On Sunday afternoon with 13 minutes left in the Barclays Premier League clash between Manchester City and Chelsea, an English footballing hero was introduced.

Former Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard was brought on as a substitute, but instead of the familiar royal blue of Chelsea, the midfielder was wearing a lighter shade for his City home debut.

He received a well-deserved standing ovation from both sets of fans inside a packed Etihad Stadium.

What followed was something that makes him so special.

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Trailing 1-0 with five minutes remaining and playing with ten men, City’s new boy did something he has done so often – pop up with a vital goal.

It was a big moment in the clash between the two title-challengers, but Super Frank didn’t celebrate.

Instead, he looked almost sad to have scored, although it still didn’t stop his City teammates mobbing him.

A LOT of people are split about whether players should celebrate when they score against their former employers.

I can understand why players don’t celebrate and I think most fans do as well.

During my playing career I wasn’t a goalscoring defender – please keep the own-goal jokes to yourself! – but what a great feeling it was when I did score.

I have never netted against a former team and I’m not sure I would celebrate, as I have had a great relationship with nearly all my former clubs and especially their fans.

Enjoying a win against a former team is no problem for me, as long as it’s not in an over-the-top taunting fashion to the opposing fans.

When I returned to Elland Road with Stoke City in 2006 I got abused for 90 minutes by the Leeds fans.

Luckily for me we won 4-0 and I celebrated with the Stoke fans with no feeling of guilt.

IT’S not a new thing though for a player not to celebrate scoring against an old club and one of the most memorable came as far back as 1974.

Denis Law, a Manchester United legend, returned to Old Trafford with arch rivals Manchester City on the final day of the season.

He scored one of the cheekiest goals in English football history, brilliantly back-heeling a late winner.

At the time Law believed his goal had relegated United, but it turned out they were going down anyway, so Law’s actions did not matter.

ON the other side of the coin, some players show no guilt in celebrating against a former employer.

Staying with Manchester City, Emmanuel Adebayor scored against Arsenal in the 2009/10 season and ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Gunners’ fans.

Obviously, he came in for lots of criticism for that, but when you are getting abused for 90 minutes by opposition fans, you’re full of emotion.

You can’t verbally say anything back, so surely that is the best answer to shut them up and should be allowed.

Just as long as nobody is getting physically hurt then let them be and enjoy the game.

Whether it is in the style of Lampard or Adebayor, I think how a player chooses to celebrate should be up to them and either way they choose, fans shouldn’t take offence or see it as disrespectful.

The high of scoring a goal is hard to describe and whatever the link to an old club, the players are professional and have a job to do.

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