What was I supposed to do? Be born earlier. My whole area is Chelsea anyway. As I said we hadn't won a trophy in decades before I started supporting Chelsea. I was heavily against the sacking of Vialli and stood by him even after the Sunderland pumping. I know people (my next door neighbour inc) that have been going to Chelsea and ST's there since the 60s never mind 70s or 80s. Apart from Grant, I have never once called for the sacking of any Chelsea manager. Most people I know have been priced out, heck even I have been priced out. I don't need to have supported Chelsea longer to know that our main rivals have always been West Ham, Spurs and Arsenal. Forget United and Liverpool, they are only "rivals" because games we've had against them have often been in finals or QF/SF in major competitions. Thankfully QPRNUTS has seen the light though P.S Kingston is in a majority Chelsea area which is less than 7 miles from Stamford Bridge. I struggle to see how anyone from or near there can be a gloryhunter if they support a local team, if it were Man Utd or Liverpool I could understand. Last time I was in W12 I saw a man with a daughter and son, the daughter in a Fulham shirt and the son in a Chelsea shirt, I struggle to see how they can be labelled gloryhunters.
You can't be held responsible for being young District, just irresponsible for chosing such a dross bunch of knuckle-draggers to support!! On the subject of Kingston may I remind you that Kingstonians FC are half a mile away from the club shop on the high street? Bet you only know about them because Chelsea play them in pre-season friendlies! You have just as much loyalty towards Fulham, QPR or even Palace & Wimbledon if you base your argument on location. Why did you pick Chelsea? Were you oblivious to their past when you decided that was the team for you? Family all supported them maybe? There are many Chelsea supporters who moved into Surrey after that beast Thatcher gave them the chance to sell their flats in Fulham Court and make a fast buck. Asking those who live near me they all lived around that area before selling up and hitting the Burbs. I didn't choose QPR by the way, they chose me! Half hour walk to Loftus Road from where I grew up. Up the R's!!
'As I said we hadn't won a trophy in decades before I started supporting Chelsea.' Come on DL, don't be shy about the Full Members Cup win in '86 and the Zenith Data Systems Cup win in '90!!! No you couldn't have been born earlier than you were but Grove is right in that you have to look back over 30 / 40 years to appreciate the rivalry between our clubs albeit for the past 15 we've been on different footballing universes. I do disagree with Grove on the result though, I think we'll get another draw this weekend
Interesting thread. IMO the reason why some of us older supporters have a dislike for chelsea is due to the fact that until the early 70's we were little old qpr and had to put up with the patronising views of chelsea mates because they were the big club where as we were small fry. It was only after we started to beat chelsea on a regular basis that the r's statrted to get the credit we deserved from the majority of other clubs supporters with the exception of chelsea fans who still thought of themselves as the bigger better club and basically treated the r's with utter contempt. I suppose today times have changed and rivalries have diluted somewhat due to the global fan base, mind when we got promoted last year a chelsea and man u mate texted saying how they're looking forward to 6 easy points each this season from the r's, so some things never change!!!!
I think Chelsea's problem - if you can call it such - is that those clubs Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham wouldn't call Chelsea rivals. Maybe third or even fourth rivals perhaps. United would have City, Liverpool even Leeds before Chelsea. Chelsea's traditional rivals over the last 40 years would be the clubs in the vicinity to themselves, Fulham and Chelsea. But now chelsea move in such varified atmospheres of the champions league, those clubs wouldn't be entertained as rivals, especially now Chelsea have fans from all over the UK and the world (Nigeria and the Thailand et al) who have no idea where in London Chelsea play. So who do Chelsea really despise? This of course is while Fulham and QPR will still draw the majority of their fans from the West London area. So if you can't understand how Fulham and QPR fans growing up in Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush and Fulham amongst Chelsea fans, have a dislike for a Chelsea's new Big Four status you need to swap your Birmingham A-to-Z for a London A-to-Z. I personally have no real animosity to Chelsea - I used to go to Stamford Bridge a lot in the 80s and early 90s with my cousins who were Chelsea fans, when QPR were playing someone nondescript up north
Reading this thread you'd think that the majority of the shed end in 1986 were QPR supporters with nowhere better to go!
I should say the favour was returned and they'd come to Loftus Road when the reverse was true - but I wouldn't want to add sauce to ChiswickBlue/MickCFC's old canard about Chelsea having two and a half million fans in the mythical 5th stand at Loftus Road (the one that appears every 30 years, for one day only)
Exactly. Was going to mention earlier but did not want to invite the Chelsea' donuts' back. Arsenal see Spurs as rivals as do Spurs with Arsenal. Manu has always been City and Liverpool and West Ham see Millwall as Rivals. Chelsea has only entered in recent years (Roman Times) as in a playing rival but not with fans. Other than the west London 2 they don't really have a main rival, Shame
Some interesting reading here guys. I started watching the Rs in 68 having followed them from 65-66 when we just missed out on promotion from the old 3rd Div. At 15 years old in 69-70 I loved being able to visit all the grounds I'd seen on the 'Big Match' and with a couple of mates we'd see the Rs at home one week and then pick the best match to see the next, I remember seeing Arsenal v Man City, Chelsea v Everton (champions that year), Palace v Spurs, Arsenal v Man Utd and Palace v Chelsea when Osgood scored 4. Every match was a capacity crowd and you just turned up, paid your 1s 6d and watched like a sardine. I remember watching West Ham v Man Utd standing behind one of the goals and you could only see the action at the other end of the pitch the view was so poor with a full house. At the Palace v Spurs cup replay we stood on the roof of the refreshment hut at the Whitehorse end. The grounds had such an atmosphere you'd put up with crap views and facilities, the games really gave you a buzz. Nowadays it's a totally different and somewhat soulless experience, some grounds could be libraries for all the excitement they generate and, although I agree we must build a new stadium, we will never replicate the golden era when you could just drop in anywhere, often standing in 60,000+ crowds. We generate some atmosphere at Loftus Road but you can't replicate the 30,000+ crowds we had back in the 70s and the big bass drum leading the chants. It's a sad reflection of the modern era sadly led by the big clubs putting their profits before all else. In the 'old days' it was the fan's game.
I know, I played Kingstonians boys side when I was a boy, we got battered As you say the club chooses you, not the other way round, my main reasons for supporting Chelsea were obvious: - My Dad's best friend/Godfather who lived on Fulham Court and had been going Chelsea since the 70s was a huge influence. - Most people in my area supported Chelsea anyway. - I refused to pick a team I couldn't see every week or pick just on the basis that they won i.e United and Arsenal - Chelsea was the first ever team I saw play - My Mum supports Chelsea - I live in SW London - Blue was my favourite colour The list goes on. I was oblivious of Chelsea's past, virtually all my family supported Arsenal and from an early age I was pressured into supporting them, I even had to watch their matches (sheer determination and willpower led by away from that path thankfully) Not the fans but if you ask the supporters they were probably similar to me in reasons as to why they support Chelsea.
DL- Keep posting on here mate as i find your posts very enjoyable and personally i think you are a credit to your team with your debates
I'm not saying QPR haven't been close to Chelsea, of course not. It's a well known fact QPR have had period where they have been a better side than Chelsea, mid 70s and 80s etc, even early 90s. I respect that. Chelsea don't have a natural rival as such so different Chelsea fans will tell you different things. I tend to find if you ask most they will tell you the following: 60s: Spurs/Leeds 70s: Spurs/Leeds 80s: West Ham/Spurs 90s: Arsenal/Spurs/West Ham 00s: Liverpool/Spurs Present Day: Spurs and maybe Arsenal In the very early 00s West Ham were probably our biggest rivals due to player transfers as well as the obvious history etc. Every Chelsea fan will probably tell you something different but it goes along those lines. You obviously have the local derbies with Fulham and QPR, and then matches with the Manchester Clubs in the mix as well.
J Agreed Staines, I enjoy DLs posts too, and he seems like a nice lad. He's very level headed and doesn't take umbrage with the less pleasant posts aimed at him. I think the majority of us don't mind him on our board. However, will he be on here gloating come Sunday evening?
Some Spurs fans hate Chelsea more than Arsenal but the overwhelming majority view Arsenal as their biggest rivals, with Chelsea 2nd. With West Ham it is Millwall first then Chelsea 2nd. Arsenal it is Spurs first then Chelsea 2nd. I am only going off forums, match day experience and opinions of fans I know in person of those clubs P.S Thanks QPR999 and Staines
Never kick people when they are down. If we did win (which is a possibility) rest assured I wouldn't gloat. That's something I'd save for Gooner mates and family who are usually very cocky prior to derbies I've always believed there is no point in fans gloating in the first round of PL games anyway because the 2nd round of games matter more. I was quick to remind Spurs and Arsenal fans of this last season but they wouldn't listen.........
District, out of pure interest, where do you believe Chelsea would be if Roman hadn't have come along? In terms of league position and what not.
District,as you know i always refer to your lot as the scum,this comes from a deep rooted hatred of Chelsea born over many years.I too stood in the Shed when it was packed with both Hoops supporters and your own,and a good few who were only there for a bit of bother.It all stems from being born in Hammersmith,and like other clubs that share a close proximity once you chose one the other was the one you hated.Some of my best mates over the years have been Chelksea supporters and we have enjoyed some great banter along the way.I respect your opinions on this board and your replies have always been eloquent and unbiased,i have nothing against you personally and would like you to continue posting on here.Oh and just one more thing,don't come on here Sunday night gloating or i might just have to change my mind about you!! Enjoy the game mate.
'I too stood in the Shed when it was packed with both Hoops supporters and your own' great memories but when was this? I can't ever remember the Shed being packed v Qpr.. or many rangers fans in the Shed either. maybe before my time though.
Sooper, you have a couple of years on me (started following R's as an 11 year old in 1972), but heartily agree with your comments on atmosphere. The old School End terrace used to feel seem enormous, especially when packed with Leeds fans after they won the league in 74. Conditions were crap but we put up with them because it was cheap. Now it's so expensive that we have a right to demand better facilities, but those seem to come at the cost of atmosphere. Not that we have them at LR....
