December 25, 2025Dec 25 Christmas Day at the Bridge: When Jimmy Greaves Played Santa 🎄Chelsea vs Portsmouth 25th December 1957, (7-4)This match isn’t a statistic or a dusty scoreline, it’s a postcard from a vanished England. Long before Boxing Day became football’s festive centrepiece, Christmas morning itself belonged to the game. On 25 December 1957, families poured into Stamford Bridge at 11 a.m., new scarves wrapped tight, hip flasks tucked into coats, the smell of winter and anticipation hanging in the air. Football came first; Christmas dinner could wait.Chelsea were young, fearless, and finding themselves. Ted Drake’s side was built around what the press called “Drake’s Ducklings”; homegrown boys meant to grow into something special. And on that cold morning, one of them turned into something mythical.Jimmy Greaves was still only 17. Having been rested for six weeks by Ted Drake to shield him from the whirlwind of sudden fame, he was unleashed on Christmas morning. What followed felt less like a match and more like a seasonal miracle. Portsmouth struck early and then Greaves took over completely; four goals of balance, instinct, and ruthless calm. By the time the crowd spilled back onto Fulham Road, Chelsea had won 7–4, and Christmas had already been delivered.There was no television pulling people away, no endless distractions. Nearly 30,000 Londoners made the journey by bus and train, football as the celebration itself. Greaves, a local lad who still took the bus to the ground, embodied everything supporters wanted to believe about their club: youth, honesty, and goals born from pure craft.Before the Queen’s Speech, before the turkey was carved, Jimmy Greaves played Santa Claus, gifting supporters four goals on a Christmas morning. And for the 27,036 spectators who were there, Christmas Day football never felt warmer.
December 26, 2025Dec 26 21 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:I like the bloke with the shirt and tie getting stuck in !
December 26, 2025Dec 26 23 hours ago, erskblue said:Christmas Day at the Bridge: When Jimmy Greaves Played Santa 🎄Chelsea vs Portsmouth 25th December 1957, (7-4)This match isn’t a statistic or a dusty scoreline, it’s a postcard from a vanished England. Long before Boxing Day became football’s festive centrepiece, Christmas morning itself belonged to the game.On 25 December 1957, families poured into Stamford Bridge at 11 a.m., new scarves wrapped tight, hip flasks tucked into coats, the smell of winter and anticipation hanging in the air.Football came first; Christmas dinner could wait.Chelsea were young, fearless, and finding themselves. Ted Drake’s side was built around what the press called “Drake’s Ducklings”; homegrown boys meant to grow into something special.And on that cold morning, one of them turned into something mythical.Jimmy Greaves was still only 17. Having been rested for six weeks by Ted Drake to shield him from the whirlwind of sudden fame, he was unleashed on Christmas morning.What followed felt less like a match and more like a seasonal miracle.Portsmouth struck early and then Greaves took over completely; four goals of balance, instinct, and ruthless calm.By the time the crowd spilled back onto Fulham Road, Chelsea had won 7–4, and Christmas had already been delivered.There was no television pulling people away, no endless distractions. Nearly 30,000 Londoners made the journey by bus and train, football as the celebration itself.Greaves, a local lad who still took the bus to the ground, embodied everything supporters wanted to believe about their club: youth, honesty, and goals born from pure craft.Before the Queen’s Speech, before the turkey was carved, Jimmy Greaves played Santa Claus, gifting supporters four goals on a Christmas morning.And for the 27,036 spectators who were there, Christmas Day football never felt warmer.The mention of 'hip flasks tucked into coats " reminded me of that 5-5 draw with West Ham, it was still in the days before segregation of fans and we were kids standing behind the goal on the north terrace next to some adult Hammers fans who kept us amused with their running commentary on players and the game. They were regularly drinking from hip flasks and offered us a drink , which we declined!!
December 26, 2025Dec 26 I gave my son a Chelsea hip flask for Christmas. A friend of mine works in a charity shop and passes on any decent Chelsea items, the latest being a Chelsea hip flask in pristine condition. Not sure it would make it into the ground these days.
December 26, 2025Dec 26 3 hours ago, Backbiter said:I gave my son a Chelsea hip flask for Christmas. A friend of mine works in a charity shop and passes on any decent Chelsea items, the latest being a Chelsea hip flask in pristine condition. Not sure it would make it into the ground these days.@Boyne probably has some tips.
December 27, 2025Dec 27 Action from our 4-1 win over Aston Villa on 27th December 1986. King Kerry scored two, Nigel Spackman and Colin Pates scored our other two goals A crowd of 14,637 witnessed it.
December 27, 2025Dec 27 Chelsea supporters watch from a partially demolished stand, during the 27th December 1976 clash with Fulham.We won 2-0 with Kenny Swain and Micky Droy scoring in front of an official crowd of 55,003! Brilliant that they included the last three spectators!
December 27, 2025Dec 27 We’ve just beaten The Dippers 2-0 in the 5th Round of the FA Cup. February 1982!😀
December 27, 2025Dec 27 7 hours ago, erskblue said:We’ve just beaten The Dippers 2-0 in the 5th Round of the FA Cup. February 1982!😀One of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced at the Bridge. Just fantastic. An absolutely massive upset.
December 28, 2025Dec 28 On 26/12/2025 at 13:55, Valerie said:@Boyne probably has some tips.Boyne’s ‘wee drink’!😀
December 28, 2025Dec 28 On 27th December 27, 1971, We beat Ipswich Town 2–0, but the match is famous for a goalkeeper crisis.With both Peter Bonetti and John Phillips out with the flu, star defender David Webb stepped into goal and kept a clean sheet! Our goals were scored by Steve Kember and Chris Garland.A crowd of 43,896 watched the action.Match Report from www.bounder.friardale.co.uk
December 29, 2025Dec 29 On 28/12/2025 at 08:44, erskblue said:On 27th December 27, 1971, We beat Ipswich Town 2–0, but the match is famous for a goalkeeper crisis.With both Peter Bonetti and John Phillips out with the flu, star defender David Webb stepped into goal and kept a clean sheet! Our goals were scored by Steve Kember and Chris Garland.A crowd of 43,896 watched the action.Match Report from www.bounder.friardale.co.ukSome very large attendances that day in the column on the right.
December 30, 2025Dec 30 The players doing a training session before the game v Luton on Monday 20th April 1981.We lost 2-0 in front of a crowd of 12,868.
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