I helped end Chelsea’s 26-year wait for a major trophy – but I was a week away from joining Arsenal

Scott Minto’s gamble to reject Arsenal paid off after helping to end Chelsea’s 26-year drought.

The former defender started in Chelsea’s 1997 FA Cup final victory over Middlesbrough, but things could have gone differently.

After six years at Charlton, Minto decided to leave in 1994, with London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea both keen to sign him.

And it was at Highbury that Minto thought he would make his move, with manager George Graham offering him a contract.

But the left-back refused to make a hasty decision – giving Chelsea a week to present their own offer before accepting the Gunners’ proposal.

In the end, Minto walked out of his meeting with legendary boss Graham to sign for the Blues that same evening.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com about how he was close to joining Arsenal, he said: “I actually thought in the second half of my last season at Charlton that I would sign for Arsenal.

“Theo Foley (former Arsenal assistant) told me they were watching me and wanted to make an offer.

“At the time, the transfer window – the last one – was the third Thursday in March, they said they weren’t going to buy me now, but they would at the end of the season.

“They wanted to wait, I was letting my contract expire and they said it would be cheaper that way, so I ended up meeting George at Highbury.

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“It was just me, a 22-year-old, single young man who liked to go out for a few nights and didn’t consider men to be that charming.

“But I came away from that meeting thinking that was the word, (Graham) was a very lovely guy, but the reason I didn’t sign for Arsenal was because he told me said – and it wasn’t about the money.

“He told me I could have a three- or four-year contract, but it wouldn’t increase. And I said, ‘Well, what about even with inflation?’

“He said, ‘No. If you’re bad, we’re not going to take any money from you, so if you’re good, we’re not going to give you any extra money.’

“So I thought, ‘OK. It’s still Arsenal’, but he said maybe I should wait 18 months for Nigel Winterburn – I should have waited ten years for Nigel, he went on for hours , he’s a brilliant guy!

“And I had seen Colin Pates go from Chelsea to Charlton, he was our captain at Charlton, to Arsenal, but being stuck in the reserves and not really being seen.

“And I was in the first team since I was 17, and the reserves for me was, it doesn’t matter where you are, the reserves are the reserves, it’s not first team football.

“So he (Graham) said, ‘Nigel had to wait 18 months for Kenny (Sansom)’ and I might have to wait 18 months for Nigel. And I just thought it was about here and now.

“So I kind of told it to a pig, I said, ‘I don’t have an agent,’ which was true, I said, ‘I’m here by myself, my dad is on a business trip for a week’, which he wasn’t, ‘Do you mind if I wait for him to come back and chat with him?’

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“At that time, or before, Keith Peacock, who was (then Chelsea player) Gavin Peacock’s father, Keith worked at Charlton (as under-21 boss), said: ‘I want you to be at Chelsea, I think Chelsea are interested. Give me a few days.

“I called him on the payphones after coming out of that meeting at Highbury and I said, ‘Keith, they’ve offered me a contract, you’ve got a week, and if Chelsea don’t come, I’ll signs for Arsenal.

“That night I met Chelsea, they offered me a better contract, but it wasn’t about money, it was more about football, and so I signed.

“I actually called (Arsenal) the next day to try to speak to George, and I was told, ‘He won’t want to speak to you,’ I said, ‘Well, can you at least tell him I tried.’ “

Minto remained at Stamford Bridge for three years, with his final outing proving to be a 2–0 victory over Boro in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.

He then joined Benfica on a free transfer, where he became the first Englishman to play for the Portuguese side.

But he hopes his former club can move closer to another triumph when they face Manchester City in the semi-final.

Chelsea vs Man City is live on talkSPORT on Saturday April 20 from 5.15pm