Too many quality auld boys to leave out the more recent ones cuckoo! Hutchinson was suggested but the talent of Osgood, Drogs, Dixon, Eidur and co is too brilliant to leave out. (and he was riddled with injuries )
The original With a team full of world superstars, the backing of the world’s eighth richest man and one of the UK’s best vocal crowds (when we can be bothered), Chelsea are the victim’s of a level of jealousy not seen since OJ Simpson spotted his wife talking to a ‘friend’. With Chelsea voted at the weekend as the third most hated team in the UK below Man Utd and Leeds (CFCnet voted for Leeds), what saddens me above anything else is opposition fans and journalists resorting to trotting out the line “lack of history” as the only jibe worthy of mention. That line annoys me, not because ‘I doeth protest too much’ but more a question of historical accuracy. Let’s look at some key facts:  Chelsea played its first FA Cup Final in 1915. Yes, you read right, Chelsea played their first FA Cup Final in 1915. OK, we lost 3-0 to Sheffield United but that can’t take away from the fact we played our first FA Cup Final in 1915. We were FA Cup semi-finalists even earlier in season 1910/11. As an aside, when did Liverpool first win the FA Cup? 1965.  Chelsea hold the UK attendance record for any top flight game (Premiership, old Division 1 etc) anywhere in England. Crowd: 85,000. Where: Stamford Bridge. When: 1935. That record has been held for 76 years…….makes you think doesn’t it?  In 1945, Stamford Bridge had the biggest attendance across any football game in the UK in any competition - 120,000 when Dynamo Moscow drew 3-3 with Chelsea in December 1945. That was way above our official stadium capacity but we had thousands who got into the ground illegally and hundreds more sitting on the roof. For a story on the game see here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/sport/atoz/stories/chelsea_vs.shtml  The sixth biggest television audience of all time across any UK television channel was Chelsea’s 1970 FA Cup Replay against Leeds. With 28.5 million viewers, the TV audience is now only ranked behind such events as Lady Diana’s 1997 funeral and the launch of Apollo 13.  European Heritage? How about beating Real Madrid in the Final of the European Cup Winner’s Cup in 1971. Or how about 1955, the year of our first Division One title when we would have qualified for the first European Cup only for the FA to veto it on spurious grounds.  Premiership Record? Feb 21st 2004 was our last home defeat, an English top flight record of over 100 domestic home games without defeat. Points tally? Our tally of 95 in season 2004/2005 is a UK Premiership record. History? Creating it mate, not living off it. After all, when was Liverpool’s last title? 1990. Not a single Premiership to their name… enough said… for more history, click here: http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/chelsea.htm As for glory hunters, well, I ask you, was I bathed in glory when standing in the Shed in the 80’s watching us get relegated? I think not. Chelsea FC, the best team in Europe and the most loyal fans.
Cuckoo, where is that originally from?! I've have it on my laptop for a couple of years and can't think where I saved it from
Just the one injury for Hutch mate Crutiate ligament, finished him at a time when surgery was not what it is today. Don't compare him to your suggestions though, he was an attacking midfielder imho.
True but who do you see him replacing in the squad picked? + What would you 11 be... you can mull it over like blue is if you like
(I am even tempted to give Albert Ferrer a special mention, simply for having Kluivert deep in his back pocket in '99 at the bridge )
Drogs---I think you've got as close to the best team as is possible. The only things I would mention are 1) I'd feel uncomfortable with Jimmy Greaves not included, 2) Who'd be the captain JT or Chopper? and 3) Would Jose not allow the flair of Cooke, Ozzie and Zola to flourish?
I've never seen so much bullshit posted on one fred.The overwhelming majority of you ****ers have only been Chelsea fans since 2004
Ok we'll switch Greavsie with Drog, captain would be chopper as nobody would dare give him **** and JT would be vice, what would you think of a manager change?! Drake, Docherty or Guus for me!
Definitely not Ted Drake, lovely man, but I dont think he'd be able to cope with the ego's. Docherty was a great manager, but occasionally prone to some eccentric behaviour. Guus has to be the man!!
I feel it's necessary to know about and appreciate the history if you're going to be a true supporter. Thanks for that, I've saved it for when I have a few minutes for a bit of reading.
Difficult thing to do is to pick an ultimate Chelsea side. We have had hero's & legends who lack technical ability needed today in the premier league but enriched our lives and thrilled us on cold days and with this in mind I will give this very difficult task some thought. Just how you leave out Marvellous Marvin Hinton and Ian Hutchinson, Tommy Baldwin, Peter Houseman and alike is something I shall attempt to wrestle with.
Yes, it certainly passed a day's work fairly quickly. As it's doing today! Thing is Ginge, being only 26 as a blue has it's downsides, I have never had the privilege of seeing these great stars play. I'm sure my Dad would be a better person to put out a team than me! I just put the majority of the team as players I had admired growing up, with a few obvious heroes!
That was amazing. Brought a little tear to the eye thinking about that 1997 cup final...truely amazing. I believe that was the longest ever post match pitch celebration following an fa cup final win as well. History truely is more than a list of trophies. Great read.
It's a great team Drogs. Probably would have the same. My orignal heros were Dixon then Wise but hard to make a case when comparing to the 70's side and the Jose side.
Has anyone mentioned Butch yet? He only played a massive part in getting us up from the bottom of D2 and back into the top flight afterall
