Timmy Elms

There was a turquoise version of that sign. Same place as the above, and also from memory in the forecourt, by the turnstiles. Never really associated turquoise with Chelsea but it looked the bo**ocks. According to my mate Clint whose a bit of a Mr Chelsea ( well known to pitch owners group) one of them was given to a handicapped fan

Doesn’t look too packed. Room to squeeze a few more in. Biggest crushes I remember. QPR, School End, Boxing Day 82 Grimsby last day of season 84 Liverpool at home, 1978, Bovril Gate trying to get into the benches ( Borotas first game)

I’m not a doctor, however would suggest that he has some type of personality disorder. Just so many examples of acting / talking sh*t. In terms of upper echelon managers, him and Clough are the most obvious examples of egotists. Both achieved huge success; bit of magic about them. You had to accept the full package. Tolerable with Jose when he was a world beater, now he comes across as a bit of a jerk.

To be fair they were at their peak back then. Up North we fared better than them, but they were top in London throughout 70’s till late 80’s. We had our moments; didn’t always take the Shed. Changed in the 90’s. Started taking over pubs around Upton Park. Night game 2001 there we absolutely took the piss. Not really my scene, however by all accounts they’re a bit of a force again now. Apart from anything else, the ground holds 60,000, so any Essex Herbert that wants to attend games can go.

The papers loved the Mourinho mind games angle. Plus Fergie time etc. Accepted notion was, you had to be a bit of a crafty bastard, to prevail in the Premiership. Then comes cutie pie Ranieri winning the league with Leicester. No mind games and macho trappings.

The siege mentality was quite often counterproductive. By inferring that referees were biased against us, more often than not, rather than being cowed into cooperation they would do the opppsite. Completely self defeating.

Talking of hard men….Graham Roberts. We were due to play West Ham on Boxing Day, 84. Got to Tower Bridge Station before finding out the game was cancelled due to a frozen pitch. Big old firm out. We had history of not turning up at Upton Park, until 81, when we made a decent account and loads were locked out. Anyway we ended up at Highbury, to watch Arsenal v Spurs, as did many other CFC. Very early in the game, can recall Roberts clattering Charlie Nicholas into an advertising hoarding. Yellow card but should really have been a straight red. Obviously he ended up with us. Certainly liked a tackle

None of my business, but Mary Brown was perhaps influential in his losing his job. He did stay with her till the end of his life. Anyone caught out back then, received the blunt of terrace grief/ humour

Saying that early 90s we had Wise, Mick Hartford, Cascarino, Vinnie Jones, Peter Nicholas.

Robert Hopkins maybe the other one

Birmingham City had some handy lads. Noel Blake, Mark Dennis, Tony Coton, Mick Hartford. Think there was one more because they were known as the gang of five..

Should be no bastard ….

Very true. In addition to bastard took personal hygiene too serious. It was always summer under the armpits

Think Ossie and Malcom MacDonald were pioneers or sideburn action. Polar opposite Ron Harris. Short back and sides to the day he dies

Think Peter Osgood was one of the first players to have sideburns. Real big f**kers. Couldn’t grow them meaelf, so glued banana skins to me cheekbones, and waited till they turned black