26 minutes ago, Richard P said:

Used to get the train just after 1pm every home game!

I would likely have missed you I used to get to the Cross-Eyed Newt or the Black Rose by 1.30pm.

2 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

I would likely have missed you I used to get to the Cross-Eyed Newt or the Black Rose by 1.30pm.

I’m talking about when I was 10! Used to go up and go in the pub across from main gate or the working mans club when I was about 12-13 with my brother 

19 minutes ago, Richard P said:

I’m talking about when I was 10! Used to go up and go in the pub across from main gate or the working mans club when I was about 12-13 with my brother 

Haha, though interestingly I did know a group that went in the CIU too.

Interesting point regarding the midweek games and people moving out to the suburbs and further. I used to come in from Orpington, Bromley and later Beckenham/Elmers End (some of that time with Strider6003) and remember the crowds being up and down during the late 80s early 90s. Some of that though was the sh*t long ball stuff of the early 90s which may not have been the really dire stuff of the early 80s but close to it. The other thing was how expensive Chelsea was to watch, Bates was constantly criticised for that by fans groups including the Chelsea Independent fanzine. The membership card thing drove many of the old school support away as Im sure did CCTV etc and the OTT prices to watch crap or inconsistent teams. From a personal point of view midweek games often suited me given that I mostly played at weekends and only caught the occasional game on saturdays unless i was suspended (at least once a season) or a game got postponed. By the 2000s the ground was full and I was travelling for work so it became even less but sometimes i also benefitted as Id be working close to an away game. Semi final V United in 2005 being one example.

5 hours ago, fillerywhereru said:

The other thing was how expensive Chelsea was to watch, Bates was constantly criticised for that by fans groups including the Chelsea Independent fanzine. 

Without a doubt, throughout the Bates era Chelsea were the most expensive team to watch in England bar none.  

From a value for money point of view (if you looked at the thing from the perspective of "rational consumer" not football fan) watching Chelsea was not a good investment of your money.  The ground was probably the most run down in the country, pitch miles away from the fans and the football was at its worst horrendous.  Ian Porterfield era was probably as low as it got in terms of the quality of the team.  As someone said from 87-93 virtually all of our properly talented players left (Durie, Dorigo, Speedie, Nevin, Townsend etc.) and we had some proper crap in the team -  Cascarino, Joe Allon, Mick Harford and the like.  

Getting Hoddle in the summer of 1993 really was the catalyst that gave us some credibility and made it obvious that the club was heading in a clear upward path.  

Edited April 3, 20188 yr by BumsteadCFC

12 hours ago, BumsteadCFC said:

Without a doubt, throughout the Bates era Chelsea were the most expensive team to watch in England bar none.  

From a value for money point of view (if you looked at the thing from the perspective of "rational consumer" not football fan) watching Chelsea was not a good investment of your money.  The ground was probably the most run down in the country, pitch miles away from the fans and the football was at its worst horrendous.  Ian Porterfield era was probably as low as it got in terms of the quality of the team.  As someone said from 87-93 virtually all of our properly talented players left (Durie, Dorigo, Speedie, Nevin, Townsend etc.) and we had some proper crap in the team -  Cascarino, Joe Allon, Mick Harford and the like.  

Getting Hoddle in the summer of 1993 really was the catalyst that gave us some credibility and made it obvious that the club was heading in a clear upward path.  

Bates said that the only manager he regretted taking on was Portaloo. 

Durie and Cundy both going to Spurs stuck in the throat a bit.

Edit: Looking back we changed from being a selling club to a buying club when Hoddle arrived. We nearly always held on to our best players after his arrival. Can't think of any obvious departures post 94 through to the Abromovitch era in 2003 purely because we needed the dough?

Edited April 4, 20188 yr by Ewell CFC

I'm sure I remember Durie saying he wanted a move 'so he could be nearer home (Scotland) !' Aye,well I suppose he did move closer...

8 hours ago, erskblue said:

I'm sure I remember Durie saying he wanted a move 'so he could be nearer home (Scotland) !' Aye,well I suppose he did move closer...

Yeah, his wife was pregnant at the time of his move and that was the excuse he gave..........  

Edited April 4, 20188 yr by BumsteadCFC

Saw this a couple of days ago, all time Chelsea and Liverpool attendances, and think it deserves a post in this thread:

https://chelseasupporterstrust.com/15969-club-match-attendance-history/

A couple of our home attendances from March 1965 had actually caught my eye recently.

Sat 6th Match. FA Cup 6th round tie v Peterborough. 63,635 !

Then Wed 10th March  v Spuds. 51,390.

We won 5-1 and 3-1 respectively!😀

Some attendance v Peterborough!! The ‘magic of the FA Cup’ shown in that attendance.