28th October, 2003. Doesn't really ring a bell, does it? Not even on the day itself, the importance and significance of the event and milestone passed exactly 10 years ago this evening. But the seed planted into Arsenal Football Club on this very night a decade ago would turn out to be the creation of one of our most loved players in recent times.
He may not be gracing our shores with his superb passing and his undeniable influence (at the moment), but the mark Cesc Fabregas left on Arsenal during his eight year stay has left him a special place in our hearts; not just for what he did on the pitch, but the character of the man himself, too. Every single memory he left us with was a positive one.
Bursting onto the scene thanks to the departure of Patrick Vieira, he really announced himself - ironically - against Vieira's Juventus by scoring the opener and setting up Henry as we won 2-0 in the Champions League - it was the moment when we knew we had someone truly great on our hands.
So why is he loved so much? Under the guidance of Wenger and the legendary teammates around him, he blossomed into a marvellous footballer. 2008 saw a real turning point when he just began to score goals - which is almost what Aaron Ramsey is reminding me of now. It was his last full season before gaining the captaincy and the freedom he had was showing. Being made captain at 21 at a club like Arsenal just shows you how highly he is regarded at the Club.
Taking on the captain's responsibilities from a disrespectful William Gallas, he then became a player that would just win games for us. My only regret is that we relied on him a bit too heavily - especially with "a certain someone" out injured all the time, and that affected our ability to compete as he was no stranger to the odd niggle either.
Domestic disappointments aside, the reason that Arsenal fans and players liked him so much was because he cared. Footballers are accused all too often of not playing for the shirt but in Cesc's case, it was clear for all to see that he was playing to give back to the club. He showed his passion like no other.
In fact, my favourite Fabregas moment was in the San Siro when he scored from 30 yards-plus to get us into the quarter finals. But if it wasn't the goal or the stage that he had scored on, it was definitely the celebration that won me over. If you wanted to see passion in a footballer - he had it. He's close to tears, bless him.
His gratitude towards Wenger and the Club as a whole is another glowing attribute of his. He made it clear how grateful he was to be given the chance of a lifetime at Arsenal and boy, did he take it.
Even when leaving, he did so in the most heartfelt manner. Whether he actually was "injured" before going on tour is one thing, but he certainly didn't refuse to go (unlike the aforementioned "certain someone"). But before rekindling his own personal love for his home club, Barcelona, he paid tribute to Arsenal and the fans. And as a fan, you can't ask much more from a guy who gave his all for the team.
That is why he will forever be in our good books. He still watches every match, wishes us good luck, and still continues to let the world know of the love he has for Arsenal. His recent interview made my heart melt.
You may be thinking I should get out his arse or something but don't forget, we've had more than our fair share of traitors over the years and Cesc is just a gentleman. He is welcome back at any time and no true fan will have any hard feelings over his move to Spain. Arsenal, at the time, couldn't give him what he needed to win trophies here and so he finally went home. It hurt, but it was for the best.
Cesc is and will remain a club hero in my eyes (legend doesn't seem right). Not only is he an exceptional footballer, but also an exceptional human being. He was simply a pleasure to watch, and a privilege to have at Arsenal.
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