Posted August 5, 201113 yr From the Official site: Stan Willemse 1924-2011 It is with great sadness that for the third time in 2011, Chelsea Football Club has learned of the death of one of the members of our championship-winning side of 1955. The club extends our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Stan Willemse who has died at the age of 86 and was the left-back in that historic team, from which we also lost Les Stubbs and Eric Parsons this year. Stan pre-dated Ted Drake's arrival as manager at Chelsea, having been signed by Billy Birrell in July 1949 from his hometown club of Brighton and Hove Albion. He cost £6,500, a record amount received at the time by The Seagulls. He gave seven seasons of service to Chelsea, playing 221 games including 36 of the 42 league matches in 1954/55 that secured the club our first major silverware. A Royal Marine commando during the War when he served in France, Stan was an iron-hard defender, good in the air, whose commitment was never in doubt. No right winger of the day would have looked forward to a visit to Stamford Bridge and the legendary Tom Finney described him as the hardest defender playing. However Stan could also pass the ball and was a favourite with the Chelsea crowd. He had played for England schoolboys before playing occasionally for Brighton on an amateur basis during wartime. At Chelsea he was originally understudy to Welsh international Billy Hughes With Hughes injured, Stan made his debut in late August 1949 at Highbury and Chelsea won 3-2. When Drake arrived in 1952, he became clear first choice. Illness in March 1954 meant Stan missed four games but he was recalled to play on the left wing with Frank Blunstone away with England and scored the winner in a vital title run-in victory at home to Sunderland, with his weaker right foot too. It was one of two goals he scored for Chelsea. He was retained in attack for another win, this time away at Tottenham, but was back at left-back for the games that won the League Championship. The players were rewarded with a new suit as their prize and one tale regarding Stan is that he quietly managed to order an overcoat at the same time, and was forgiven by Drake when the tailor's bill came in. Stan remained living in Brighton throughout his Chelsea days and commuted on the train with team-mates Parsons and John McNichol but with Drake deciding to rejuvenate an ageing side, Stan was sold to Leyton Orient in 1956 for £2,000 less than the fee Chelsea paid for him. He made one appearance for the England B side. Chelsea club historian Rick Glanvill writes: 'Stan was a man of his time who became a benign elder statesman of our club. He was tall for a full-back in those days, at a shade under 5ft 11in, and as hard as nails in the tackle with a powerful left boot. 'He never flinched, despite facing brilliant outside-rights every week such as Billy Liddell and Tom Finney. In fact Stan was the sliding Chelsea player, all but submerged beneath a spray of water at a drenched Stamford Bridge, who featured in the iconic photo of Preston's Finney that is known as "Splash." 'Perhaps it says something of the man and the age that the match he called the greatest in which he'd ever taken part was Manchester United's visit during the 1954/55 season — a 5-6 defeat that could hardly be described as a showcase for defending. 'Stan did, though, take pride in the contribution he and his comrades made to Chelsea history by going on to win the Football League Championship that same season. After the clincher, though, he left the low-key celebrations as soon as he could in order to catch his greyhound in a race back home in Sussex. He loved his dog racing. 'In that wonderfully symbolic gesture 50 years on, it was Stan (pictured above left) and his great friend Roy Bentley who carried out the modern Premier League trophy for John Terry to receive as skipper of the 2004/05 champions. 'That is the level of prominence with which Stan should be remembered.'
August 5, 201113 yr RIP Stan, glad you got to see Chelsea win the title a few more times. Thanks for everything
August 5, 201113 yr RIP Stan, glad you got to see Chelsea win the title a few more times. Thanks for everything Second that, it must have been a huge buzz for him to carry the trophy for the presentation.
August 5, 201113 yr Left Back 1949-1956 Appearances 36 Goals 1 Stan was a great left back for Chelsea and joined from Brighton. He was a no nonsense, hard tackling, fierce player. Even the likes of Stanley Matthews used to tremble when he played against him. Peter Sillet joined Stan and became the regular full back formation and proved to be a tough combination to beat! RIP
August 5, 201113 yr Author Left Back 1949-1956 Appearances 36 Goals 1 Sorry, I think I've got to correct you there. Those 36 appearances and the one goal you mention refer to the 1954-55 title winning season. From 1949-1956 Stan made a total of 221 appearances for the club. RIP
