I am currently writing a book about Liverpool's promotion campaign of 1961-62 and would like to contact any Chelsea fans who made the journey to Anfield for an amazing FA Cup tie between the two clubs in January 1962, shortly after Tommy Docherty became coach. Liverpool won that day, a defeat Chelsea avenged four years later, when they came from behind to win 2-1. In the book, I'm trying to get across what it was like watching professional football back in those days and I would be interested in those older fans who can give me some general information on what it was like in the early sixties, watching Chelsea on the road, what made them special, what made them better than anyone else, would be much appreciated. Hope someone can help. Many thanks.

 

 

Shame no one has replied to this.

I guess you would have to be born around 1945 or earlier to have been there.

I hope there's a few bods in their sixties/seventies here somewhere.

There is, are you about Loz?

Not many of us left apparently. I used to follow Chelsea all over England in those days. I remember the Anfield game quite well. We were Division 1 still though we went down at the end of the year while Liverpool was Division 2 and would be promoted that season. So we knew it was going to be tough. My mate Freddie and I went up on the BR Special and had tickets in the stand to the left of the Cop. We were about the only Chelsea fans in that stand. The place was packed and the Cop was literally heaving where it was a sea of red scarves. We were sitting about half way between the centre and the corner at the opposite end of the end opposite the Cop. If my memory is correct we scored first but Liverpool were attacking the Cop end and with their crowd support were all over us and scored three themselves before half-time. At every goal it was deafening and the crowd surge was amazing, how anyone survived I don't know. In the second half the fog was so thick you could hardly make out was happening in the far goalmouth but Chelsea came back and scored twice but we lost 4-3 in the end. Not sure of the scorers. Bobby Tambling probably got one or two. He was great. It was a terrific game and we were well respected by the opposing fans. No violence. Maybe if we'd got another goal they wouldn't have been so friendly! I'm guessing a bit at the prices now but I think it was about a quid on the train and 12 bob to get into the stand.

There wasn't a lot of away support in those days. British Rail would usually run a train and the Supporters Club had a couple of coaches. That all changed a few years later of course but I migrated to Australia at the end of the sixties and didn't see any of that. Don't think I'd have wanted to frankly.