alan'82

Don't worry about the size...........feel the quality!.* (that's not what the missus said)

I did take a picture of the programmes and one of a couple of early 80's shirts that I found amongst the assorted crap, (err..collectables).But I've no idea how to put them on here, unfortunatly.

The guy who won us the Champions League Final was Petr Cech. It was him who saved the penalty that Didier consided during the game & it was also him, (because he studied the Munich penalty takers), who was able to guess correctly which way to dive every time. Didier on his day, was the greatest centre forward of his time.If a CDM were to be judged against Claude Makelele,then a centre forward must be judged against Didier Drogba But even so, that dosen't make him Chelsea's greatest player in my opinion. The player who is, has shown the most skill,determination,quality & sheer top class ability year in,year out. Without his contribution,I have no doubt, that CFC would not have enjoyed half way near the success we have in reccent years. The records prove it,Chelsea's highest ranked player ever ranked in any international player of the year awards back this up. Step forward Super Frank Lampard..................Chelsea's greatest player.

While looking into a wardrobe for somesuch the other day,I came across some old Chelsea programmes that kinda brought a tear to my eye. Not because I'm the nostalgic type mind,but mostly because I dropped the fecking box on my big toe!. There inside, were all Chelsea's domestic cup final programmes from the late 60's & early 70's which I'd brought from programme fairs nearly 30 years ago.Fantastic stuff to be honest with you. I haven't been to one since then & my only memory's are of dark,squat halls with a strong musty smell of old paper, (or maybe it was from the old boys flogging the programmes) & a place where the only women present, were the type of girl who can crush a walnut with her chin. Question is.....does anyone else remember them?.......do they still exsist in this age of ebay?.....& does anyone else have programmes/memorabilia that they brought from one?.

After all that's gone on about referees lately,about mistakes & wrong decisions being made,my main gripe with them is that you hardly ever hear them explain their decisions after games. How come?. In fact,you hardly ever hear from them at all.Talk about bad public relations,they appear to be unapproachable. As fans,we need more from them,it's the least we deserve & while I'm having a moan,more transparency about the proffesional body that governs them would be appreciated to. It's a tricky job when all is said & done but their 'wall of silence', makes it appear to be a slightly 'dodgy' one as well. I really don't belive things can carry on like this,irrespective of the outcome of the Clattenberg affair. Do you have any ideas?.

What kind of striker,whether he's worth £50 mill or 50 bob,who's struggling for goals..................won't take penalties?. Practise penaties & deadball stuff Nando,get your 'loose' first touch back to previous standards & maybe you could re-invent yourself as a 21st century Teddy Sheringham!. That fellow had all the pace of a 3 legged,arthritic donkey (& the appearance) but,he kept a great touch & a great ability to 'read' a game. All it will take is a enthusastic effort* from Torres. *That's that idea gone for a burden then.

Not a bad idea really,but only as a sub after Studge has had his turn I think. After all, he has waited for a go in the middle & while he's been mostly pants so far,he's only had 5 mins of football so it might be worth giving him a run of games to get his eye in as they say. At least we'll get the chance to see if he's got the qualities needed for a long term future with the club before the January transfer saga begins.

I guess due to the gravity of our complaint,many feel it's better to sit on the safe side of the fence. However,Sir Alex is well out of order with his bullsh*t,pig headed comments though & needs to tread carefully. This is too serious an issue,with our reputation at stake, for him to practise 'mind games' on who he see's as a title rival. As we have seen lately,reputations can soon be torn to shreds & if he would like to be rememberd (quite rightfully) for all his on the pitch achievments,he needs to keep the off the pitch horsesh*t in check.

Something's been on my mind for some time that in truth,I've not really had the nerve to say.Mostly because it makes me sound like some fecking weird/ungratefull tosser to be honest. But,still...what can you do?. Thing is,since winning the Champions League,Chelsea's last great challenge,I feel like I no longer belong,maybe it's been a while coming. Honestly,after so many years witnessing the clubs struggles just to keep in exsistance,then the great 'sexy football' years under Ruud & carried on so well by Gianluca,(my favourite CFC supporting period to be honest),I never really expected things could get any better. Of course they did & how!,fantastic really & in truth, I'm bloody privalliged to have witnessed it & long may it continue. In truth,I can't afford to go to many games these days,but I was hopeing to go with the bruv to the Wolves match,but due to other comitments,it would have to be a late decision,but of course,you can't just turn up & pay anymore even if the match is in no way a sell out.So I missed out on cheap admission and a chance for a great night at a game (with the older bruv),just like it used to be. Move stadium,players bitching on twitter, £60 tickets, eyewatering trainfares,fecking weird kick off times,honestly,when I have been lucky to be able to look around Stamford Bridge,I struggle to remember the past,or know it's future. For all it's faults,at least you felt connected back then,it was easier to go to matches (3pm on saturday) and get in & as a kid with f**k all spare cash,I could afford to go to more games then than now,go figure. In truth,I'm a dinosaur & in all honesty,I just don't feel part of CFC's future. Whatever though,come what may,I will always be Chelsea.

The most disapointing aspect of the game for me wasn't just the way we tried (& failed) to pass our way through their defence on so many occasions or the lack of inventiveness,a lack of a plan 'B' so to speak when it was obvious that plan 'A' wasn't working. No,I feel the most disapointing aspect of the game was that most of the players making the same mistakes were young guys,England's future 'golden' generation so to speak.It just seams like grounhog day. A packed defence is well err, a packed defence,wether it be San Marino or Poland or indeed Germany & the skill's & craft needed to unlock one seamed to be sadly lacking on the night. Still,in their defence they aren't much used to playing together week in,week out, so in time, that 'understanding' should develop. Plus,in a excellent,experienced & calm chap such as Roy Hodgson they have a superb football manager to support them.

I more than happy to admit I know very little about football finances but there is one question that I've failed to find an answer to: That is,if a large capacity stadium is the answer to a football club's financial problems,then why do clubs with huge stadia such as Real Madrid & Barcelona have such financial problems?.

Bloody hell,that geezer looks like the result of a Gollum & Orc shagfest from one of those Lord of The Rings films.

Well,from what I've read on this,the revenue from a matchday attendance, (even with a 60,000 crowd), won't cover the player wages of a top Premiership side. So,therefore to my way of thinking,that leaves five choices: A:Increase the capacity to a level that does,(wherever the ground is to be built). B:charge the 60,000 a ticket fee,(however much is required) to cover the costs. C:Reduce player wages/costs to a level that the matchday attendance revenue can cover. D:Raise revenue through over means,i.e. indervidual t.v. deals,a European Superleague,big sponser's,winning a sh*t load of european cups etc & all the dough that it brings. E: A combination of the above. I don't belive moving home will be a true answer to todays football problems.In fact,I can't see a benefit to building a 60,000 capacity ground when a player such as Ronaldo feels he is worth £400,000 per week. The increase in revenue will be swallowed up by player/agent wage demands.

Whoever decided that it's ok for modern football 'boots' to be green, yellow,orange,pink,(bloody hell),and to be made from flimsy plastic. In fact, anything but black in colour,made with real leather & weigh 5 pounds. At least the old ones protected your meta-tar-sill. bar humbug.

Are you the type of person that thinks superstition is a load of old, err....... cobblers? Normally,I'd say yes it is,whatever life throws at you,feck it,bring it on I say & I'll just try to do my best. Oh yes,I'll walk under ladders all day,(although I'm a bit fed up with getting clobberd with paint tins and window cleaner's buckets) & if I spill salt,I won't throw some over my shoulder,no way, as that is just wastefull!.No,I'll sweep it up and put it back in the pot even though it takes me ages to pour it back through that little hole in the top. No,I'm not superstitious at all really.......except that is when it comes to err.....ahem, football & Chelsea F.C. after all, you can't be to carefull can you?, (touch wood). As an example,if I'm watching Chels on t.v., I must have a CFC mug with me,it must face the screen & cannot be moved while the game is on (even if the missus offers to make a cuppa,which is a minor miracle in itself really).At half & fulltime that's o.k.,but not while the game is on. Now that may not sound to bad,but it's the same when watching the highlights on Match of The Day & I already know the bloody result!. Honestly.....what a mug.But am I the only one?,if yes then feel free to forget this post ever happend,but if no,what's your Chelsea superstition?.

Actually,to be honest with you,I don't agree with many things that go on in this Isle,football or otherwise. But,as an Englishman,I'm a bit pissed of with some of the anti-English sentiment I've read on here sometimes. John Terry is English,he plays for a (great) English club & was the captain of the English national side. There are many on here who support Chelsea but yet are not English,the views of which I really enjoy & respect reading,but this 'digging' out of my country's national side I find rude and fecking disrespectfull if I'm honest. I support England through birth,it's my country so I follow them, for all our faults,(which are many),I really want them to do well,for the benefit of all English football fans,if not, who else should I follow?. Not taking yourself to seriously is a great thing in my opinion,but at the same time there is a fine line between having a joke & being a pisstaker. I try my best not to dig out other nations football teams for the very real reason that some may be Chelsea fans,it would be great if it was both ways. Still,at the end of the day whatever, I remain forever a very proud Chelsea F.C. & England fan,and as the song goes, 'f**k all the rest'.

Judging by the lack of response to my " do you remember the Six Million Dollar man" & make those "bionic" sounds in the playground questions above,makes me come to the following conclusions: A:Nobody remembers the "Six Million Dollar Man". B:Some people do remember it but didn't make "bionic" Noises in the playground. C:Some people do remember it & did make "bionic" sounds in the playground but don't want to admit to it. D:What the f**k are you talking about you f**kwit simpleton?. On a completely different point,I recently watched again, for the first time in years, the Stanley Kubrick film, Full Metal Jacket. For sure a film of two halfs,great in the first part with the new recruits going through their training,but completly loses it's way when the story moves on to Vietnam. Maybe I'm missing something,but I've yet to work out why that film seems so misjointed?.

Does anyone else remember 'The Six Million Dolar Man' with Lee Majors as Steve Austin (no,not the wrestler)?. Good job he's not built with Euro's or he'd be well f**ked by now!. Are you old enough to remember Lyndsey Wagner (knumpfff!!!) as the Bionic Women?. Where is she now?(sadly,probably looks more like Lee Majors nowdays). Did you make that 'Bionic' sound in the school playground or was I the only sad twat?. Do you care?,or even know what the hell I'm talking about?.

The most hostile atmosphere I've ever witnessed at the Bridge,forget being a neutral,it was bonkers really.Hated Clive for playing so well for them northern numpties & knocking us out of the cup, (even though they deserved their win over both ties). That night made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up,a bit OTT to be honest,but at least you felt the vibe,in many ways,it's the much more memorable because of the passion felt rather than todays all to sterile, sensible stuff.

Is Mikel a modern day Chelsea enigma?. In a nutshell for me, it comes down to this..... Is he the best we can have in this 'double pivot' role, (feck me,mordern football!) or is there a better choice available?. If the answer is yes, there is a better choice (or choices) available, then does he have a role elsewhere in the team & what is it?. If he has a role elsewhere in the team,(whatever it is),but there is better choice (or choices) available, then,what the feck is he doing here?. if the answer is no to both of the above,then what's the problem?. Now if it was down to me, I would tell John to................................

Always thought the Arse's Tony Adams took all the stick pretty well,(& quite a good player/captain to be honest).

Must admit that I never wore the clubs colours back then,It just wasn't the smart thing to do,you just never knew who was watching!. Having said that,there is no excuse for any mob to pick on regular supporters,guys with their missus,older fans & God forbid,women!. Anyone who did/does is a low life bag of sh*t of the first order. But,in order to keep things in some sort of balance,I would like to say that it was because of these guys,(not because of), that I felt safe/confident enough to go to away games on my own back in the day. You see,even if you travelled alone,looked like a soppy so & so,was as quite as a church mouse,if you were Chelsea,these guys would look out for you,as if you were one of their 'own',wherever we played,it was a wonderfull thing to be honest. In fact,I felt safer surronded by these guys than the old bill,often enough,they would protect you from the unwarranted and often bullying attentions of the matchday 'officials'.I simply wouldn't have enjoyed all those away games without them. Not everything was that good in the old days,but,it wasn't always that bad either.

I guess I may be in a minority,but I think J.T. quiting playing for England, is a bit of a f**k up all round really. When he became the England captain for the first time,not only was it right for England but it was right for J.T. as well.He is the best England captain we have had in a generation and in my opinion,it allowed him to become one of the most complete, first class defenders/captains & on the pitch leaders we have had the pleasure to witness in years, at both club & International levels. He deserves better than to end his international career this way & it will hurt him personally to have to do so. And while I'm at it,there are still many deccent England fans who deserve better to. How will the national side ever be a success when so many individuals (& fans) are pulling in different directions?. Like so many ways in modern life,the F.A. seem to have to many gobsh*te chiefs & not enough smart Indians.