2005: September - Chelsea appoint Frank Arnesen as director of scouting and youth development.

2007: January 10 - Mourinho rejects claims that he has faced dressing-room unrest over summer signing Michael Ballack's contribution to the team.

January 11 - Rumours Mourinho could leave Chelsea in the summer surface after he accused the Stamford Bridge board of refusing to back him in the January transfer window.

January 13 - Mourinho drops Andriy Shevchenko - widely believed to have been brought to the club against the Portuguese's will by club owner Roman Abramovich - for a Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.

Expert View

If Jose Mourinho’s football had been as dramatic and exciting as the manner of his departure, he would still be manager of Chelsea this morning

Martin Samuel

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BACKGROUND

• Goodbye Mourinho: manager leaves Chelsea

• End of the road for gunslinger who played like an accountant

• Battle always destined to end in divorce

• Lack of thrills and high prices prove big turn-off

BACKGROUND

• Grant named as Mourinho's successor

• Take it as said: Mourinho's finest quotes

• Mourinho to leave Britain, say bookies

• Avram Grant factfile

BACKGROUND

• Battle always destined to end in divorce

• Avram Grant rises to lofty pinnacle without trace

BACKGROUND

• Mourinho's transfer hits and misses

• Mourinho and controversy

• Eriksson backs Grant appointment

BACKGROUND

• Wilkins 'astounded' at Mourinho departure

• Your say on Chelsea

• Jose Mourinho timeline

• Jose Mourinho factfile

Multimedia

• Who needs Mourinho - TheGame online

• Fanzine Fanzone

• Jose Mourinho video highlights

Multimedia

• Ahead of the Game: Mourinho special

April 15 - Secures an FA Cup final meeting with Manchester United with a 2-1 extra-time win over Blackburn. Shares a hug with Abramovich, raising suggestions of a warming in relations between the pair.

May 1 - Chelsea are defeated on penalties by Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals. Shevchenko had ruled himself out of the second leg citing an injury, with Mourinho reported to be furious. The Ukrainian did not feature for the Blues again until a 0-0 draw with Blackburn on September 15.

During the close season only Florent Malouda and Juliano Belletti arrive in cash deals, with Arjen Robben, Glen Johnson and Lassana Diarra departing to balance the books as the Chelsea board continue to refuse to match the previous three years' spending.

June 26 - Avram Grant appointed Chelsea's director of football.

July 12 - Mourinho warns Grant not to interfere with team affairs.

September 2 - After a good start to the season, Chelsea lose 2-0 at Aston Villa, prompting Abramovich to leave the directors box before the final whistle.

September 18 - The Blues follow up a home draw with Blackburn with a 1-1 stalemate with Norwegian club Rosenborg in the Champions League. Only 24,973 supporters attend the match and boos ring out at the final whistle. Mourinho admitted: "Of course I am alarmed. I am not happy."

September 19 - Reports claim Mourinho has left the club.

September 20 - A Chelsea statement confirms Mourinho has left the club by mutual consent.