http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0...1641519,00.html

If the older members here have stories to share about that season, especially about the Leeds match, it would be fun to hear them.

It was indeed a great and historic day, my clearest memory was the pitch invasions (I beleive there was more than one) the final whistle marked total mayhem as thousands ran on to the pitch to celebrate, in fact I'm sure the stewards stepped aside as they knew they could not stop the masses. I also remember how young a very large section of the crowd were, 11 to 14 year olds in thier thousands.

I was in the little section of the North Stand terrace that day next to the East Stand. Rarely have I been as pissed at a game before or since. At the end I managed to get up into the middle tier of the east stand right up close to where the players came out to greet the crowds below.

On a personal note I had recently started living with my missus. Her dad didn't like me much, (long story but he had barred me from the house!), and she had left home to live in a flat with me. That night there was supposed to be a reconcillatory meal at a restaurant to kiss and make up. I got home absolutely legless. She threw me in the shower with all my clothes on, I got out fell on the bed and was out like a light. Never spoke to her dad for nearly eight years.

Fanfarkingtastic day all round.

Today and for the next two days, Chelseafc.com celebrates the 25^th anniversary of the moment a club that had appeared to be dying on its feet confirmed its rebirth in scintillating style.

On 28 April 1984, a quarter-of-a-century ago today, Leeds United were beaten 5-0 at Stamford Bridge to win promotion from the old Second Division back to top-flight football.

There have been greater achievements in Chelsea history, and plenty more ups and downs in between, but rarely if never have depths of despair turned to joy and celebration so quickly. It's what marks the 1983/84 season down as a favourite vintage for those supporters who lived through it.

Two years earlier, had you said that within three decades Chelsea would be playing Barcelona in a European Cup semi-final and it would feel business as usual, you'd have been accused of spending far too long in the Stamford Bridge Arms opposite the main gate.

The club was all but bankrupt with the bank bouncing important cheques. A protracted financial malaise left untreated was soon to take its toll.

A new owner, Ken Bates, kept the wolf at arms length but when results in 1982/83 became worse than ever before, relegation to the third division for the first time looked inevitable. Almost certainly we would never have survived, let alone returned had a Clive Walker goal not won the penultimate match at Bolton.

Still breathing, radical surgery began, but not to existing manager John Neal who was trusted to oversee the wholesale shipping out and shipping in of playing staff - but at bargain rates.

What was achieved must go down as one of the great transfer market sweeps, and certainly one of the most important.

Kerry Dixon, Pat Nevin, Nigel Spackman, Joe McLaughlin and Eddie Niedzwiecki were names spotted and signed from the lower divisions or Scotland. Added were returning favourite John Hollins as player/coach and a small but solid bedrock of players retained from the previous season.

The new season began with an explosion, the promotion quest commencing how it would end, with a 5-0 home win, and Chelsea rarely looked back over the next eight months.

After a season of invigorating attacking football and great support, a return to the top flight could have come at Portsmouth midweek but a 2-0 lead was lost for the match to end in a draw.

So it was to Stamford Bridge four days later on a gloriously afternoon, a sunny Saturday in a month when newspaper front pages were dominated by the shooting of a women police officer from the window of the Libyan Embassy just a few miles up the road from the Bridge, and a siege that followed.

Over in the United States, another death by bullet, this time of Motown legend Marvin Gaye was the big story. He'd been gunned down by his father.

The virus that caused a disease called AIDS was discovered this month 25 years ago and many fans of Chelsea's biggest rivals for the Second Division championship, Sheffield Wednesday, were wrapped up in a coal miners' strike that would define a political epoch.

And a Zola was making the news too. Not yet Gianfranco but South African runner Zola Budd who was declared eligible to run for Britain at the Olympics after a Daily Mail campaign, thus beating a competition ban on South African athletes.

In the UK charts, Lionel Ritchie's Hello was matching Chelsea's eventual league position. You Take Me Up by the Thompson Twins was appropriately doing well; and Stamford Bridge season ticket holders Depeche Mode were charting with People are People. Pat Nevin would have been delighted to see Cocteau Twins Pearly-Dewdrops Drops' in the lower reaches of the Top 40.

On the terraces, it was the height of the football casual fashion subculture - the highly-competitive quest to dress in a colourful range of expensive leisure wear with continental name labels to the fore - Lacoste, Ellesse, Sergio Tacchini and Kappa included. Vintage adidas trainers were favoured footwear.

Many such-attired Chelsea fans were in the official attendance of 33,447 inside Stamford Bridge for the Leeds game.

'We want to go up in style,' announced the matchday programme. It thanked the 11,000 away fans who had been to Fratton Park midweek and printed an application form for season tickets for what would surely be a top-flight season to come. A terrace season ticket was priced at £72 for an adult and the top East Stand middle tier rate was £192.

The team running out was Niedzwiecki, ever-present and often unbeatable in goal; Colin Lee at right-back having been converted from striker mid-season when ageing Hollins needed to concentrate on coaching.

Left-back was former European Cup winner with Liverpool, Joey Jones (pictured above), signed by Neal during the dark days to add much-needed commitment.

In the centre of defence, no-nonsense ball-winner Joe McLaughlin had formed a partnership with the more cultured Colin Pates who was captain and a Chelsea youth product, as was John Bumstead in midfield. Together with Nigel Spackman there was no lack of energy there, Bumstead also providing shooting and bite.

That was the platform on which the Dixon/David Speedie (signed a season earlier) strike duo, could flourish, ably assisted by the wing play of Nevin and Mickey Thomas, purchased in January after a couple of dodgy results and never on the losing side for the rest of the campaign.

Just six minutes into the game, any tension that the Blues might blow the big day dissipated. Thomas volleyed inside the far post from the left at the north end of the ground for a 1-0 lead.

Then Dixon took over, adding goals 30, 31 and 32 of his eventual 34 that season.

The first, a header, came after Nevin had beaten the Leeds defence once and then went back and beat them again before crossing. The second, just before half-time, was a cross-cum-shot on the run that looped over keeper David Harvey. At 3-0 we were all but there. Except each goal had been greeted by a pitch invasion, to the concern of the referee.

At the break, Bates went round the ground with a handheld megaphone, pleading for everyone to stay off but to all come on for celebrations at the final whistle.

When Dixon smashed in his hat-trick goal at the Shed End, most adhered, but then with the final whistle drawing near, a wall of humanity bordered the touchlines.

What wasn't really needed was another goal. But substitute Paul Canoville had other ideas and scored a brilliant solo one. The ref was knocked over in the ensuing flood of blue but later insisted it had been an accident. Only he knows quite how long was left on his watch when he eventually blew for time with many players unusually close to the tunnel.

One of the great Stamford Bridge parties followed as the players congregated in the East Stand directors' box. The Second Division championship was duly won a fortnight later and the team went on to more than hold its own with two sixth-place First Division finishes.

A one-season blip apart, Chelsea have never been back to the lower leagues.

In his column today Pat Nevin reminisces on 25 years ago. Tomorrow on Chelseafc.com, more of the team from the Leeds game will share memories and on Thursday, David Speedie will discuss the season as a whole and living through the revival.

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0...1641519,00.html

http://www.theshedend.com/index.php?autoco...q=si&img=82

http://www.theshedend.com/index.php?autoco...q=si&img=80

http://www.theshedend.com/index.php?autoco...q=si&img=79

Edited April 28, 200916 yr by coco

What a day, I can't believe it was 25 years ago!

Chelsea had been going strong all season, but promotion wasn’t guaranteed. We were 2nd in the old 2nd. Division behind leaders Sheffield Wednesday – Newcastle were 3rd, with Manchester City and Blackburn close behind. Leeds, meanwhile, were stuck in mid-table.

Managed by Johnny Neal, Chelsea fielded the classic 1983/84 team that day: -

Eddie Niedzwiecki

Colin Lee

Colin Pates

Joe McLaughlin

Joey Jones

Pat Nevin

John Bumstead (s. Paul Canoville)

Nigel Spackman

Micky Thomas

Kerry Dixon

David Speedie

The official attendance was 33,447, but I personally think that figure is total b*llocks - there were far more people in the ground than that, and everyone I know who was there that day agrees. The atmosphere was electric – the Shed were in fine voice as usual, as were the boys in the West Stand – the Benches were quickly filled that day! After a few pre-match beers and a lively get together with some Leeds fans, me and my mates were in our usual matchday position in Gate 13, while a few thousand of the Leeds scum were congregated on the north terrace, trying to make themselves heard.

After just 6 minutes, Micky Thomas opened the scoring right in front of them with a volley, and ran off to celebrate with the Benches – cue the first of many pitch invasions that day (every goal). Pat Nevin was on fire that day, taking on and beating the entire Leeds defence at will, and he it was who provided the cross for King Kerry to head our second of the day. Kerry then added a third just before half-time with a brilliant chip over the keeper’s head. So, 3-0 at half-time, and it should have been more – Johnny Bumstead also hit two free-kicks against the woodwork in the first period!

The ref was getting upset with the constant pitch invasions, and at half-time Ken Bates had to go round the ground with a loudhailer telling us all to keep off the pitch till after the game.

Kerry Dixon completed his hat-trick with a shot from the edge of the box at the Shed end, and as the game neared its end thousands of Chelsea fans were lining the edge of the pitch. The ref was getting ready to blow for full-time when Paul Canoville scored our fifth goal with a solo effort, and all hell broke loose. The pitch was engulfed with celebrating fans, most of whom thought the game was over – it took about five minutes to clear the pitch.

The ref made sure the players were near the tunnel before allowing Leeds to restart, and almost immediately blew for full-time. The players run hell-for-leather towards the dressing rooms as we all piled on the pitch to celebrate, thousands of Chelsea supporters enjoying our first taste of success since our previous promotion season in 1976/77 – though of course, we weren’t yet promoted. The main celebration was the absolute stuffing of the hated Leeds!

I remember us celebrating on the pitch for what seemed like ages, and then we noticed the Leeds fans going mental, ripping up bits of concrete from the terracing and smashing up our electronic scoreboard. Well, obviously we weren’t about to let the northern scum take such a diabolical liberty and get away with it, so hundreds of us charged across the pitch towards the North Stand.

Unfortunately, there was a huge police presence that day (can’t think why), and a strong line of them stopped us getting further than the goal at the north end. I politely (yeah, right) asked one copper why they were stopping us, when our ground was getting vandalized by that bunch of c*nts, and I’ll always remember his enigmatic reply – “Don’t worry mate, keep watching ‘em, they’re gonna be taken care of in a minuteâ€.

Sure enough, while hundreds of police were holding us Chelsea fans back, right on cue a mob of SGB (Police Special Patrol Group) in full riot gear stormed across the terracing and waded straight into the Leeds mob with batons, beating the living crap out ‘em. We were going mental on the pitch, half pissing ourselves laughing at Leeds getting hammered by the Old Bill, and half wanting to join in. That was the first and only time I’ve cheered the police!

The northern scum were scraped up off the terraces and ejected, and after a while everything quietened down and so we left the ground. Needless to say, once outside we went out of our way to meet what was left of the Leeds fans in order to discuss the match with them – and what a great discussion that was, there were quite a few of us with bruised knuckles afterwards ;)

A great day, one that I’ll always remember despite the amount of lager consumed!

What an excellent read. Thanks Coco for copying and pasting all that (thought it was your work at first). I hope we can merge the two threads

Sorry to make anyone feel old, but I was born a week after this game. So to hear how it was such a special time for the club is really something

little story about that win over leeds utd. my dad and a few other members of the waterford branch where making there way over to that game by boat and as it is well known the irish like a drink r 2. one member of the branch liked more then one are 2 arrived in paddington station abit worse for where so a poilce man asked him how many pints did he have to the officers amaze he replied 22 pints of guiness which he did have. the officer starting blowing hes whistle to try get an ambulance so off he went 2 hospital the rest off the group fellowed him 2 the hospital while waiting 2 b seen by staff the lads and the guy who had the 22 pints reliased that it was getting close to kick off and headed off ito the game. which my dad tells me was a great day and they where lucky enough to have a very close friend at theclub that looked after the mascots called Breda Lee so she invited them in for more beer fans on the pitch super. shame we dont have that connection with the club anymore but then again it aint to bad playing barca on a tuesday nite either. we will get a result 2nite.

1983/84 Season

Chelsea had finished the 82/83 season in our lowest ever league position – 18th. in the old 2nd.Division, avoiding relegation to Division 3 by a whisker. Things weren’t looking good, and there didn’t seem to be much for us fans to look forward to the following season. We needed new blood, but before we could sign anyone, Johnny Neal had to get rid of some of the deadwood - Phil Driver, Bob Iles, Micky Nutton (broke my heart, that), Bryan Robson, Gary Chivers, Alan Mayes (thank God!), Gary Locke, Kevin Hales, and Micky Fillery all left Chelsea that summer.

Brought in to replace them were Eddie Niedzwiecki (Wrexham), Joe McLaughlin (Morton), Nigel Spackman (Bournemouth), Pat Nevin (Clyde), and a certain Kerry Dixon (Reading) – plus of course, Johnny Hollins returning to the club as player/coach. To be honest, most of us had hardly heard of any of the new faces, but let’s face it, they could hardly be worse than the ones that left. And so, the new signings joined the likes of Joey Jones, Johnny Bumstead, Colin Pates, Colin Lee, David Speedie, Paul Canoville & Tony McAndrew to make up the bulk of the 83/84 first-team squad.

Our first game of the season was at home to Derby County, and after the nerve wracking end to the previous season, most of us were expecting the worst, to be honest – especially as Derby had beaten us three times in 82/83. What a nice surprise though, Chelsea went out and stuffed them 5-0, with goals by Nigel Spackman, Clive Walker and Chris Hutchings, before King Kerry decided to introduce himself by scoring twice on his debut. A dream start to the season!

In September Kerry scored two more as we beat Brighton away – and what a day out that was, too! Just before the end, Paul Canoville got sent off for head-butting an opponent who’d spat at him, and that prompted a violent full-scale pitch invasion when the ref ended the game.Meanwhile, Kerry Dixon got five of the six goals as we beat Gillingham 6-1 on aggregate in the League Cup 1st.Round – this new blond geezer was starting to do the biz!

The season went on, undramatically, with Chelsea staying in the top half of the league – a marked improvement on the season before. We were dumped out of the League Cup 1-0 by WBA at the Bridge, but followed that up by hammering Newcastle 4-0, a game I remember mainly for Pat Nevin taking the piss out of Kevin Keegan by not just beating him once, but taking the ball back and doing it again – wonderful stuff! We still weren’t firing on all cylinders though, and in December we lost at home to both Man.City & Grimsby. But Paul Canoville managed a hat-trick at home to Swansea in a 6-1 victory, and on Boxing Day we won 4-2 at Shrewsbury ("You’re Welsh, and you know you are!")

Chelsea finally kicked into gear in the New Year, and after the defeat at Middlesbrough on the 2nd.January, we didn’t lose another league match that season – an impressive run of 17 games. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this run started just after we signed Micky Thomas, he was phenomenal. Plus, of course, Kerry Dixon was still scoring goals for fun, and ended the season with 34 (28 in the League, and 6 in the League Cup).

There were quite a few highlights that year, both on and off the pitch: -

The 3-3 draw at Cardiff was special, we were 3-0 down with six minutes to go! One hell of a punch-up afterwards too, a great day all round.

Doing the double over Fulham, winning 5-3 at the Cottage, and 4-0 at the Bridge.

The two games against Pompey were memorable too, both 2-2 draws with even more action off the pitch.

Obviously the highlight of the season was the 5-0 thrashing of Leeds, but just as important and impressive was the match the following week – we went up to Maine Road and beat rival promotion challengers Manchester City 2-0. Chelsea took thousands of fans up for that game, we almost overran Manchester – not bad for a Friday!

Our last home game of the season was against Barnsley, and we beat them 3-1, which was especially sweet seeing as how their manager was Norman Hunter. Now we needed to win the last game at Grimsby, a decent team who finished the season in 5th. place, in order to win the 2nd. Division Championship. It seemed like every Chelsea supporter in the world was at Blundell Park that day, and Kerry Dixon thanked us by scoring the only goal

The Chelsea support for 1983/84 was superb, if a tad unruly, shall we say. Our home attendances weren’t anything special, I’m guessing we averaged around 15,000 to 20,000 at the Bridge – but we took thousands to every away game.

During the 70’s I’d travel to away games by rail on the infamous football specials, then after a while I started going by coach with a great bunch of lads. But in 83/84, for the most part me and my mates went to the away games by car, or more often, Ford Transit – normally about 20/25 of us crammed in the back of a transit van with enough beer to sink a battleship, great fun and some superb, if hazy, memories!

Going up to Grimsby in my mates 1600E, near enough every vehicle we saw on the road was full of Chelsea fans, blue and white everywhere!

Man.City we went by transit, great laugh, and plenty of run-ins with the City lads.

Cambridge away there were Chelsea everywhere, a great day out – until my mate’s motor broke down on the M11 on the way home.

We went to Cardiff by train for some reason, the police had no chance of keeping the peace that day.

Not sure if this is what you wanted, Maksimov, but I’ve enjoyed reliving those days – bring back the terraces!!!

Fantastic posts Bluebeard! Loved the stories!

...a lively get together with some Leeds fans...

..we went out of our way to meet what was left of the Leeds fans in order to discuss the match with them – and what a great discussion that was...

Thanks for your memories Bluebeard, mine are much the same, so I wont bore you with a very similar story.

Was only 16yo at the time, but I will never forget the 83/84 season, a vintage year for us blues. If I was allowed to relive 1 season in my life liftime, this would be the season.

Happy anniversary

I'm bloody amazed I remembered that much, to be honest

I'm bloody amazed I remembered that much, to be honest

I'm bloody glad you did. Interesting reading.

Excellent stuff - cracking reads and happy memories, particularly as it was Leeds - two happiest Chelsea memories beating them.

Can't believe it was 25 years ago though - I've done the maths but surely that must be wrong - 25 years !!!!!!

I was at work at the airport and in the meal room when the result came through on the telly. I went ape, danced around like an idiot and then

preceeded to run in between 6 bays of aircraft, with some being pushed out with engines running, shouting and carying on. Not a great sight for the pax from the windows....but still.

I'm bloody amazed I remembered that much, to be honest :o

You obviously haven't drunk as much as you think :)

Just found this great thread. Okay so I've lots of great threads to catch up on...