First of all it's very interesting to read everyone's stories on here. I'm 18 and have been a Chelsea fan all my life, well since around 1997/1998 (when I was old enough to start taking a real interest.) I've just got a few questions for you older Chelsea fans. My Dad has followed Chelsea all his life as well, through the 70s, 80s etc. Of course hearing his stories and other people's it sounds like our support was so much better. Of course, other teams support would have been much better as well.

I've got a few questions. Honest opinions. Where was our support ranked compared to other teams? And has anyone got any pictures? I've been through this forum and loved the ones I've seen so far. Just wondering if anyone else had any more fan pictures? Particularly like the one on the main site, with the scarves. Has anyone got this picture?

Cheers.

Edited June 20, 201113 yr by Eidur22

Hello mate and welcome to the site, I've been going, although not as regularly now, home and away since 1970 and although I'm as biased as the next man our support during the club's most desperate years, although mainly at away games, was second to none. We were barred 2 or 3 times from travelling away between 77 and 82 yet our lot managed to turn up and get in at, as far as I know, every one of them.

Have a look in the vintage section, there's loads of old man guff in there about the old days.

It was then that I realised that I was already in the vintage section, boy did I feel foolish.

Edited June 20, 201113 yr by MKBlue

For away games at least equal to Mancs who back then had the biggest fan base around the country.

Having been to around 64 grounds , some lots of times since 1967, my view is that we were pretty awsome from 67 to early 80s.....wot we see n hear now is sh*te in comparison...thats my view which others may disagree with....mind u i did enjoy us v spuds this year at the bridge...(tame from past though )

For away games at least equal to Mancs who back then had the biggest fan base around the country.

Fair play to them as well mate, when they got relegated for a season their away support was still huge.

Dunno if it would have kept up for 5 seasons of rubbish on the pitch like ours did away from home though.

Having been to around 64 grounds , some lots of times since 1967, my view is that we were pretty awsome from 67 to early 80s.....wot we see n hear now is sh*te in comparison...thats my view which others may disagree with....mind u i did enjoy us v spuds this year at the bridge...(tame from past though )

We were brilliant at WHL that season as well, completely outsung them from start to finish

We were brilliant at WHL that season as well, completely outsung them from start to finish

this might help a tad for yer.

back in the 1980's when cfc were rooted in olde div2 for a few terms.

i would get on the 08.15 at doncaster to london kingsX.

the train started somewhere in scotland and came down the east coast.

by time it hit donny there was chelsea fans from newcastle,darlington and york all on board.

at donny blues from scunny and donny would board.

train would aslo stop a pboro where a good few chelsea would get on too, some been form lincoln.

it was vise versa on the way back up north.

leave kingsX around 18.30 and it was the same faces in the main.

i did pick up on that you never saw any westham,arsenal,spurs fans on the service as they was in div 1 back then.

this might help a tad for yer.

back in the 1980's when cfc were rooted in olde div2 for a few terms.

i would get on the 08.15 at doncaster to london kingsX.

the train started somewhere in scotland and came down the east coast.

by time it hit donny there was chelsea fans from newcastle,darlington and york all on board.

at donny blues from scunny and donny would board.

train would aslo stop a pboro where a good few chelsea would get on too, some been form lincoln.

it was vise versa on the way back up north.

leave kingsX around 18.30 and it was the same faces in the main.

i did pick up on that you never saw any westham,arsenal,spurs fans on the service as they was in div 1 back then.

Same for the north west as well, first time I remember seeing the Chelsea up norf flag was in the 80s, and I still know chaps from Blackpool and Wigan who go all over the place, I've been in MK since 82 and it always amazed me how many Chelsea were still on the train when I got off at MK, loads from Northampton, Corby and Nuneaton, and still loads going now.

Cheers lads.

Did we have any other rivalries back in the day as well? I mean apart from the obvious ones. I've heard Chelsea and Leeds was pretty heated.

Having been to around 64 grounds , some lots of times since 1967, my view is that we were pretty awsome from 67 to early 80s.....wot we see n hear now is sh*te in comparison...thats my view which others may disagree with....mind u i did enjoy us v spuds this year at the bridge...(tame from past though )

Agreed in part. Blue tinted spectacles when looking at the past. I have been to games, in the past (mainly 70's) where, the football being rubbish, people were just waiting for something to kick off and barely a song being heard. One of the reasons for the lack of noise is the age of those going. I could sing for ages when I was younger. As an old fan I find my throat can't take it. Young people are priced out along with a lot of the more vocal supporters.

Cheers lads.

Did we have any other rivalries back in the day as well? I mean apart from the obvious ones. I've heard Chelsea and Leeds was pretty heated.

The best thing you can do is look through old threads. Apart from Fulham I recall loathing everyone else! :)

The best thing you can do is look through old threads. Apart from Fulham I recall loathing everyone else! :)

for sure leeds u fcuking nited were big rivals.

from a chelsea stance i would say that the hate from chelsea towards leeds was in the main on matchdays.

but the leeds lot hated chelsea 8days a week 53 weeks a year it seems.

when cfc played leeds at SB it was a mare on the intercity 125 to london kingsX for me.

one all the donnywhites knew me but they would leave it to the leeds lads from leeds to

give us the squeeze.

it was bad,got to point when ever going back up north when leeds were in the smoke i would allways

try and catch the hull bound service for obvious reasons.

for sure leeds u fcuking nited were big rivals.

from a chelsea stance i would say that the hate from chelsea towards leeds was in the main on matchdays.

but the leeds lot hated chelsea 8days a week 53 weeks a year it seems.

when cfc played leeds at SB it was a mare on the intercity 125 to london kingsX for me.

one all the donnywhites knew me but they would leave it to the leeds lads from leeds to

give us the squeeze.

it was bad,got to point when ever going back up north when leeds were in the smoke i would allways

try and catch the hull bound service for obvious reasons.

recall when chelsea were at sheff utd last game of the season,cardiff were at scunny getting promotion and donny were at home to

wallsall.sometime in late 1980's i think.

i ran a coach from doncaster to sheff utds ground as loads of chelsea were stopping off for a drink in doncaster.

coach brought all the chelsea lot back to donny where we was all drinking in castle pub in donny market place.

about 30+ chelsea and 20+ ddr lads (donnys small firm) were all having a goodtime on the lash,then all the donnywhites got

wind of the chelsea lads in town and they came into the castle pub.

it was a tad iffy but the donnywhites lads told us that all the chelsea lads would have a pass round town that nite.

donnywhites left and no bad fealings between donnywhites or chelsea at all.

some 30mins later a few donnywhites came running back into the castle pub asking the ddr and chelsea lads for help

as a big mob of cardiff were getting the better of the donnywhites just round the corner on clockcorner in town.

chelsea lot were straight up out of pub with ddr lads and ran through the backing off donnywihtes and staright into the cardiff mob.

it was a solid toe to toe with lads getting laid out from all sides,but for sure the cardiff lot were no longer on the forward foot,but

taking backwards steps.

this went on for a good 10mins before rozzers truned,which is a long time when you are giving it the windmill.

to this day the donnywhites can not bring them sens to addmit they came asking chelsea for back up.

this might help a tad for yer.

back in the 1980's when cfc were rooted in olde div2 for a few terms.

i would get on the 08.15 at doncaster to london kingsX.

the train started somewhere in scotland and came down the east coast.

by time it hit donny there was chelsea fans from newcastle,darlington and york all on board.

at donny blues from scunny and donny would board.

train would aslo stop a pboro where a good few chelsea would get on too, some been form lincoln.

it was vise versa on the way back up north.

leave kingsX around 18.30 and it was the same faces in the main.

i did pick up on that you never saw any westham,arsenal,spurs fans on the service as they was in div 1 back then.

Good pal of mine used to get the same train from Edinburgh every sat game, he got a right kicking once on the train on the way back from a home game by some Leeds, he lost a front tooth & still hates the c***s now because of it.

Good pal of mine used to get the same train from Edinburgh every sat game, he got a right kicking once on the train on the way back from a home game by some Leeds, he lost a front tooth & still hates the c***s now because of it.

chelsea fans from blackpool/wigan......iyer must know a 'Dave B' from blackpool,used to work the doors up there.

one of his party tricks was to neck down full bottles of hp daddies brown sauce in one.

chelsea fans from blackpool/wigan......iyer must know a 'Dave B' from blackpool,used to work the doors up there.

one of his party tricks was to neck down full bottles of hp daddies brown sauce in one.

Yeah i know DB, i was with him a few days after the CL final v Utd in Blackpool on a CFC pals stag do, had a good couple of days with him ;-)

This clip shows him being taken out by ob at PNE in our cup game the other year he wore a Blackpool scarf to wind up the PNE fans lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLFvelM6_Q

Yeah i know DB, i was with him a few days after the CL final v Utd in Blackpool on a CFC pals stag do, had a good couple of days with him ;-)

This clip shows him being taken out by ob at PNE in our cup game the other year he wore a Blackpool scarf to wind up the PNE fans lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLFvelM6_Q

had a good weekend on the lash with DB in blackpool when cfc were at main road man city.

recall that there was about 15+ wigan lads in blackpool that saturday and we was going pub to

pub round blackpool.

yer seem to know DB well enough to understand his history with blackpool/wigan.

hence to say the wigan lads took a beating in the castle pub,there was only 8 of us.

this was late saturday afternoon,and after we got out of the castle pub the next pub we was in

whilst stood at the bar waiting to get the ales in DB was getting pulled off by a lass.

had a good weekend on the lash with DB in blackpool when cfc were at main road man city.

recall that there was about 15+ wigan lads in blackpool that saturday and we was going pub to

pub round blackpool.

yer seem to know DB well enough to understand his history with blackpool/wigan.

hence to say the wigan lads took a beating in the castle pub,there was only 8 of us.

this was late saturday afternoon,and after we got out of the castle pub the next pub we was in

whilst stood at the bar waiting to get the ales in DB was getting pulled off by a lass.

Was that day at City when it went off in the ground after the game? Lets just say i was very lucky a few months after that game while a mate wasnt so lucky & had to return to Manc but it turned out ok in the end.

DB took us all to a bar called the tit bar with topless barmaids on that stag lol!

He was quite active on the England scene as well back in the day.

Was that day at City when it went off in the ground after the game? Lets just say i was very lucky a few months after that game while a mate wasnt so lucky & had to return to Manc but it turned out ok in the end.

DB took us all to a bar called the tit bar with topless barmaids on that stag lol!

He was quite active on the England scene as well back in the day.

it was not the last game that man cit-eh played at main road.it was the game when cfc won 2-3 and tony daraigo did

all most full length of pitch to hit the onion bag.

there was only 8 of us and 15 wigan lads,will allways remmember 'DB' words 'surround them'.

last time i saw DB was out in barca for a CL group game.more than enough lads did not go into the game

as they stayed in that hotel next to barcas ground 'princess royal' i think it was called.

this is where the barca team were brought up by coach from ground and into hotel straight after their victory.

all the security had been sorted out rite upto the hotel door.only laspe was that there must have been 70+ chelsea

'orribles in hotel bar.

as barca team strolled in you could see the shock in their eyes as all sorts of food,fruit,paper towels were lobbed in their direction.

'man hole' was in his element.

it was not the last game that man cit-eh played at main road.it was the game when cfc won 2-3 and tony daraigo did

all most full length of pitch to hit the onion bag.

there was only 8 of us and 15 wigan lads,will allways remmember 'DB' words 'surround them'.

last time i saw DB was out in barca for a CL group game.more than enough lads did not go into the game

as they stayed in that hotel next to barcas ground 'princess royal' i think it was called.

this is where the barca team were brought up by coach from ground and into hotel straight after their victory.

all the security had been sorted out rite upto the hotel door.only laspe was that there must have been 70+ chelsea

'orribles in hotel bar.

as barca team strolled in you could see the shock in their eyes as all sorts of food,fruit,paper towels were lobbed in their direction.

'man hole' was in his element.

Ah this game at City,

still find it hard to believe that manc ob allowed us to play at City & Utd at home to Forest in the cup the same day.

That Barca away game wasnt the same time as a certain well known CFC fella had his 50th out there was it?

I couldnt make it the only time i've been to Barca was when we lost 5.1 :-(

Did you get my pm by the way? i cant see that it got sent anywhere in my settings?

Ah this game at City,

still find it hard to believe that manc ob allowed us to play at City & Utd at home to Forest in the cup the same day.

That Barca away game wasnt the same time as a certain well known CFC fella had his 50th out there was it?

I couldnt make it the only time i've been to Barca was when we lost 5.1 :-(

Did you get my pm by the way? i cant see that it got sent anywhere in my settings?

I'd forgotten all about that, we had a coach from MK that day and our driver thought we were going to Old Trafford, so an hour before kick off there was a coach with a huge MK Chelsea flag hanging at the back window going past Utd's ground, could have got nasty but I think everyone was so shocked that they just watched us go by.

Yeah i know DB, i was with him a few days after the CL final v Utd in Blackpool on a CFC pals stag do, had a good couple of days with him ;-)

This clip shows him being taken out by ob at PNE in our cup game the other year he wore a Blackpool scarf to wind up the PNE fans lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhLFvelM6_Q

Why was he actually taken out? Just because of the Blackpool scarf?

Why was he actually taken out? Just because of the Blackpool scarf?

Think it was just modern football for you, banter between rival fans & over zealous stewards, nothing more.

Think it was just modern football for you, banter between rival fans & over zealous stewards, nothing more.

Man, that's too sad... It's a real shame it has come to this.