In the late 80's a mate of mine spent a couple of summers coaching kids football in the states. Charlie Cooke was involved in the company that run these soccer camps, and I think also played  in some semi pro / national 5 aside league.

Cut a long story, my mate reckoned he was probably more skillfull then, than he was at his peak, owing to the amount of ball work he did  whilst coaching etc.

Apparantly he was awesome in the small sided games they used to play.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 20188 yr by Ewell CFC

On 1/3/2018 at 09:26, erskblue said:

Ah the 'luxury team minibus' days.

Indeed. I suspect that refreshments were a few crates of beer.

1 hour ago, Boyne said:

Indeed. I suspect that refreshments were a few crates of beer.

Can't really think of that team having any other refreshment!

Charlie Cooke was my first ever Chelsea hero back in 1974/75. He's in my all time Chelsea team. (see relevant thread) and my old man played against him when they were both playing non League football in Scotland in their teens. My old man rated him as easily the best and most skillful player he had ever played against.

Edited January 4, 20188 yr by Charles Ryder

Superb pics. The one of the Shed in the 70s; down the bottom by the pitch there's a woman sitting in what looks like a fold up garden chair.

Early disabled facilities? Can't quite work it out.

That programme v Sheffield Utd Was that the 'Khaki Cup Final ' of 1915 played at Old Trafford?

Called the Khaki Cup Final,because there were so many soldiers in uniform in attendance.

24 minutes ago, erskblue said:

That programme v Sheffield Utd Was that the 'Khaki Cup Final ' of 1915 played at Old Trafford?

Called the Khaki Cup Final,because there were so many soldiers in uniform in attendance.

It was. Sadly, we lost 3-0. I found this report of the game. The report mentions that we played the drawing room style. What ever that is!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915_FA_Cup_Final

15 hours ago, Ewell CFC said:

Superb pics. The one of the Shed in the 70s; down the bottom by the pitch there's a woman sitting in what looks like a fold up garden chair.

Early disabled facilities? Can't quite work it out.

Looks like she is selling some form of refreshments. Looks like before I started going in 77/78. The mesh fence had gone by then. I think it came down after the pitch invasions against hull 76/77

20 hours ago, Ewell CFC said:

Superb pics. The one of the Shed in the 70s; down the bottom by the pitch there's a woman sitting in what looks like a fold up garden chair.

Early disabled facilities? Can't quite work it out.

Wagon Wheels stall?

1 hour ago, Peckham Blue said:

Wagon Wheels stall?

She certainly wasn’t shouting peanuts! Roasted Peanuts!

Looking at the old team pictures I wonder how they ran around why the kit got wet!

9 hours ago, Richard P said:

She certainly wasn’t shouting peanuts! Roasted Peanuts!

I remember one bloke shouting "Peanuts, tanner a bag, peanuts".

One of those pictures was of Hughie Gallacher (the mad Scotsman, my old man called him) centre, Alec Cheyne, on the left, who was also Scottish and Andy Wilson. All knew where the back of the net was, especially Gallacher who scored loads of goals wherever he went.

9 hours ago, Richard P said:

Looking at the old team pictures I wonder how they ran around why the kit got wet!

You mean the one with, what looks like Hughie Gallacher, introducing the team to Prince Edward? Blimey, they were well wrapped up then although it does look like a particularly cold day judging by the Prince's overcoat.

2 hours ago, old git said:

I remember one bloke shouting "Peanuts, tanner a bag, peanuts".

I remember watching us at West Ham in the chicken run with me old man- the Percy Dalton's peanut seller used to on the pitch- people would throw down change and he'd sling a packet of dry roasted up to whoever.

At the Bridge probably 90's they'd flog those horrible soggy burgers in vacuum packed silver foil- vulcanised cheese slice- bloody awful they were.

11 hours ago, Richard P said:

Looking at the old team pictures I wonder how they ran around why the kit got wet!

Enough cloth on those shorts to sail a tea clipper!

12 March 1938: CHELSEA's new signing from Luton Town, JOE PAYNE, chases the ball into the Bolton goal area, as CHELSEA play Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge. JOE PAYNE is the holder of the Football League individual scoring record for one match, with ten goals for Luton against Bristol Rovers

Barnet captain Lester Finch shakes hands with Bishop Auckland's young mascot before the FA Amateur Cup Final at STAMFORD BRIDGE.

 

Hughie Gallacher (goalkeeper) and Alex Jackson. 1st February 1931. Wee Hughie is a Chelsea star. Gallacher's move to Stamford Bridge was a highly contentious transfer; both player and fans were against it and when he returned to Gallowgate with his new club support for the Scot was unprecedented. Pictured at Stamford Bridge with Alec Jackson (left) in training.

Chelsea V Dynamo.

Chelsea goalkeeper Ben-Howard Baker makes a save, 9 Sept 1922

Dirty Leeds, Wembley.

3 hours ago, old git said:

You mean the one with, what looks like Hughie Gallacher, introducing the team to Prince Edward? Blimey, they were well wrapped up then although it does look like a particularly cold day judging by the Prince's overcoat.

You're correct, it was Gallacher. At Highbury for a league match, funnily enough. Normally those royal introduction type photos relate to cup finals.

Quote

 

Trips to play Arsenal away looked a bit different in 1932. 

Highbury was not even 20 years old, and the Emirates Stadium, where Chelsea will take to the field on Saturday, was a lifetime away from being built. 

What made our top-flight fixture there in December 1932 especially noteworthy was the presence at the game of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII and the Duke of Windsor. He was greeted with a great reception by the 60,000 crowd, present to see the London rivals meet and the new West Stand at Highbury officially opened by the future king. 

Our captain Hughie Gallacher introduced His Majesty to his teammates in a manner that continues to this day in FA Cup finals. Gallacher famously contravened protocol by touching the royal with his leading hand. 

Tommy Law is the man shaking the Prince of Wales' hand in the photo and to our former forward's right are Willie Ferguson, George Barber, Willie Russell and Stanley Prout.

Unfortunately for the Pensioners the day ended in a 4-1 defeat to Herbert Chapman's Arsenal, Russell scoring our goal. 

 

 

Edited January 6, 20188 yr by Charles Ryder

Colin Pates, John Bumstead and Doug Rougvie are pictured with then club photographer Hugh Hastings on the team bus in the wake of our dramatic Full Members' Cup win over Manchester City in 1986.

First Lord of the Admiralty and Chelsea Vice President AV Alexander greeting Dynamo players.

Shown above is a photo from the Chelsea archives of our head groundsman for many, many years George Anstiss, and his pet dog looking at the playing surface in the goalmouth at the north end of the ground. The old north terrace and a rudimentary electronic scoreboard can be seen behind the goal. George’s son John is still on the groundstaff today.  

The Blues produced a memorable display away at Southampton recently, running out 2-0 winners at the end of last month, and when we visited their old stadium, The Dell, in 1981, it was a game one player in particular will always remember.

Young goalkeeper Steve Francis (pictured behind Colin Pates), who was just 17 at the time, started in goal for us that night, making his Chelsea bow in the first leg of a Milk Cup tie.

The game finished 1-1, with Mike Fillery's second-half equaliser cancelling out Kevin Keegan's opener for the Saints. In the second leg, Fillery also scored a decisive goal to secure our progression after extra-time.

In the image above, which was taken in 1924, Andy Wilson is pictured polishing the floor in his new home, although he doesn't appear to have dressed accordingly, with his outfit more suited to a glamorous awards ceremony.

A skillful and intelligent player, Wilson spent nine seasons at Stamford Bridge, scoring 61 goals in 253 appearances for the club.

Legendary Spain keeper Ricardo Zamora trained at Stamford Bridge on 7 December 1931 and was clearly of interest to the media of the day.

England beat Spain 7-1 at Highbury two days later. The Spanish equivalent of the ‘Golden Glove’ trophy is named after Zamora, who enjoyed a wonderful career playing for Barcelona and Spain and later managing his country. 

A Chelsea Pensioner chats with left-back Joey Jones in a bar at Stamford Bridge shortly after promotion back to the First Division is secured in 1984.

Great picture of Bobby Tambling from 1967.

 

Edited January 6, 20188 yr by Charles Ryder

17 hours ago, old git said:

One of those pictures was of Hughie Gallacher (the mad Scotsman, my old man called him) centre, Alec Cheyne, on the left, who was also Scottish and Andy Wilson. All knew where the back of the net was, especially Gallacher who scored loads of goals wherever he went.

Alec Cheyne joined from Aberdeen for a club record fee of £6000 in I think 1932. He moved to French club Nimes for two years before returning later in the 1930s.

In 1929 Cheyne scored direct from a corner for Scotland v England at Hampden on front of a crowd of 110,000. The cheering that greeted this goal was said to be the first time the Hampden Roar was heard.

https://goo.gl/images/twpe4D

https://goo.gl/images/EizdJo

laughed when I saw the programme page. Went to both games, beat Manure 5-3 and think we beat L A Aztecs 2-0 but don’t remember the yellow and red cards!! 

Not seen the Bonetti Wilkins one before, you can see the new terrace bars being installed ready for the 78/79 season. We obviously didn’t have the cash to do the whole thing. As the club reduced the capacity to about 45,000.  Which if I remember it only got to that for New York cosmos, Scousers 78/79 chelsea areas sold out. Scousers 82 fa Cup and Spuds 82 fa cup 

Edited January 6, 20188 yr by Richard P

Members of the Chelsea football team training, including Alex Cheyne (2nd right) who has just rejoined the club after a spell with the French side, Nimes.

3 hours ago, Charles Ryder said:

Members of the Chelsea football team training, including Alex Cheyne (2nd right) who has just rejoined the club after a spell with the French side, Nimes.

Plenty of knobbly knees on display there.

 

I'm pretty sure that sixth picture up is Jim Lewis bearing down on goal. The interesting fact about him is that he was playing for Chelsea as an amateur. He was part of the 1955 League winning squad and was very quick for his time.