Lampard blames fans for his woes at Chelsea

Frank Lampard has labelled his time in charge of Chelsea as ‘incredible’ despite being brutally axed by the club after just 18 months.

Club legend Lampard was dismissed in January with his team lying in ninth, and five points off the Champions League spots, and quickly replaced by Thomas Tuchel – which led to plenty of backlash from Chelsea fans.

But, speaking for the first time since leaving, Lampard chose to look back fondly on his tenure – and admitted the atmosphere at games lost its edge without crowds.

‘‘I’m absolutely appreciative of the opportunity I had to manage Chelsea,’ he said in the exclusive Q&A in aid of the Willow Foundation, a charity which enables seriously ill young adults to experience unforgettable moments.

‘‘It was an incredible time. Everyone knows how I felt about the team. From the restart onwards, to the time I left, to not have fans… I absolutely missed them.

‘‘I knew as a player what it meant to me and I knew the effect it has on games. It all felt like the edge was taken off.’’