Chelsea Football Club - The History of the Blues

 

stamford bridge

Most football teams have an emotional bond with their home stadium, but the history of some teams and stadiums is as intertwined as that of Chelsea FC and Stamford Bridge, their home in London. Built in 1877, Stamford Bridge was a running track until 1905 when two brothers (HA and JT Mears) bought it with the intention of attracting an ดาวเด่นเชลซี to play there. When this plan failed, they decided to take the bull by the horns and create their own team: Chelsea FC.

And so began 100 years of soccer history with many ups and downs along the way.

The history of the blues

Chelsea Football Club was officially formed on March 14, 1905 in The Rising Sun Tavern across from the main entrance to the current stadium. A few weeks later, the team joined the Second Division of the growing Football League and played their first game (against Stockport County) on May 29, 1905.

A long and uneventful period followed and it was not until 1955 that Chelsea won their first league title. Initially nicknamed "The Pensioners" by the nearby Royal Hospital (home to army retirees), an early manager thought it gave the wrong impression, and since then Chelsea has been known as "The Blues."

The vibrant 1960s made Chelsea the fashionable heart of London, but the success of the surrounding area was not doubled at the Stamford Bridge course. The team became known off the pitch for its fashionable clothing, accessories and

celebrity lifestyles and the club enjoyed some celebrity in the media during this period. However, the trophy cabinet remained virtually empty, and although Chelsea came close to losing the FA Cup final in 1967, the only big success of the decade was winning their first League Cup in 1965.

Things can only get better

Things did not improve during the 1970s and 1980s, with the team moving in and out of the Second Division and severe financial difficulties that led to the sale of star players.

At the club's lowest financial point, the Mears family was forced to sell the club to new owner Ken Bates for a price of $ 2 USD (yes, two dollars!). However, Chelsea's passionate supporters remained loyal, and some of Chelsea's players

It was a troubled time ranked among the best in England. Among the players of this period are the famous goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, who played for the team 729 times between 1959 and 1979, and forward Peter Osgood, who scored 150 goals in 380 appearances between 1964 and 1979.

Although Jimmy Greaves became best known for his later career at Tottenham Hotspur, he began playing soccer for Chelsea, scoring in his debut game (a feat he repeated with all the teams he subsequently played for). . In 1960, at age 20, Greaves became

the youngest player to score 100 goals in the English league, and his 1960-61 tally of 41 league goals remains a Chelsea record to this day.

Return point

The 1990s saw Chelsea slowly but surely establish itself as a major force in English and European football when Ken Bates financed the purchase of several world-class players.

including Dutch superstar Ruud Gullit (of Sampdoria) and top scorer Mark Hughes (of Manchester United). With Gullit in his first season as a player-coach, Chelsea won their first trophy in 26 years when they beat Middlesborough to win the FA Cup in 1997.

Gullit's shocking departure in 1998 led to the appointment of another player-manager, Italian forward Gianluca Vialli, and the development of the squad continued to show some success with an FA Cup victory in 2000, shortly followed by Vialli's removal. Consequently, his successor, Claudio Ranieri, was in charge of a team that many commentators considered of good quality and depth, but underperforming, when the turning point in Chelsea's fortunes occurred.

The new dawn for Chelsea was shattered when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003. He immediately opened his sizable checkbook to the club's management, who spent more than $ 150 million on an injection of new talent, including

Claude Makélélé, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole and Damien Duff.

Unfortunately, the investment produced no trophies, and new coach José Mourinho was selected from Portugal for the 2004 season. Mourinho made an immediate impression, not only on Chelsea, but also on English football in general, and their drive and ambition combined. with the fortune of Ambramovich they have transformed the fortunes of Chelsea.