokes on you? If you thought Chelsea were sold a dud when they paid £11million for him, the joke's on you and actually the joke is also I me. I doubted him at Wembley.

Lampard scored a spectacular goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in 2005

He was lining up a free kick against Tottenham that was closer to the halfway line than it was the goal. I barracked him not to shot from my seat in the upper tier and then wallop, Cudicini picking it out of the net yet again, so Frank, I'm sorry too, as if there was a chance of that not going in.

I think one incident is a microcosm for Frank Lampard. This more than anything tells the story of who he is and what he means to me and people like me. Drogba pings in that penalty in Munich and Lampard's natural reaction is to run to our end. He runs away from his team mates, in the complete opposite direction to celebrate with us. The people who love him and will love him forever.