PATRICK BAMFORD revealed the amazing welcome John Terry handed him when he arrived at Chelsea.
And the Leeds striker also hailed ex-Blues flop Fernando Torres for sharing his top tips in front of goal.
Bamford, 27, takes on his former employers when Thomas Tuchel takes Chelsea to Elland Road this lunchtime.
He spent five years on the books at Stamford Bridge between 2012 and 2017 but did not make a single first-team appearance – heading out on loan to six different clubs before signing permanently for Middlesbrough.
But speaking to BT Sport, he has fond memories of his time at Chelsea, especially thanks to the former skipper upon his arrival as a ‘nervous’ 17-year-old from Nottingham Forest.
Bamford said: “John Terry was magnificent with the young lads. I didn’t think he’d know who I was. I hadn’t trained with the first team yet.
“I remember walking across the car park to go get the train and he wound down his window and made a big fuss about me signing. So that was a big thing.
“And when I did start training with the first team, he made sure I felt comfortable and felt included.”
Bamford may not have got any minutes on the pitch alongside some of the huge names at Chelsea.
But he was able to train with senior internationals, Champions League winners and World Cup champions – including Spanish hero Torres.
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"It's a shame the Leeds fans aren't there to see it all, but I can feel the love a lot more this year."
An open and honest Patrick Bamford chats to @rioferdy5 about his rise in stature, experience taken from loan spells and working with Marcelo Bielsa
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— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 13, 2021
The retired forward did not enjoy the best time of his illustrious career in West London following the record-breaking £50million transfer from Liverpool, scoring 45 goals in 172 appearances.
But he still had a massive impact on a young Bamford and taught him plenty of lessons – both on and off the field – to help the Leeds No9 become the player he is today, with 13 Premier League goals and counting this season under Marcelo Bielsa.
He added: “I know Fernando Torres got a lot of stick for his time at Chelsea but he was a great one to learn from.
“He was such a nice guy and he didn’t mind giving tips and advice. Just watching the way he carried himself in training.
“Even though he was going through a tough patch, he was still doing the same things.
“It opened my eyes up to what’s it’s like to be top, top player.”
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