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Talk about everything that has to do with Chelsea FC in this thread like news, results, and player info.

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Part 1 : 1905 - 1959

Introduction: Chelsea — A History of the First 100 Years
Chelsea Football Club has been good at celebrating special anniversaries. The year 2005 saw us reach the major milestone of 100 years-old. What better way was there to mark the centenary than by becoming champions of England for the second time in our existence?

Our golden jubilee had been similarly honoured. The club won silverware in the 1960s, the 70s, the 90s and at the turn of the new millennium, but 1955 was the year we finished above all other teams in the League for the first time.

It was also ChelseaÂ’s earliest major trophy. The first five decades had seen the club develop into an integral part of sporting life in EnglandÂ’s capital city with famous players and a large, often full stadium.

Chelsea were popular, but achievement fell a long way short of that now enjoyed by José Mourinho’s team; the team that began the second 100 years of Chelsea history as the best in the land and the biggest football story throughout the world.

A New Team for a New Stadium — the Birth of the Blues
Even if trophy success proved elusive in the first 50 years, the club had been set up for the big time from the moment Henry Augustus Mears had a change of heart one Sunday morning in the autumn of 1904.

Of all the decisions that have shaped the history of Chelsea FC, there can none more crucial than the one this Edwardian businessman made that particular day.

Gus Mears was an enthusiast for a sport that had taken northern Britain by storm but had yet to take off in the capital in quite the same way. London at the turn of the century failed to provide a single team to the Football League First Division.

Mears had spotted the potential for a football club to play at an old athletics ground at Stamford Bridge, an open piece of land in west London. It was a ground he planned to massively redevelop.

But unforeseen problems had followed, as did a lucrative offer for the land. Mears was on the verge of selling up and abandoning his sporting dream.

Colleague Frederick Parker, an enthusiastic supporter of the football stadium project attempted to dissuade him but on the fateful Sunday morning, Parker was told he was wasting his time.

As the two walked on, without warning MearsÂ’ dog bit Parker, drawing blood and causing great pain, but only an amused reaction from Parker.

“You took that bite damn well,� Mears announced before telling his accomplice he would now trust his judgement over others. “Meet me here at nine tomorrow and we’ll get busy,� he said. Stamford Bridge was alive once more.

Not that Chelsea FC was in the original plan. The finest sports stadium in London seemed a little out of place on the edge of well-heeled and arty Chelsea but as history shows, Mears had chosen well. The proximity to the vibrant centre of town made it perfect as a new venue for football.

Due to financial disagreement, nearby Fulham Football Club, already in existence declined an offer to abandon the less grand Craven Cottage and move in. So in contrast to the history of so many clubs, Mears decided to build a team for a stadium, rather than the other way round.

On March 14th 1905, a meeting convened opposite the stadium in a pub now called The Butcher’s Hook. One item on the agenda was a name for the new club. Stamford Bridge FC, Kensington FC and intriguingly, London FC were all rejected. Chelsea FC was what it was to be — and the story had begun.

John Tait Robertson, a Scottish international was the first player/manager and a squad of respected players was signed, providing a league could be found to compete in.

The Southern League was the natural choice for our location but they were unwelcoming to these upstarts. Undaunted, Chelsea simply set our sights higher and went straight for the northern-dominated Football League.

On May 29th 1905, the Football League AGM dramatically elected us to the Second Division. Parker again proved persuasive as we became the first club ever to make the League without having kicked a ball.

The First Decade and a Cup Final
The first competitive game was on September 2nd 1905, a 1-0 defeat away at Stockport. Chelsea didnÂ’t take long to prove worthy of the LeagueÂ’s faith. The crowds flocked to Stamford Bridge with 67,000 recorded against Manchester United on Good Friday of that first season. At the end of the second season, we were promoted to Division One.

Those early days saw Stamford Bridge populated by spectators rather than passionate fans, attracted by what was to become a Chelsea tradition for signing star names.

Chelsea’s first ever goalkeeper cut one of the most distinctive figures in the game. An England international weighing over 22 stone, Willie ‘Fatty’ Foulke was an immense man with a deep-loathing for both centre-forwards and referees.

In the second year came George Hilsdon, nicknamed ‘Gatling Gun’ after a famous early design of machine gun. He was the first in a long-line of centre-forwards to be worshipped by the Stamford Bridge crowd. The 107 goals Hilsdon scored in six seasons led to a weather vane being modelled on him, still a feature of the stadium today.

His partner in attack was Jimmy Windridge, scorer of the first Chelsea hat-trick in the club’s opening home game — a 5-1 defeat of Hull City.

Nils Middelboe, known as ‘The Great Dane’ was our first foreign player and was immensely popular during eight years at the club.

Vivian Woodward was the greatest amateur centre-forward of his day and together with Hilsdon and Windridge, gave Chelsea three England international attackers. If that wasnÂ’t enough strike power, there was Bob Whittingham, scorer of 80 goals in just 129 appearances.

With such firepower, gates of 50,000 were not unheard of in that pre-World War One decade although the results were not always to the crowdÂ’s liking.

One relegation back to Division Two was suffered in that time, followed quickly by promotion but eighth place in Division One was the highest in our first ten years of existence.

The First World War cast a dark shadow over football but during the opening months of the conflict, Chelsea marked our first decade by reaching our first FA Cup Final.

The 1915 Final was held in Manchester at Old Trafford - virtually impossible for Chelsea fans to reach under the circumstances. The opposition, Sheffield United, were more local and the considerable number of military uniforms visible amongst the largely Yorkshire crowd led to the game being dubbed ‘The Khaki Final’. With the odds stacked against us, Chelsea lost 3-0.

Between the Wars - Big Names and Big Crowds
The FA Cup would continue to provide the major moments for both Chelsea and Stamford Bridge.

Although he had passed away in 1912, MearsÂ’ original vision for his stadium was realised when three FA Cup Finals were played there in the years immediately prior to the opening of Wembley Stadium in 1923.

Chelsea very nearly reached the 1920 occasion, losing 3-1 to Aston Villa at the semi-final stage.

Centre-forward that day was Jack Cock, the Chelsea glamour boy of that era. Decorated during the war, as well as stylish goalscoring, he did a neat line in singing on stage of an evening.

Emerging from the horrors of war to face economic depression, Londoners wanted distraction and entertainment in their limited spare time. Crowd figures at the Bridge continued to rise, culminating in an October Saturday in 1935 when 82,905 crammed into the curving terraces for a league game against Arsenal - the highest official attendance ever recorded at the ground. It remains the biggest attendance in English league football too.

It was little wonder this London derby proved such a draw. Arsenal had built London’s first great side — winning four out of five championships in the early 30s.

The pressure had long been on Chelsea to compete with our local rivals. Having never been shy of spending cash since our birth, at the start of the 1930s the club splashed out in style. Continuing strong links with north of the border - three Scottish international forwards were bought for large sums. Alec Cheyne, Alec Jackson and Hughie Gallacher.

Small in stature, Gallacher was the biggest name in the game. Chelsea prised him away from Newcastle with a club record £10,000 fee.

The Stamford Bridge spectators, who had recently emerged from watching six years of Second Division football, our longest spell out of the top flight, caught their first glimpse of the new sparkling forward line in a 6-2 win over Man United. Hopes were sky high but expectations were not matched.

By Christmas both Birmingham and Derby had found the Chelsea net six times. Arsenal scored five at the Bridge. The pattern had been set for lower table finishes. It was a big disappointment.

An FA Cup run in 1932 brightened the mood and Chelsea found ourselves in our third semi-final. Ironically for Gallacher it was against Newcastle. The wee man scored past his former team but Chelsea lost 2-1. The next season we finished 18th out of 22 teams.

Two redoubtable servants — Jack Harrow and then Tommy Law ensured quarter-of-a-century of quality at left-back, but it wasn’t enough to tip the balance.

Some of the stars missed too many training sessions and misfired in too many matches. It was a side high on ego but low on team spirit. While GallacherÂ’s 81 goals in 144 games is was a good return, he is remembered just as much for his indiscipline and volatile temper. After just over four seasons, he left for the north once more.

As London drifted to war again, Chelsea did little to lift the spirits of our fans. It often took England international goalkeeper Vic Woodley to prevent relegation being added to the worries.

The 1940s, the 1950s and a Famous First Place
At the end of the World War Two, Stamford Bridge had survived the bombing and just six months after Victory in Europe was declared, the 40 year-old stadium hosted what remains one of its most momentous occasions — Dynamo Day.

London was desperate to see top level football once more and there were few bigger draws than the mystery of a team travelling over from war-time allies Russia. Moscow Dynamo opened a tour of Britain against Chelsea and it seemed the whole city came to watch.

The turnstiles were closed with a recorded 74,496 having passed through but the shut gates proved no obstacle to the football-starved masses. Just how many gained illegal entry will never be known - although estimates put the total crowd at 100,000.

Such were the scenes around the pitch that the 3-3 result seems incidental but scoring ChelseaÂ’s third was a new centre-forward by the name of Tommy Lawton. Fast of foot, powerful of shot and a legend at heading for goal, Lawton was EnglandÂ’s number nine, keeping Chelsea firmly in the spotlight.

In his first full season he broke a club record with 26 goals in 34 First Division games, yet the team finished 15th. By the summer, cracks between player and club had appeared. After an all-too-brief two years, he was gone.

Two months after Lawton’s transfer, Chelsea spent just over half of the British record £20,000 they had received on a new striker. Again Newcastle were raided, this time for Roy Bentley.

Once again devastating in the air, Bentley was more mobile than his predecessor — and more long-lasting. In each of his eight full seasons at the Bridge he was club top scorer.

Chelsea set-off on the FA Cup trail. In 1950 and 1952, Arsenal were played in the semi-final. Both ties went to replays and both were lost.

Between those two seasons, relegation was avoided by a mere 0.044 of a goal. Chelsea was a club ripe for change.

Manager Billy Birrell retired after the second disappointment against Arsenal so in May 1952, Chelsea appointed Ted Drake.

Drake had been a top class centre-forward for both Arsenal and England and had championship medals to his name. His managerial reputation had been growing at Reading.

He would sweep away the last vestiges of a more amateur age from Chelsea, declaring: “Too many people come to Stamford Bridge to see a football match instead of cheering Chelsea. For years now the players must have been thoroughly sick of all the music-hall publicity. Let’s have people eating, sleeping and drinking Chelsea.�

Drake removed the Chelsea Pensioner from the club’s badge and banished ‘The Pensioners’ nickname that had been bestowed soon after our formation.

He abandoned the managerÂ’s office, donned a tracksuit and involved himself in training. He expanded a youth and scouting programme began under Birrell, a move that was to pay dividends for future managers.

Progress was slow at first but Drake was using his knowledge of the lower divisions to sign a different sort of Chelsea player - value-for-money performers who like the club, were hungry for their first silverware.

Around players he had inherited - Bentley, Ken Armstrong, long-serving captain John Harris, Stan Willemse and Eric Parsons — Drake built Chelsea’s first complete team.

John McNicholl, Les Stubbs, Stan Wicks and Peter Sillett all arrived from he lower leagues. Crewe’s Frank Blunstone was an 18 year-old star-in-the-making who was a target for many big clubs. Drake even brought in amateur club players — Derek Saunders, Jim Lewis and Seamus O’Connell.

O’Connell was to have one of the most memorable debuts in Chelsea history — scoring a hat-trick as Chelsea went down 6-5 to Manchester United at an enthralled Stamford Bridge. That was in October 1954, one of a run of six games that yielded only two points. Hardly the form of champions!

By Bonfire Night, Chelsea were firmly mid-table. Drake ignited his team and they embarked on a run of points accumulation. As Easter arrived, Chelsea were four points clear of Wolves — the League Champions and our nearest challengers. They were the next visitors to Stamford Bridge.

The 75,000 fans who were packed in saw the game locked at 0-0 as it entered the last quarter-of-an-hour. Then WolvesÂ’ England captain Billy Wright illegally punched away a goalbound shot.

To the dismay of everyone in blue, the referee had missed the handball - but the linesman hadnÂ’t. The penalty was eventually given and Sillett thumped it home for a crucial victory.

The Championship was won in the penultimate game, at home to Sheffield Wednesday on St. GeorgeÂ’s Day 1955.

Bentley, by now EnglandÂ’s first choice centre-forward, had been an inspirational captain, scoring 21 goals. Parsons and Blunstone on the wings were key weapons in front of a strong defence, marshalled by Wicks.

Such success unfortunately proved unsustainable. The Championship winning side was an ageing one with only Sillett, Blunstone and Wicks on the rise - the latter two soon to be struck down by injury.

The year after winning the League Chelsea finished 16th and a succession of lower table finishes followed, this despite the emergence of a teenage striking protégée. His name was Jimmy Greaves, probably Chelsea’s best youth product ever.

Greaves was without doubt a goal-scoring genius - still regarded by many as the finest finisher England has ever produced.

Equally comfortable with both feet, his close-control, lightning darts through the defence and unerring accuracy helped him score five goals on three occasions. He reached the 100-goal mark before turning 21 and by the time of his sale to AC Milan in 1961, Greaves had scored an incredible 132 times in 169 appearances.

The importance of young JimmyÂ’s goals was clear for all to see when the season after he left, we finished a distant bottom in Division One. Drake had paid for the decline with his job a couple of months into the relegation season.

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Part 2 : 1960 - Present Day

The 1960s Bring a Younger Outlook
Chelsea were crying out for another overhaul and elevated from the coaching ranks to oversee it was 33 year-old Tommy Docherty. The flourishing youth system instigated by Birrell and encouraged by Drake was ready to bear fruit. Docherty was brave enough to pick it.

As the 60s moved into full swing, he ruthlessly hacked out the deadwood and selected fresh-faced players with names like Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris, Barry Bridges, Bobby Tambling and Terry Venables.

Within those five would emerge ChelseaÂ’s record ever goalscorer, our record ever appearance maker and our longest serving and some would say, greatest goalkeeper. The average age of the side dropped down to just 21.

Promotion was soon won and a classy side started to produce the most consistent league and cup form seen at the Bridge.

Improved fitness and the youth of the players resulted in fast-paced football cheered on by an increasingly partisan crowd, particularly in an area of the southern terrace that had taken the name ‘The Shed’.

The fans were treated to top five finishes and three consecutive FA Cup semi-finals. In 1965, a treble of trophies came close.

Leicester City were defeated 3-2 on aggregate in the League Cup Final, those days a two-legged affair. It was ChelseaÂ’s first knockout cup success.

Liverpool proved too strong in our first FA Cup semi-final for 13 years and the League Championship dream was killed-off late in the season by two defeats up north — the first at Liverpool, the second at Burnley after Docherty had sent home seven players who had broken curfew at the team’s hotel.

Evenings of glamorous European football were becoming a feature of Stamford Bridge life too. In the Inter Cities Fairs Cup, Italian giants Roma and Milan were beaten before Barcelona proved too strong at Camp Nou.

A second FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park in two years followed but Wembley stayed just out of reach. Chelsea were strong favourites against relegation threatened Sheffield Wednesday in 1966, but on a rough pitch, the Yorkshire club were allowed a smooth ride to a 2-0 win.

That defeat hit Docherty hard and he chose to break up a squad yet to reach its peak.

The managerÂ’s relationship with his captain Venables had reached breaking point and he replaced the future England coachÂ’s clever passing with the dribbling ability of a young Scot named Charlie Cooke.

Cooke is one of the greatest entertainers to have graced the Stamford Bridge turf, his creative skills combining perfectly with Peter Osgood. Osgood had somehow evaded the attentions of professional clubs until the age of 17 but once at Chelsea he was the new prince, and would soon be crowned King of Stamford Bridge.

Unfortunately, Osgood suffered a broken leg in October 1966 but that didnÂ’t prevent a third successive semi-final at Villa Park. At the sixth time of asking, a Wembley FA Cup Final was reached.

It was the first-ever all-London affair — the Cockney Cup Final as it became known with Tottenham Hotspur the opposition that afternoon in 1967. The fans relished the prospect of a showpiece occasion but the day turned out to be a damp squib. The deserved 2-1 defeat was made none the easier to bear by the presence of Greaves and Venables in Spurs colours.

That was the last major occasion for Bobby Tambling in a Chelsea shirt although he stayed for another couple of seasons. The player who had taken the burden of goalscoring from Greaves found the net 202 times in 370 games - a Chelsea all-time record.

The Cup Kings of the KingÂ’s Road
Time ran out for Docherty whose relationship with the board of directors had worsened considerably after long-serving chairman Joe Mears, nephew of Gus, died.

A replacement was found in Dave Sexton who had previously worked as coach under Docherty before taking up management himself with Leyton Orient.

The new man augmented the squad with strong characters - defenders John Dempsey and David Webb plus brave striker Ian Hutchinson, bought for just £5,000 - half the price of Hughie Gallacher nearly 40 years earlier.

Peter Bonetti had developed into a goalkeeper of the highest standard. Ron Harris, Eddie McCreadie, Webb and Dempsey formed an uncompromising back-line.

With John Hollins and Charlie Cooke in midfield there was a mixture of endeavour and flair. Peter Houseman supplied regular crosses from the left to where OsgoodÂ’s class and the battling qualities of Hutchinson awaited. Pulling the strings was an 18 year-old midfielder born within the sound of The Shed - Alan Hudson.

Chelsea were in fashionable step with the KingÂ’s Road scene of the time and many celebrities spent their Saturday afternoons in the crowd

In 1970 we reached the FA Cup Final once more, this time against Leeds United — the reigning League Champions and the strongest team of the era.

Leeds rarely took prisoners and although Chelsea had style and poise, we werenÂ’t a team to be bullied either. It was to be a titanic battle.

Leeds twice took the lead on a pitch that shamed WembleyÂ’s reputation but each time Chelsea showed enough steel to equalise. For the first time in a Wembley Cup Final, the sides could not be separated on the day.

The replay was at Old Trafford and was a ferociously fought and at times brutal game. Chelsea again came from behind to take the game into extra-time before HutchinsonÂ’s long throw found its way to WebbÂ’s head and Leeds were a beaten outfit.

Osgood had scored in every round. After three finals and seven semi-finals, Chelsea had at last lifted our first FA Cup. We also finished third in the League for the second time in our history.

Cup victory brought qualification for the European Cup WinnersÂ’ Cup. Man City were beaten in an all-English semi-final to take Chelsea to Greece for the Final where the legendary white shirts of Real Madrid awaited.

With Hudson and Cooke inspired, it was ChelseaÂ’s turn to take, then surrender a lead, Madrid battling back to score a cruel equaliser in the dying seconds. Extra-time proved goalless and suddenly the army of Chelsea fans were making plans to stay in Greece another two days.

They were not let down. Dempsey scored a rare and spectacular goal in the replay, added to by Osgood. Real Madrid pulled one back late on but this time there was no slip-up. ChelseaÂ’s first European trophy was flying back home.

Stamford Bridge was no longer a home fit for returning heroes. Time had long moved on since the days when it was the finest sports venue in London. The club began to build a new 60,000 capacity stadium to match any but sadly the timing was poor and the plans flawed.

The first stage — a new East Stand - was hampered by a multitude of problems and was completed a year late and a massive £1.3 million over budget. Debt was a new and dangerous opponent.

Problems were arising on the pitch as well. An all-time European record aggregate score of 21-0 was set against a team from Luxembourg as the defence of the Cup WinnersÂ’ Cup began but we were eliminated next round by little known Swedish outfit Atvidabergs. And although another Wembley cup final was reached - the 1972 League Cup - unfancied Stoke City won the day.

By 1974 rifts between Sexton and two of his stars, Osgood and Hudson, were beyond repair. Both were sold as initially the board backed the manager - but when the next season began badly too, they sacked him.

Just four years after the European triumph, Chelsea were relegated to Division Two. With the debts greater than £3 million, it was an incredible decline.

The Late 1970s and Early 1980s — Bleak Times
Eddie McCreadie, left-back during the recent success took over and the lack of money gave him no choice other than to field homegrown youngsters plus few old hands still around - Harris, Bonetti and Cooke. Against the odds it came together well and within two seasons, Chelsea were back in the First Division. Ray Wilkins, captain at just 18 was the new hero of the Bridge.

Yet no sooner had the step forward been made than another big one was taken backwards. McCreadie walked out after failing to agree personal terms on a new contract.

Sixteenth place that first season back was followed by bottom spot the next. As Chelsea dropped down a division again, Wilkins was sold to Manchester United to ease the financial crisis.

Creditors were howling at the door as three managers in four years, Ken Shellito, Danny Blanchflower and Geoff Hurst, failed to revive fortunes.

Long seasons were spent in Division Two, crowd trouble was a continuing headache and gates plummeted. Just 6,009 watched a London derby against Orient in 1982. Those who did turn up despaired at the quality of football played.

Crisis point was reached with the players unpaid and the bank not cashing ChelseaÂ’s cheques. Ken Bates, a businessman who had previously been involved with smaller clubs up north was asked to invest.

He bought the football club plus debts for a nominal £1. The stadium remained with a separate company.

What he found he was later to describe as ‘a social club with a little football played on a Saturday’. Even the club’s supposed fund-raising lottery was losing money!

While Bates went to work off the field, it was the left existing manager, experienced John Neal, to sort out matters on it.

The next season didnÂ’t go well. Chelsea teetered on the brink of relegation to the Third Division - a drop that could well have been fatal. A do-or-die game at fellow strugglers Bolton was deadlocked until in the dying minutes, Clive Walker unleashed an unstoppable shot for a lifeline victory. A draw in the final home game that followed secured Second Division status.

In the close season, a large number of players were shown the door. With a modest budget, the shrewd Neal set about finding replacements. He worked wonders.

The Mid 1980s — the Blues Bounce Back
Six players were signed in the summer of 1983 for minimal money and the new-look team gelled instantly, winning the first game 5-0. It stormed to the Second Division Championship in style.

In tricky winger Pat Nevin, prolific striker Kerry Dixon and battling David Speedie, signed a season earlier, the fans had worthy idols once more.

The rapid climb continued with a sixth place finish in the first season back in Division One, Dixon sharing the Golden Boot with 24 League goals and 36 in all competitions. He was destined to become the clubÂ’s second highest scorer after Tambling, finding the net 193 times.

Yet as with the previously promoted side, progress was again hit by the loss of a manager. Ill-health forced Neal to stand down.

John Hollins had been brought back to Chelsea as player/coach. Now our third highest appearance maker behind Ron Harris and Peter Bonetti was handed total control of the reigns.

A second sixth place-in-a-row was consolidation and the squad was strengthened by some quality players including full-backs Steve Clarke and Tony Dorigo, midfielder Micky Hazard and pacy Gordon Durie up front.

But the dressing room spirit was dissolving, important players were sold and the team tumbled down the table. Hollins paid with his job.

After four years back in Division One we were relegated once more, with a talented squad still there. This they proved by cruising to the Second Division Championship a year later with 99 points and a club record unbeaten league run.

Now under the guidance of Bobby Campbell, it was followed up by an impressive fifth place on the First Division return.

Similar progress off the pitch was proving problematic. Disloyal actions by former directors allowed ownership of Stamford Bridge to fall into the hands of property developers.

A long war of attrition followed. Millions that could have been spent on players were used up in legal fees as Bates refused to give up in the fight to keep Chelsea playing at a ground so integral to our history. Eventually a collapse in the property market dealt the speculators a fatal blow.

The 1990s Bring Silverware
At the beginning of the new decade, money became available for our first £1 million-plus purchases, midfielders Andy Townsend and Dennis Wise, but the seasons that followed were frustrating. We failed to rise above mid-table and far, far too often were knocked of the cups by lower league opposition. It was an embarrassing habit — giant-killed 13 times in just 12 seasons.

The football lacked panache and neither Campbell nor his successor Ian Porterfield stayed long.

In 1993 Glenn Hoddle was appointed to the managerÂ’s chair. Instantly the clubÂ’s profile was raised and the quality of ChelseaÂ’s play improved, slowly at first but the momentum built towards an FA Cup Final appearance at the end of his first season.

Waiting at Wembley were Manchester United, a big occasion that came too early for this group of players. Chelsea lost 4-0 after a bright start. The scoreline was rather harsh.

The next year was one of progress again as HoddleÂ’s tactics took a squad of limited size and ability to the European Cup WinnersÂ’ Cup semi-finals, but his biggest contribution came in the summer that followed.

With the future of Stamford Bridge now secure, extra funds were available. A player of the very highest reputation was needed to kick-start the club and Hoddle was the magnet that persuaded Dutch legend Ruud Gullit to leave Italy for west London.

Another coup followed when we signed striker Mark Hughes from Man United. With the purchase of Romanian international wing-back Dan Petrescu soon after, flowing, passing football was back on the menu.

In just one season, Gullit was already being labelled ChelseaÂ’s best player ever and when Hoddle departed to become England manager in the summer of 1996, there was no-one better placed to take over than the ex-World Player of the Year.

Using his European knowledge and contacts, Gullit brought in famous Italian striker Gianluca Vialli, quickly followed by current Italian international midfielder Roberto Di Matteo and French sweeper Frank Leboeuf. Gianfranco Zola - another superstar of Serie A - was signed a few months later.

The FA Cup Final was reached in thrilling fashion and this time Chelsea were ready.

It took Di Matteo just 43 seconds, a Wembley Cup Final record, to fire his side ahead. Homegrown Eddie Newton sealed a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough in the second-half. A long 26 year wait for honours was over and what followed were the longest celebrations seen in the history of the famous old stadium.

Sadly not present was Matthew Harding, a lifelong supporter and young millionaire who had become vice-chairman. He had died in a helicopter accident when returning from a game a few months earlier. His legacy is the stand at the north end of Stamford Bridge, a construction he played a big part in financing and now bears his name.

The team was strengthened once more in the summer as Chelsea were quick to exploit the ‘post-Bosman’ transfer market. Gullit’s eye for talent was as good as any manager in Chelsea history as inspirational midfield goalscorer Gustavo Poyet and young Norwegian striker Tore Andre Flo were snapped up for next to nothing.

Added were Celestine Babayaro, England left-back Graeme Le Saux - returning to the club where he had first broken into the game - and goalkeeper Ed de Goey. All five would play a major part in the seasons that followed.

The next campaign was another historic one although Gullit was not to survive it. After new contract talks broke down in early 1998, he was replaced from within by Vialli.

Three months later Vialli already had two trophies to his name. Middlesbrough, again, were beaten 2-0 in the Coca Cola Cup Final with another youth product, Frank Sinclair, and Di Matteo the scorers.

Then in Stockholm, over 20,000 Chelsea fans saw Zola rise from the bench to score the only goal against Stuttgart and secure the European Cup WinnersÂ’ Cup for a second time.

In the summer that followed, Frank Leboeuf was in the France team that won the World Cup. His central defensive partner in the Final, Marcel Desailly had just weeks before signed for Chelsea. Our profile on the world stage was rising all the time.

It was shades of 1971 once more as mighty Real Madrid were defeated to win the European Super Cup in Monaco, Poyet finding the net.

The season that followed saw our first genuine challenge for the English League title since the 1960s. We were to finish third, four points behind winners Man United having lost only three games. De Goey set a new Chelsea record for clean sheets in a season.

Third place meant Champions League football for the first time and it proved to be to ChelseaÂ’s taste as we became the first English club to reach the quarter-finals at the first attempt.

A famous Dennis Wise equaliser in MilanÂ’s San Siro stadium, GalatasarayÂ’s red-hot support silenced by a 5-0 win in Turkey and the giants of Barcelona beaten 3-1 at the Bridge were the highlights of the campaign.

The Spaniards eventually knocked us out in the mighty Camp Nou but there was plenty of consolation as we contested the last ever FA Cup Final at the old Wembley Stadium. It was Aston Villa’s turn to suffer the Di Matteo Wembley goal habit — 1-0 the final score.

Just 20 years after the club had teetered on the brink of financial collapse, Chelsea equalled the British transfer record by paying £15 million for goalscorer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. His first goal in his first game helped us raise the Charity Shield to make it six trophies in a little over three years.

Lifting the silverware was inspirational west London-born captain Dennis Wise, enjoying his reward for 11 years of outstanding service and his efforts in pulling together a multinational squad.

All was not well below the surface however. Problems were occurring between Vialli and an increasing number of his players and some of his transfer purchases had not worked out. The team was an ageing one and with the need for much rebuilding imminent, the club decided to look elsewhere for someone to oversee it.

The New Millennium, Two Managers and a New Owner
Claudio Ranieri, an Italian who had built knockout cup-winning sides at Fiorentina in his homeland and Valencia in Spain was selected. His first season ended with Chelsea qualifying for Europe for a fifth season-in-a-row.

Hasselbaink won the Premiership Golden Boot with 23 league goals, earning him the right to named in the same breath as Hilsdon, Bentley, Greaves, Osgood and Dixon when Chelsea centre-forwards are discussed.

Ranieri began his transfer work, shipping out Wise, Poyet and Leboeuf. He spent £42 million to bring in defender William Gallas, midfielders Frank Lampard, Emmanuel Petit, Slavisa Jokanovic plus wingers Jesper Gronkjaer and Boudewijn Zenden.

The rebuilding of a new compact Stamford Bridge was completed for the start of the 2001/2 season and for an FA Cup quarter-final that same campaign, Chelsea travelled to Tottenham.

This fixture had grown into no ordinary London derby. Over 12 years Chelsea had built an incredible unbeaten run over our local rivals, having not lost a single game to them during that time.

But in January 2002 in a League Cup semi-final, Spurs had recorded a rare and heavy success — beating us 5-1 on their patch. We returned six weeks later in the FA Cup, hungry for revenge and thumped them 4-0. Fulham were then beaten in the semi-final but a third consecutive London derby in the Final at Cardiff was lost to Arsenal 2-0.

Cup finals and top six finishes were becoming commonplace but debts accumulated in rebuilding the team, the stadium plus the construction of an adjoining hotel and leisure complex were causing concern.

There was relief when a win in the final game of the 2002/3 season over Liverpool saw us and not them qualify for the lucrative Champions League. But the debt burden still made the club ripe for new investment and on July 2nd 2003, Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea.

Just 36 years-old, Abramovich was a Russian billionaire almost unknown in England at the time.

News of the sale came out of the blue, and at first the picture was unclear. Would there be money for new players, would there be a change in manager and would Gianfranco Zola remain at the club?

Funds had been unavailable to offer the soon-to-be 37 year-old a suitable new contract. Now everything had changed but Zola had already given his word to a club back home in his native Sardinia. In this most incredible of weeks for Chelsea, possibly the most universally popular player ever to wear our shirt departed.

It soon became clear the direction the club would be taking when Abramovich sanctioned the biggest close-season spending spree world football had ever seen.

Young English talent was bought in the shape of Glen Johnson, Wayne Bridge and Joe Cole. Other Premiership clubs were raided for Gérémi and Juan Sebastián Veròn while Damien Duff was a new club record purchase at £17 million.

Italy’s Serie A was the next port of call for two top level strikers, Adrian Mutu and Hernán Crespo, while the final piece in the jigsaw was Claude Makelele. The past Champions League winner from Real Madrid would anchor the midfield.

Over £100 million was spent on players for the new season and away from the pitch, Abramovich took the club back into private ownership.

The new-era Chelsea put down an impressive early marker with our first win at Anfield in 11 years in the opening Premiership game.

In November 2003 came two significant wins. Lazio were beaten 4-0 in Rome to set a new record margin of victory for a foreign team in Italy and then Premiership champions Manchester United were defeated to send Chelsea top of the table.

The championship challenge stuttered over Christmas but in the Champions League quarter-finals at Highbury, Arsenal were memorably beaten for the first time in 17 meetings.

Unfancied Monaco, managed by former Chelsea player Didier Deschamps stood between us and the Champions League Final. But in two games of wildly-fluctuating fortunes, the team from the Mediterranean principality won through. Back home, second place in the domestic league table was ChelseaÂ’s second best finish ever.

The squad had changed a lot under RanieriÂ’s control and had a younger look but after four years without a trophy, the decision was taken to bring in a new coach capable of leading a concerted challenge for footballÂ’s highest honours.

In just two seasons, José Mourinho had taken Porto to successive UEFA Cup and Champions League triumphs as well as back-to-back leagues plus domestic cups in his native Portugal.

Brimming with self-assurance, the 41 year-old set about instilling the same belief in a squad which had again been bolstered. Portuguese internationals Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho and Tiago followed Mourinho to London. Two of Europe’s hottest young prospects, Petr Cech and Arjen Robben also arrived, as did Didier Drogba, raising the club record purchase fee to more than £20 million. Mateja Kezman was a second new striker.

One of MourinhoÂ’s first acts was to hand the captainÂ’s armband to John Terry, the best Chelsea youth product for over two decades.

A win over Manchester United on the opening day began the Premiership trail and once top spot had been gained in November, it was never likely to be relinquished.

The Championship was won with the best points total and best defensive record in English top-flight history. Terry was the first Chelsea player to be voted PFA Player of the Year while Lampard, who had scored 19 goals from midfield in all competitions, was the Footballer of the Year.

Chelsea may have fallen short in the Champions League again (losing to Liverpool in the semi-final) but a Carling Cup victory with the team from Anfield again the opponents, ensured 2004-5 was our most successful season ever.

It truly was the perfect way to celebrate ChelseaÂ’s first 100 years.

[2Slick]

Gérémi: We must keep the pressure on

Friday, Nov 17, 2006
Gérémi: We must keep the pressure on

The response to the defeat at Tottenham has been strong — eight goals and two clean sheets in the 180 minutes of football since. Gérémi was right-back for those games and looks forward to the next derby challenge.



With West Ham as visitors to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, the target is a third successive home win.



The Cameroonian has rewarded José Mourinho’s decision to select him for the wins over Aston Villa and Watford with three assists over the two games.



He has told chelseafc.com that in common with many people, he believed it was only a matter of time before the opposition net took a bit of a pummelling.



‘The fact we have been scoring lots of goal is good for the team and good for the strikers to have confidence, because we had been creating a lot of chances and we believe we were unfortunate not to score many. But now we have fortune on our side and we are scoring.’



‘I am enjoying myself because I am helping the team to win,’ he says, ‘and we have got the target; we have to put Man United under pressure. So we don’t need a mistake.’



The diamond midfield system utilised in the last two wins calls on the full-backs to provide width in the opposition half. It has suited Gérémi, a player who did similar for Real Madrid earlier in his career, as well as played on the right of midfield for Middlesbrough.



‘I have the possibility to go up and down, that is important for the team and that is the way the manager wants us to play,’ he says.



‘Normally when the ball is coming to my side I have to open up, give the width and if it is possible, go and cross. But if the play is on the other side, I have to get back and close down.’



The visit of West Ham recalls the last meeting between the sides at the Bridge, a dramatic early kick-off last April and a vital day in the quest for back-to-back titles. One-nil down and one-man down within 17 minutes, Chelsea powered back to win 4-1 in display of mental and physical fortitude.



Gérémi was right-back that day too.



‘West Ham had good fans,’ he recalls, ‘but in our stadium at Stamford Bridge, we had our twelfth man which was the fans.



‘We hope tomorrow they will be there, they will be massive and help us try to push on and get the result.



‘This game is a London derby and we have a lot of respect for West Ham but we play at home.



‘At home when we have ambition, we don’t lose many points.’

[2Slick]

Hedman handed 22

Friday, Nov 17, 2006
Hedman handed 22

José Mourinho has presented his newest signing, Magnus Hedman, with his Chelsea shirt. The new goalkeeper will wear squad number 22, the one previously carried by Eidur Gudjohnsen.



The 33 year-old ex-Swedish international has come out of 18 months of retirement to redress the shortfall in keeper numbers caused by the injury to Petr Cech.



‘I am very happy that we have brought him back to football,’ said Mourinho after the shirt was handed over.



‘Magnus is too young and too good to be out of football so soon.



‘To face the next few months with only two goalkeepers would be dangerous. In spite of losing Petr Cech for a few months, I can say at this moment with Magnus, Hilario and Carlo, the team is comfortable again.



‘His contract is until the end of the season but nobody knows the future,’ continued Mourinho.



‘By that I am saying nobody can say he will not have an extension to his contract and stay at Chelsea; nobody knows if his future is in another club; and nobody knows if his decision is to stop after this spell.



‘But from the evolution I see every day, this is the second stage of his career and not the last six or seven months of his career.’



The player himself agreed that could be the case.



‘I am here to do a professional job,’ Hedman added. ‘Where it leads, I don’t know what the future holds.



‘I will do everything to put in a good challenge. If it ends up with no games, I can still go out with my head held high, knowing I have done a good job.



‘I was in the car and my agent phoned and asked what I was doing,’ he recalls of the moment he learnt of Chelsea’s interest.



‘He told me I might want to stop and said Chelsea are wondering if I might want to come over and train for a couple of days. My eleven year-old child said you are lying Dad when told my family.



He has been pleased with his first fortnight at Chelsea.



‘I am so surprised because it is one of biggest clubs there is yet it is one big family. The players have been looking after me and it is not like anyone is a big-time charlie.



‘I am very impressed by the whole set-up. You can feel they are genuinely interested in you and looking after you.



‘It is not about just buying players like everybody talks about. It is getting a group working together and there are big stars in the dressing room. I think Chelsea have a lot of good years ahead of them.’

[2Slick]

Hammers hit between the posts

Friday, Nov 17, 2006
Hammers hit between the posts

SaturdayÂ’s opponents West Ham have matched Chelsea in bringing in a new goalkeeper on a short-term contract.



In contrast to Magnus HedmanÂ’s deal until the end of the season, the Hammers have drafted in Gabor Kiraly on an emergency two-week loan from Crystal Palace.



The Hungarian has been brought in due to injuries to Roy Carroll and Jimmy Walker — and immediately joins Robert Green (who has played the last five games) in the squad for the Stamford Bridge game.



The visitors are hoping to have Anton Ferdinand back in their defence following an ankle injury he suffered two weeks ago. His replacement in that time, James Collins, is himself now injured (groin) but striker Bobby Zamora is expected to return from an ankle injury.



West Ham manager Alan Pardew (pictured) believes there will be an undercurrent of personal battles in this latest west v east London derby.



He told West Ham’s official website: ‘There are a couple of former West Ham old boys on the Chelsea team which certainly suggests there will be no complacency from them, but it works both ways.



‘There are a lot of friendships between the two clubs. Carlton [Cole] came from Chelsea to us, so he still knows a fair few people there. Bobby Zamora and John Terry are close friends, while Paul Konchesky and Terry have a family connection.



‘So there is a little bit of local rivalry that will be going on during Saturday's match within these friendships. That can happen in these derby games but it is something that is underplayed at times.



‘They will be staring at each other aggressively in the game because each wants their team to win and have the bragging rights, but come the end of the game, they will be friends again off the pitch.’

[2Slick]

Pre-match briefing: Chelsea v West Ham United

Friday, Nov 17, 2006
Pre-match briefing: Chelsea v West Ham United

Chelsea official historian, Rick Glanvill, and statistician, Paul Dutton, look forward to the arrival of London rivals lacking goals on their travels while comparing a Chelsea sharpshooter with goal machines of the past.

Rick Glanvill begins the story.

When he slammed in his third against Watford Didier Drogba joined a select band of Chelsea marksmen.

Barring another decision from the 'dubious goals committee' (such as the one that ludicrously denied Joe Cole after Blackburn a year ago) it completed his second hattrick this season, the other coming against Levski Sofia. And it meant that he becomes only our seventeenth player ever to have managed two or more in a season.

The Drog joins illustrious company such as 'Gatling Gun' Hilsdon (who did so in three seasons), Joe Bambrick (two), George Mills (one), Jimmy Greaves (four), Bobby Tambling (two), Peter Osgood (two) and Kerry Dixon (two).

The most recent person to achieve the feat was Gianluca Vialli, against Barnsley and Trømso in 1997/98. It has only happened 27 times in our history (details below).

Should he repeat the effort before the end of the season he will be in even more rarefied company. Only the greats - Hilsdon (four in one season), Greaves (four in one, six in another), Tambling (three in '63/63), Osgood ('69/70) and Dixon (three in 1984/5) - have managed that.

People forget that Drogba missed six winter weeks of the last campaign while away at the African Cup of Nations and yet still managed 12 League goals. He already has eight this season.

What better opponent to achieve that new hattrick milestone against? West Ham have been occasional neuralgia in Chelsea's neck in recent years, and yet we scored seven against them in completing a League double last season. Drogba scored in both, including his last game before heading off to Egypt.

Still, it is rarely easy against our Scampi Fried friends from the East. Marlon Harewood was brilliantly fed by Nigel Reo-Coker to equalise in the away fixture in January, and they won three of the four Premiership encounters 2001-2003.

What manager Alan Pardew would give for a return to the team spirit that brought those results now.

Last season his side finished ninth and won seven matches away from the Boleyn Ground. They have no wins in six attempts on their travels in this League campaign.

The arrival of the Argentineans Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez - or rather the nature of it - has been cited as the reason for the Irons' rustiness this term. When they faced Arsenal's elusive 'work of art' football on November 5 it was the East End painters-and-decorators who bish-bash-boshed away to earn the three points, most deservedly too.

People made a lot of the fact that they did so without the underperforming South Americans, whose unplanned arrival was said to have disrupted morale. But the Hammers followed up doing the Gunners with a feeble performance at the Riverside and defeat (mind you, other clubs can say thatÂ… ).

Tevez, the bullish forward schemer, can hardly be blamed for that loss, although he came on 12 minutes before Maccarone's brilliantly taken goal. Mascherano, formerly a target of Man Utd, remember, did not feature at all.

Whichever version of West Ham rolls up the Fulham Road, though, Chelsea's momentum has been impressive in the last two games, and even for much of the defeat at White Hart Lane (incidentally, should we now call it 'Three Card Lane', in honour of a certain gentleman?).

This fixture last season, in which ten-man, one-down Chelsea rallied to win 4-1 was astonishing.

José Mourinho is keen to talk about the 'awesome foursome' of Makelele/Essien/Lampard/Ballack but the understandings between new and old players are growing before our eyes all over the pitch.

Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko is looking the most telepathic partnership since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen in 2003.

The football is also as entertaining as late 2004/early 2005, though Joe Cole and Arjen Robben have not yet had their usual share of the limelight. That will obviously come some time soon, as we enter a critical phase of the season.

Gérémi and Carlo Cudicini are likely to retain their places after impressing.

In preparation for this match, four West Ham players - Gabbidon, Collins, Ferdinand and Reo-Coker - withdrew from midweek internationals. All expect to be fit. Pardew has already hinted that his game plan will be to flood the midfield and stifle the hosts.

Even after consecutive 4-0 victories for Chelsea at the Bridge, West Ham remain capable of carrying out that threat.


CHELSEA V WEST HAM — Paul Dutton looks through the record books.

Chelsea's win against Watford last Saturday took our record unbeaten League sequence at Stamford Bridge to 50 games. We have won 41 and drawn 9 scoring 107 goals and conceding 21. There have been 33 clean sheets and we have only failed to score on 5 occasions.

In eleven home Premiership meetings Chelsea have won six, West Ham have won four with a goal-less draw in 1999/2000.

West Ham's last win at Stamford Bridge was in September 2002. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink opened the scoring with a penalty but goals from Defoe and Di Canio either side of the break put the visitors in the driving seat. A wonderful Zola free-kick brought the scores level but another Paulo Di Canio goal with seven minutes to go secured West Ham's first win of the season.

West Ham won the return at Upton Park in May 1-0 and were the first team to achieve the double against us and get relegated in the same season since Oldham managed it in 1993/94.

The previous two seasons saw convincing wins for the Blues. In January 2002 we won 5-1. A brace a piece from Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen and Forssell were our scorers. Defoe got West Ham's consolation at 4-0 after Di Canio got sent off. On the opening day in August 2000 Chelsea won 4-2. The scorers were Hasselbaink penalty (1-0), Di Canio (1-1), Zola (2-1), Stanic (3-1), Kanouté (3-2), Stanic (4-2).

West Ham returned to the Premiership last season and lost at Stamford Bridge in April (details below).

The Hammers have lost their last seven away games in all competitions scoring only two goals. In the league on their travels they drew their first game 1-1 at Vicarage Road against Watford and have lost the rest at Liverpool, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Tottenham and Middlesbrough. Their last away league goal was scored by Bobby Zamora at Anfield on the 26th August, 438 minutes ago.

West Ham's last away win was in May against already relegated West Brom. Nigel Reo-Coker scored the only goal.

Their one clean sheet this season came at Upton Park two weeks ago against Arsenal.

West Ham are down to 16th following their defeat at the Riverside last weekend with eleven points from twelve games. They had an identical points record from the same number of games in their last Premiership season 2002/03. They were eventually relegated with 42 points.

West Ham's last six games read like this:
Oct 14 Portsmouth (a) L 0-2
Oct 22 Tottenham (a) L0-1
Oct 24 Chesterfield (League Cup a) L1-2
Oct 29 Blackburn (h) W2-1
Nov 5 Arsenal (h) W1-0
Nov 11 Middlesbrough (a) L0-1

Their nine Premiership goals have come from Zamora with five and one each from C Cole, Harewood, Mullins, and Sheringham.

West Ham's team for their last game against Middlesbrough at the Riverside last Saturday was: (4-4-2) Green; Spector, Collins, Gabbidon, Konchesky; Benayoun (C Cole 82), Mullins, Reo-Coker (c), Etherington; Sheringham, Harewood (Tevez 62). Unused subs: Carroll, McCartney, Mascherano. Gabbidon and Reo-Coker have started every Premiership match and Benayoun, Harewood and Mullins have featured in all twelve League games this season.

West Ham's last major piece of silverware was the FA Cup in 1980. They have never won the league but have won the FA Cup three times and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.

Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard have featured in every Premiership match this season. Michael Essien has played every minute of all nineteen games in all competitions.

Chelsea have opened the scoring in all twelve Premiership games so far, the only club in the division to do so and also the only club to have scored in all twelve.

John Terry's dismissal against Tottenham was our ninth in 2006. The others were Arjen Robben (Sunderland a), Ricardo Carvalho (Charlton h), Asier Del Horno (Barcelona h), Robben again (West Brom a), William Gallas (Fulham a), Maniche (West Ham h), Michael Ballack (Liverpool h) and John Obi Mikel (Reading a).

If selected, Didier Drogba will make his 50th Premiership start.He currently is the country's top scorer with fourteen in all competitions, from Darren Bent, Peter Crouch and Louis Saha on eight. He also heads the Premiership scoring chart with eight. Kanu has seven.

The roll-call of players with two or more hattricks in a season for Chelsea:

1905/06 Jimmy Windridge (Hull City h, Burton a)
1906/07 Jimmy Windridge (Chesterfield h, Gainsborough h)
1907/08 George Hilsdon (Bristol City h, Bury h, 6 v Worksop h, Everton a)
1908/09 George Hilsdon (Everton h, Middlesbrough a)
1910/11 George Hilsdon (Derby a, Leeds City a)
1911/12 Bob Whittingham (Nottm For a, Clapton Orient h)
1924/25 William Whitton (4 v Leicester h, Oldham h)
1925/26 Bob Turnbull (Barnsley h, Stockport h)
1927/28 Jimmy Thompson (4 v South Shields h, Grimsby h)
1934/35 Dick Spence (4 v Liverpool h, Blackburn h)
1934/35 Joe Bambrick (4 v Leeds Utd h, 4 v Man City h)
1935/36 Joe Bambrick (Stoke h, Norwich h)
1936/37 George Mills (Everton h, Man City h)
1957/58 Jimmy Greaves (4 v Portsmouth h, Sheffield Wed a)
1958/59 Jimmy Greaves (5 v Wolves h, Nottm For a)
1959/60 Jimmy Greaves (Preston h and a, Birmingham h)
1960/61 Jimmy Greaves (Wolves h, Blackburn h, Man City h, 5 v WestBrom h, 4 v Newcastle a, 4 v Nottm For h)
1961/62 Bobby Tambling (Sheffield Utd h, Sheffield Wed a)
1962/63 Bobby Tambling (Derby a, 4 v Charlton a, 4 v Portsmouth h)
1969/70 Peter Osgood (4 v C Palace a, Sunderland h, QPR a)
1971/72 Peter Osgood (Jeunesse Hautcharage a 3 and 5 h)
1971/72 Tommy Baldwin (Jeunesse Hautcharage h, Bolton a)
1981/82 Clive Walker (Shrewsbury h, Grimsby a)
1983/84 Kerry Dixon (4 v Gillingham h, Leeds Utd h)
1984/85 Kerry Dixon (Coventry h, Man City h, 4 v Wigan a)
1997/98 Gianluca Vialli (4 v Barnsley a, Tromso h)
2006/07 Didier Drogba (Levski Sofia a, Watford h)

There are no suspensions for either side. Michael Ballack has four domestic bookings. One more will result in a one-match ban.

Chelsea have played nineteen games and won fourteen, drawn two and lost three and kept eleven clean sheets. We have scored at least one in every game.

In the Premiership Man Utd have 31 points from 12 games followed by Chelsea with 28. Arsenal have 21 points with a game in hand (Wigan away on December 13) and Aston Villa and Bolton have 21.

The referee is Mike Dean.

Chelsea's overall record against West Ham in all competitions is:
Played 87, won 35, drawn 16, lost 36

Head to head in the League at Stamford Bridge:
Played 38, won 18, drawn 8, lost 12

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored six goals in five games against West Ham between our opening day 4-2 success in 2000 and the 2-3 defeat in September 2002.

Dennis Wise missed four out of ten Chelsea West Ham games between 1995 and 1999 due to suspension as well as being sent off in West Ham's win at Upton Park in 1993

In December 1966 Chelsea and West Ham fought out a 5-5 draw at Stamford Bridge. With seven minutes left Chelsea were two behind and equalized in the dying seconds. Playing for Chelsea were Peter Bonetti, John Hollins, Ron Harris and Tony Hateley and for West Ham Martin Peters, Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst.

West Ham's George Hilsdon signed for Chelsea at the age of 19 and proceeded to score five on his debut for the Blues against Glossop in September 1906. He went on to become one of only seven to have scored a century of goals for the club.

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Chelsea 4 West Ham 1
Barclays Premiership, Sunday April 9th 2006, Stamford Bridge. Kick-off 12.00
Chelsea (4-1-3-2) Cech; Gérémi, Gallas, Terry (c), Del Horno; Makelele; Essien (Carvalho 89), Maniche, Lampard; Crespo (Robben 66), Drogba (J Cole 90+1).
Sent off Maniche
Scorers Drogba (28), Crespo (30), Terry (53), Gallas (68)
West Ham (4-2-3-1) Hislop; Scaloni, Collins, Gabbidon, Konchesky; Benayoun (Sheringham 71), Mullins; Harewood, Reo-Coker (c), Etherington; Ashton (Zamora 83).
Booked Harewood, KoncheskY
Scorer Collins (10)
Crowd 41,919.
Referee Chris Foy.

Maniche sent-off after 15 minutes. A devastating display from Didier Drogba. One of the defining games of the season.

[Styles™]

Nice few post(s) very enlightening on the background of Chelsea, though I am a FC Barcelona fan over Chelsea...

[2Slick]

Chelsea get home FA Youth Cup draw

Saturday, Nov 18, 2006

Chelsea has been drawn at home to the second round winners of Nottingham Forest v Port Vale in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.



Forest and Port Vale play on 22 November. The third round game will be played at Aldershot Town FC, and must be completed by Saturday 16 December.



Chelsea won the FA Youth Cup in 1960 and 1961 with teams which included Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris, Allan Harris, Terry Venables, Bert Murray, Barry Bridges and Bobby Tambling, all of whom went on to have fine first team careers.



We reached the semi-final the following season, but since then our only semi-final has been in 1973 when much of the first team that won promotion in 1977 was involved.

[2Slick]

Chelsea Youth 0 West Ham Youth 0

Saturday, Nov 18, 2006
Chelsea Youth 0 West Ham Youth 0

Two of the top three teams in the Academy Under 18s League Group A fought out a high-quality goalless draw at Cobham yesterday lunchtime. Arsenal, top of the Group, will be happy.



Manager Ruud Kaiser, overcoming injuries and a very small squad because of loans, was delighted with the performance.



‘It was a really good open game, both teams played positive football. We had several chances in the first-half to score, great attacks building up from the back four, through midfield, through the Number 10, out to the wingers, we had six or so attacks like this. But the last ball or the run to the near post wasn’t quite there, and we just couldn’t score.



‘West Ham were playing good football too, and this was not a boring game at all.’



Two players came back from injury. In goal, Rhys Taylor (pictured), 16, played his first game since injuring a thigh playing for Wales Under-19s early in the season. ‘He didn’t have to do much, but the two or three things he did, he did very well,’ said Ruud.



Ricardo Fernandes, 17, returned in midfield, but was always going to be substituted because he has to play on Monday in the reserves. However, Sam Hutchinson suffered a return of the knee injury heÂ’s recently overcome in the first-half. So Lee Sawyer who was doing well in midfield was switched to right-back, Liam Bridcutt moved from there to centre-back, and Michael Woods came on in midfield. Woods was also being saved for Monday.



There was much switching of positions in the second-half which was all taken on board successfully, again pleasing Kaiser. When Ben Sahar, another being saved for Monday, came on with 30 minutes to go for left-winger Nielsen he went to centre-forward, Cummings went from the centre to the right, and Stoch from right to left.



Then when Fernandes, the Number 10, went off, Stoch dropped into that role and Saarelma took the left-wing position.



Ofori-Twumasi and Tejera are both injured, and of course Cork and Bertrand are on loan as well as reserve players Mancienne, Smith and Grant. So schoolboy Hibbert was able to enjoy 90 minutes.



Stoch and Cummings were booked. West Ham had a player sent off two minutes from time for two yellow cards.



Team (4-2-1-3) Taylor; Bridcutt (c), Worley, Hutchinson (Woods 35), Hurrell; Sawyer, Hibbert; Fernandes (Saarelma 70); Stoch, Cummings, Nielsen (Sahar 60).





CHELSEA YOUTH ON RECORD



Games

Liverpool (a) W 1-0; Sheff Wed (h) W 1-0; Bristol City (a) W 2-0; Cardiff (h) W 2-1; Tottenham (a) W 4-0; Millwall (a) W 3-1; Charlton (h) W 1-0; Southampton (a) W 2-1; Fulham (h) W 3-1; Crystal Palace (a) L 3-4; Ipswich (h) L 1-2; Norwich (a) W 1-0; West Ham (h) D 0-0.



Appearances 13

Bridcutt 13, Stoch 13, Worley 12, Fernandes 10, Cummings 9+1, Ofori-Twumasi 9+1, Tejera 8+1, Hurrell 7+3, Hutchinson 7, Russell 7, Elmer 6, Sawyer 5+3, Nielsen 4+4, Woods 4+1, Cork 4, Simmonds 4, Saarelma 3+6, Sahar 3+4, F Ferreira 3+3, Bertrand 3+2, Hamann 3, Taylor 3, Sinclair 2+1, Hibbert 1+1.



Goals 24

Stoch 7, Sahar 4, Tejera 3, Saarelma 2, Cummings 1, Elmer 1, Fernandes 1, F Ferreira 1, Hutchinson 1, Sinclair 1, Woods 1, Worley 1.



Penalties won 2

Stoch 1, Tejera 1.



Penalties scored 1

Stoch 1, Tejera 1.



Penalty conceded 1

Ofori-Twumasi 1.



Own goals 1

Worley 1.



Woodwork 8

Bridcutt 2, Cummings 2, Stoch 2, Hurrell 1, Sahar 1.



Booked 13

Sawyer 3, Tejera 2, Cummings 1, Fernandes 1, Hutchinson 1, Ofori-Twumasi 1, Sahar 1, Stoch 1, Woods 1, Worley 1.



Sent off 1

Sawyer 1.



Opponents sent off 3

Cardiff home, fighting with Sawyer; Millwall away, bringing down Cummings; West Ham home, two yellows.



Suspended 3

Sawyer 3.