Looks like the 1997 FA Cup Semi-final at Highbury.

Edited November 15, 20178 yr by bluehaze

On ‎14‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 10:52, Boyne said:

From the club website about the game against Moscow Dynamo on 13 November, 1945. I knew a guy who was at the game. At the time he lived in the North End Road. I love it that so many fans were on the roofs of the stands. No worries about Health and Safety then. 

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2017/11/a-moment-in-time0.html

It was on this day 72 years ago Chelsea entertained the glamorous Russian side Dynamo Moscow in a friendly.

To mark the anniversary, the fixture is the latest subject of our feature where we look back on memorable matches in our history through a selection of images, plus on this occasion, a special video from Chelsea TV above...

 

CHELSEA V DYNAMO MOSCOW, 13 NOVEMBER 1945, FRIENDLY, STAMFORD BRIDGE

The Second World War had put an end to domestic action, in its usual format, since 1939, but with the conflict by now over, and normality gradually returning, the authorities announced the Soviet Union’s strongest side would embark upon a tour of Britain, and the Blues were to be their first opponents.

By this time, the British public's appetite for the game, and any form of entertainment, was absolutely huge. The fixture may have been a friendly, but it meant far more than that to people who had been through a harrowing time, reflected in the fact that over 100,000 supporters descended on Stamford Bridge.

Make no mistake, this was the hottest ticket in town!

Prior to kick off, the Chelsea players were presented with bouquets of flowers from their visiting opponents, and both teams were then introduced to British Labour politician Albert Victor Alexander [pictured below].

 

The Russians started the game strongly and dominated the opening 20 minutes, but it was the Blues, whose team included new signing Tommy Lawton [pictured below], leading 2-0 at half-time courtesy of goals by Len Goulden and Reg Williams.

 

The image below emphasises just how far supporters were prepared to go to in order to catch a glimpse of the action, with huge numbers perched dangerously on the Stamford Bridge roof and even larger numbers stood on the greyhound track surrounding the pitch.

Almost 75,000 fans had paid to get in, but thousands more made their way into the stadium by any means necessary.

 

There was certainly no shortage of entertainment on offer for the thousands in attendance, with Dynamo Moscow scoring twice in four minutes to draw level in the second half.

In the below image, Dynamo goalkeeper Alexei 'Tiger' Khomich thwarts the Blues with an impressive save.

 

Two more goals followed, one for each side, as Lawton restored our lead with a fine header, before Dynamo equalised once again through their captain Bobrov, who was clearly in an offside position when he made it 3-3.

On a historic day, however, the final outcome wasn't so crucial. Six goals had been shared but, far more importantly, football had returned.

 

 

 

 

Brilliant pics. People watching the game whist kneeling on the dog track cinders, scaling ladders to get on the Shed and East Stand Roofs; none on top of the North Stand mind. You'd need a triple extention ladder to get up there.

I went to the Withdean Stadium a few times to watch a mate who played for Brighton. Behind one of the sides was woodland. During big games people would watch the action for free from the tops of trees. ' The tree people' they were known as. Used to worry me something awful. One strong gust and your looking at another Hillsborough.    

Edited November 15, 20178 yr by Ewell CFC

Chelsea score using the flying scissor kick from 1999:

http://www.planetfootball.com/nostalgia/gus-poyet-best-ever-goal-gianfranco-zola-kind-stole-show/

 

 

17 hours ago, Richard P said:

Me too!!! Couple of games were iffy for school. Still locked in at 11pm down  at Pompey away after some seats got ripped out!! Also had the Friday off to go to Man City, right in the middle of exams!!

How did you manage to get your parents to agree to you going to that game at Man City in the middle of your exams ?

I would have had no chance of that with my parents!

1983 what a season , Ewell CFC I`m sure we beat Cambridge away 1-0 I remember we had the away end the whole side terrace and took over half their little main stand seats and me and my mates nearly got bashed up by a mob of Chelsea on some fields on the way to the ground , if memory serves me right I remember losing to Man City and Grimsby at home and Sheff Wed away , I could be wrong ? .

Away games that season were always interesting , mainly a laugh , sometimes mad , and sometimes sad , I remember going up to Huddersfield ( the old Leeds Road ) with about 2500 - 3000 other Chelsea and being the first team to beat them at home 3-2 in over 2 years , just after kick off about 100 or so Leeds fans ( all casuals ) entered the sparse covered terrace opposite our end , to our right was the main bulk off Huddersfield supporters on a covered side terrace , within moments hundreds of Huddersfield boys surged across the terrace through the normal fans towards the Leeds , I did not see any trouble but the leeds fans left sharpish , it was the same game that a Chelsea fan on his way back to his car a long way from the ground was attacked and passed away from his injuries , I don`t remember anyone getting done for it  but it would not surprise me if me if it was that same Leeds firm that were about that day .

Fantastic season but had it sad moments also.

win or lose up the blues.

 

 

9 hours ago, Ewell CFC said:

Brilliant pics. People watching the game whist kneeling on the dog track cinders, scaling ladders to get on the Shed and East Stand Roofs; none on top of the North Stand mind. You'd need a triple extention ladder to get up there.

I went to the Withdean Stadium a few times to watch a mate who played for Brighton. Behind one of the sides was woodland. During big games people would watch the action for free from the tops of trees. ' The tree people' they were known as. Used to worry me something awful. One strong gust and your looking at another Hillsborough.    

Here is an interesting article about the tour of the U.K. They played four games against us, Cardiff City, Arsenal and finished at Rangers.

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/12/02/the-groundbreaking-dynamo-moscow-tour-of-britain-in-1945/

Here is a picture of fans in the Main Stand at Ibrox when they played Rangers. As at Stamford Bridge, the fans used every vantage point to watch the game.

Edited November 15, 20178 yr by Boyne

8 hours ago, erskblue said:

How did you manage to get your parents to agree to you going to that game at Man City in the middle of your exams ?

I would have had no chance of that with my parents!

Yes, may not of gone to those games, but being a Chelsea fan at school who did go to games, our support definately gave you street cred at school, mates who went to Brighton games or armchair utd or Liverpool fans, always wanted to talk to me about the infamous shed, benches or gate 13

On 15/11/2560 at 03:02, Richard P said:

Me too!!! Couple of games were iffy for school. Still locked in at 11pm down  at Pompey away after some seats got ripped out!! Also had the Friday off to go to Man City, right in the middle of exams!!

I remember walking under the stands after that Pompey game then, all of a sudden, shafts of light starting appearing from above and the sound of splintering wood! Me and my old man legged it pronto.

On 14/11/2560 at 04:36, erskblue said:

Who are we playing in this picture ?

I'd say early 1960s. Due to us still playing in white shorts.

I'd guess, looking at the socks, that's Burnley in a changed shirt. Maybe first game of the 1965 season.

12 hours ago, Boyne said:

Here is an interesting article about the tour of the U.K. They played four games against us, Cardiff City, Arsenal and finished at Rangers.

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/12/02/the-groundbreaking-dynamo-moscow-tour-of-britain-in-1945/

Here is a picture of fans in the Main Stand at Ibrox when they played Rangers. As at Stamford Bridge, the fans used every vantage point to watch the game.

Let me try and spot my Grandad in this picture...

No chance!

Anyway,he always stood in the covered enclosure opposite the Main Stand shown here !!

4 hours ago, old git said:

I'd guess, looking at the socks, that's Burnley in a changed shirt. Maybe first game of the 1965 season.

Cheers for that. Appreciate it. Couldn't work out our opposition.

5 hours ago, old git said:

I remember walking under the stands after that Pompey game then, all of a sudden, shafts of light starting appearing from above and the sound of splintering wood! Me and my old man legged it pronto.

I never understood ground wrecking. Apart from the obvious one Sunderland at home, the other instances of flying seats I witnessed were Sunderland away a couple of weeks previous ( thanks Dale Jasper), Derby in the Cup 82/83 ( the previously year we tore the plumbing out the karzi according to their chairman), and the above mentioned Pompey game.I was in the side enclosure below where the seats were being chucked. Got home well late, lost me mates I went up with. That was the first time I met Gerry Kelly who was stood next to us. He reckoned he travelled there by ship.

 

 

By no means a vintage picture but shows a snow covered Bridge and surrounding area.

2 hours ago, erskblue said:

Let me try and spot my Grandad in this picture...

No chance!

Anyway,he always stood in the covered enclosure opposite the Main Stand shown here !!

I suspect some of my relatives were at the game as well. I think what made the tour special was that people wanted to see the Russians were like close up given that they had been our allies in WW2 - how things were to change in a few years afterwards - and that the public wanted to see matches again.

Fans climbing up on to the roofs of the stadiums wouldn't have thought that as dangerous given what they had been through. Suspect that there were a few commandos in the crowd. Scaling walls was part of their job!

3 hours ago, Boyne said:

I suspect some of my relatives were at the game as well. I think what made the tour special was that people wanted to see the Russians were like close up given that they had been our allies in WW2 - how things were to change in a few years afterwards - and that the public wanted to see matches again.

Fans climbing up on to the roofs of the stadiums wouldn't have thought that as dangerous given what they had been through. Suspect that there were a few commandos in the crowd. Scaling walls was part of their job!

And those who had escaped or had attempted to escape from prisoner of war camps.

Earlier today came across the International Football Book No 26. It covered the 1983/84 season and there's a decent article on us called 'Sleeping Giants ' after the great promotion season of 1983/84.

I know I have a few other editions of this book as I used to get it as a Christmas present.

Anyone else have any copies or remember getting them as presents ?

5 hours ago, erskblue said:

And those who had escaped or had attempted to escape from prisoner of war camps.

Indeed. If I could travel back in time to watch football games I didn't have the chance to go to - or wasn't born when the match took place - one of them would be the game at the Bridge for the game against Dynamo Moscow. Could be a topic for a thread: name five games you would have loved to have been at.

On 14/11/2017 at 11:49, F1905 said:

Hi Ewell ,I don't know his name but wasn't he the 50 / 50 lottery ticket seller who you saw at the bottom of the steps having just entered the shed via the white wall entrance ? Or is time playing tricks with me ! 

 

 

His first name was Bob cant remember his surname

 

On 15/11/2017 at 13:52, erskblue said:

How did you manage to get your parents to agree to you going to that game at Man City in the middle of your exams ?

I would have had no chance of that with my parents!

Lost my dad feb 1983. Mum was good with me if I showed maturity, hit the books probably over the weekend to make up for it!!

On 15/11/2017 at 19:58, Richy C said:

1983 what a season , Ewell CFC I`m sure we beat Cambridge away 1-0 I remember we had the away end the whole side terrace and took over half their little main stand seats and me and my mates nearly got bashed up by a mob of Chelsea on some fields on the way to the ground , if memory serves me right I remember losing to Man City and Grimsby at home and Sheff Wed away , I could be wrong ? .

Away games that season were always interesting , mainly a laugh , sometimes mad , and sometimes sad , I remember going up to Huddersfield ( the old Leeds Road ) with about 2500 - 3000 other Chelsea and being the first team to beat them at home 3-2 in over 2 years , just after kick off about 100 or so Leeds fans ( all casuals ) entered the sparse covered terrace opposite our end , to our right was the main bulk off Huddersfield supporters on a covered side terrace , within moments hundreds of Huddersfield boys surged across the terrace through the normal fans towards the Leeds , I did not see any trouble but the leeds fans left sharpish , it was the same game that a Chelsea fan on his way back to his car a long way from the ground was attacked and passed away from his injuries , I don`t remember anyone getting done for it  but it would not surprise me if me if it was that same Leeds firm that were about that day .

Fantastic season but had it sad moments also.

win or lose up the blues.

 

 

Your right about Cambridge away won 1-0. Lost 4 games that season the other one you didn’t mention was Boro away 2-1. Great season!!

12 hours ago, Boyne said:

By no means a vintage picture but shows a snow covered Bridge and surrounding area.

Shed end Christmas card I reckon!

On 11/13/2017 at 16:36, erskblue said:

Who are we playing in this picture ?

I'd say early 1960s. Due to us still playing in white shorts.

Everton 3-3 draw 1-10 1960

 

Cheers above answer and footage.