On Her Majesty’s Service: The Cult Hero That Was Fabrizio Ravanelli

Fabrizio Ravanelli had two separate spells in English football with Middlesbrough and then Derby County, proving himself a popular figure with both. He became a cult hero of both Boro and Derby fans’, and the fact that he scored 31 goals in all competitions in his first season for a relegated team in the Premier League shows just how underrated he may have been.

On Her Majesty’s Service: The Rise and Fall of Massimo Maccarone

A name that rings true with Middlesbrough fans, Massimo Maccarone was an eccentric addition to the long list of fine Boro strikers. From Fabrizio Ravanelli to Mark Viduka, to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Yakubu, and Maccarone - the Riverside has long been the home of some great forwards, but the latter proved many wrong with his performances.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Attilio Lombardo’s Stint at Crystal Palace

Attilio Lombardo was one of the most robust right-wingers of the '90s. He spent a year-and-a-half in England, playing for the newly-promoted Crystal Palace in 1997. His move shocked many, as Lombardo had only just reached the heights of Italian football with Juventus and he swapped that all to become Palace's star player of an otherwise forgetful season.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Gianluca Festa’s Hard-Hitting Days

The North East of England has never been a hot-spot for incoming European footballers, but Gianluca Festa broke the mold when he joined Middlesbrough in 1997. Festa was an iconic Premier League player, renowned for his hard-hitting, no-nonsense style of defending, and also for his goal-scoring touch. A player who Boro fans will associate with their "glory days."

On Her Majesty’s Service: Alberto Aquilani’s Liverpool Missed Chance

Liverpool had some forgettable Italian names in their ranks - Mario Balotelli, Andrea Dossena, and Fabio Borini to name a few. They all disappointed during their spell at the club and would move on without leaving any lasting legacy. But none joined with as much expectation surrounding them as Alberto Aquilani, and none endured as torrid a time at Anfield as he did.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Benito Carbone’s Brit Tribulations

Of all the Italian names to have graced English shores, Benito Carbone is one that you may well have forgotten. He arrived at Sheffield Wednesday in 1996 amid the "European invasion" of the Premier League and, despite always becoming a fan favorite wherever he played, his time in England always seemed to have a factor that was holding him back.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Roberto Di Matteo’s Managerial Greatness

Roberto Di Matteo was an understated player. Through Chelsea’s resurgence in the 1990s, he was at the heart of it. But it is as a manager that he achieved true greatness, leading Chelsea to lift both the Champions League and FA Cup trophies in a few months, in what was possibly one of the greatest managerial turnarounds in modern Premier League history.

On Her Majesty’s Service: Zola’s Inspiring Love Affair With Chelsea

The Premier League is home to hundreds of overseas players, but go back twenty years or so and there were much fewer in the English top-flight than there is today. Foreign players were seen as exotic, flamboyant and simply different from what English football fans were used to. One player who was certainly different, but for all the right reasons, was Gianfranco Zola.