London 2012 Olympics: Didier Drogba carries the flame through Swindon as torch relay heads to Cheltenham

Stay on your feet: Didier Drogba was mobbed by thousands of screaming fans today as he carried the Olympic flame through Swindon Photo: PA

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba waved goodbye to England by carrying the Olympic flame through Swindon on day five of the torch relay. 

The Ivory Coast international was greeted by thousands of people when the torch arrived at Wharf Green, in Swindon town centre at around 2pm on Wednesday afternoon.

"To carry the Olympic torch is, I don't know if there are enough words to describe it," Drogba said.

"My only disappointment is that I can't do the Olympic Games."

The 34-year-old helped the Blues win the Champions League in Munich to bring the curtain down on a trophy-laden spell in west London but has confirmed he is leaving the club.

He now looks certain to join Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua but said he would have stayed had they not collected European club football's biggest prize.

“I would have stayed if we hadn’t won the Champions League,’’ he said. "We’ve been chasing this trophy for eight years. We even saw the cup in Moscow [in 2008], walking by it, and we could not touch it. "

“To play for Chelsea was the best thing that could happen to me in my life, not only as a player but as a person. I made a lot of friends here which is very difficult normally in football, and they will be my friends for life because we made history here.”

Drogba now represents Chelsea's past but representing their future on the torch relay was midfielder Josh McEachran. He carried the flame on Wednesday morning in Calne.

Gold rush: Didier Drogba has picked up plenty of valuable metal this year Photo: PA

Popular man: the Champions League winner salutes the Swindon crowd Photo: PA

Young hope: Chelsea's Josh McEachran carries the flame  Photo: GETTY IMAGES