New Hibs signing Yves Makaba-Makalamby has revealed how he attempted to welcome senior players to Chelsea during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Makalamby said: "When I first joined Chelsea the likes of Zenden and Melchiot took me under their wing. We had a common ground because we spoke Dutch.

"Along with Jesper Gronkjaer and Ed De Goey they made me feel good. They made me welcome and made my life a lot easier. Then Jose Mourinho came in and changed everything. One by one my friends left the club and it was heart-breaking. I was only a teenager and feared I'd be next. Claudio Rainieri had signed me and with the big takeover I worried about my future.

"I wondered if the new man would fancy me as a keeper or if he'd have his own ideas. I still feel a sense of pride that I managed to survive the changeover and made my way into the Chelsea squad."

Makalamby insists he only avoided sinking like a stone in London thanks to the stars who helped him in the early days.

And he hopes misfiring Blues hitman Shevchenko will find his form next season after helping the Ukrainian settle in following his £30million move from AC Milan last summer.

Yves said: "I always remembered how welcome my friends had made me feel and vowed to do the same for any newcomers. I have made a few moves in my career already. I have gone from Anderlecht to PSV and then on to Chelsea. So I know how hard it is to integrate into a new squad. The dressing room is already made up when you arrive. You have your jokers and quiet guys and everyone knows each other.

"Most of the time a new player comes into training and settles in that way but sometimes they are thrown straight into a day without training. That happened to Shevchenko. We had been in Beverly Hills on preseason for two days when he jetted in. I was the first to go up to him. I walked with him in the street, sat next to him on the coach and made some general chit-chat.

"I did the same with Cech because we both speak French. I sat next to him in the canteen and spoke to him so that he wasn't left alone. Then before a friendly with Oxford I was joking with him on the team bus and made him laugh.

"When you do that someone else is going to come over and join in like Claude Makelele or Michael Essien. Then a group of four or five will form and the new boy will be welcomed to the club.

"No-one should ever feel they are alone at a new club because you need to be together as a squad to be successful."