Mickey Droy gave his all every time he pulled on a Chelsea shirt and earned the admiration and respect of Chelsea fans who knew he wasn't very talented but still enjoyed watching him play and recognised him as a true leader on the field through what were probably our leanest ever years in the old Div 2. He was probably the biggest outfield player who's ever played for us.
Having started out in the all-star team of Ossie, Cooke, Hutch etc, he was eventually overtaken by Steve Wicks in Eddie Mac's promotion side of 76-7. I may be wrong but I seem to remember his rare appearances that year seemed to coincide with our rare slip-ups, so I came to dread him being picked. In the next few years, though, he improved hugely as a player and deservedly became a regular after we sold Wicks. I remember once in around 78-9 when the tabloids claimed he was close to an England call-up after he had a blinder on an icy pitch at home to Manure, but that was probably bollox as he was never remotely international quality.
The best I ever saw him play was in our famous 2-0 FA cup win over the European champs Liverpool in 1982, when we were stuck in Div 2. He was marking Kenny Dalglish who was in fantastic form and rated the best player in Britain. He was famous for his strength and skill on the ball and his ability to turn defenders. Mickey Droy was wise to his tricks and simply stood off him, making him unable to turn, and had him in his pocket all game. He was unbelievable that day.
Another performance that I remember was away at QPR on their plastic pitch. He played as if he was playing on grass, sdiving into tackles and sliding in fearlessly. He ended up with blood on his shorts and 3rd degree carpet burns but we won and I thonk he was MoM.
He didn't score many goals although he was always sent up for corners, but I do remember one goal, back at the start of the 81 season. We ended the previous season on an unprecedented run of about 15 games without a goal, and he scored in the first home game of the next season - a header from a corner at the Shed End.
The Shed loved him and used to chant 'Mickey Mickey Mickey Droy, Mickey Droy, Mickey Droy etc.' but can't remember the name of the tune, although I could sing it.
It was rumoured he was lined up to take over as manager and I think he was pretty bitter the was his Chelsea career just fizzled out after John Neal rebuilt the sied in 1983. I can't even remember him having a testimonial, but I bet BlueBeard can.
