Cech is the one goalkeeper to have kept more clean sheets for the Blues than Bonetti, while only Harris has played more games in the club’s history, and both men have reflected on the remarkable playing achievements of ‘the Cat’, as well as his warmth and kindness off the pitch.

‘It’s really sad news for everybody involved in Chelsea Football Club,’ said Cech. ‘We send our condolences to his family and all the people who knew him. Peter was an absolute legend for the club on and off the pitch and that’s how he’ll be remembered.’

Bonetti made his Chelsea debut 44 years prior to Cech at a time when the club were fighting to regain our standing in the English game. He made an incredible 729 appearances between the posts across a 20-year career at Stamford Bridge, many of which came behind the battling centre-half Harris, who still rates his former team-mate as one of the best.

‘If you ask any supporter who has been going to Chelsea in both Peter’s time or today, without being disrespectful to any other Chelsea goalkeepers who are playing or who have played for Chelsea, the supporters would say Peter is one of the very best,’ said Harris.

-Click here to read our tribute to Bonetti