We often hear of how Chelsea were sh*t before Roman took over. We know that isn't true (When Roman arrived in 2003, Chelsea hadn't finished below 6th in the top flight since 1996. The season before we qualified for the Champion's League) but what about before? In my mind, not as sh*t as everyone makes out.  I recently had a Spurs fan telling me how sh*t we were, but if we were so bad, how comes they couldn't beat us at WHL in the league between 1987 and 2006? And still haven't won at The Bridge since 1990? And look at our record at Old Trafford back then. No other team could match it.

 

Since we were promoted in 1984, we've had one solitary season outside the top division (88/89) and we came back as champions. The team in the mid-80s was decent and finished 6th in Div 1 for 2 years running. I saw that poster of the old boys reunion on this vintage section and it said something like: "representing Chelsea when we were sh*t". A lot of those players were from the 83-86 side which was far from sh*t in my opinion. They achieved some good results and could have won the league in 86 if we hadn't capitulated in Easter. The team in 88 should never have been relegated in my opinion. It had internationals and any other season would have stayed up (as some of you will remember, we went down in a play off which hadn't existed before). The team showed their quality the following year by easily winning promotion. So 1 season outside the top flight in the past 31 years. Compare that to other 'big' clubs like Newcastle, Leeds, Forest, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Man City.

 

I first started going during that relegation season but don't really remember it. What I do remember are the early 90s seasons. Were Chelsea truly sh*t back then? I don't think so. Our first season back resulted in a 5th place finish which is far from sh*t. In that season we beat United, Spurs (4-1 away) and reigning champions Arsenal (at Highbury). Then the following season we beat Liverpool, Spurs (twice. 3-2 at home and 3-0 at WHL in the league cup), did the double over Man United and were the only team to beat would-be champions Arsenal all season. However, we also lost some shockers (7-0 at Forest, Oxford in the cup, Luton away). So whilst that side was certainly inconsistent, I don't think it was sh*t. It certainly had potential. The following seasons were a bit nothingy until the cup run of 94 and the signings of Gullit and Hughes in 95 and then the rest, as they say, is history. Was mid-table in the top division truly sh*t? Depends on your perspective I guess. Leeds would love to be that sh*t now. West Ham are that sh*t now and they seem happy enough. I don't think they consider their current team as a crock of sh*t. Teams like Palace strive to be that sh*t and are even thrilled with the prospect of being that sh*t. Then you speak to a Palace fan and all you hear is "oh, you used to be f*cking awful!" Erm, being that f*cking awful is your current objective and you're loving it.

 

So I think to go back to when Chelsea were truly sh*t, you'd have to return to 82/83 when we were nearly relegated to division three and were playing our 4th consecutive season in Div 2. But that was over 30 years ago. You have to be around 40 to even remember that. And even during those bleak mid-70s to early 80s years, we still had a few decent results (beating Liverpool in the cup in 78 and 82 for example). So when opposition fans say to a 25-year-old "where were you when you were sh*t?", they won't even remember it  Chelsea have been pretty decent for 20 odd years.

 

Also, we only really went sh*t in the mid-70s as a result of building the East Stand. We had a decent side before that. It was bad financial management.

 

What do you think? Were we that terrible?

Edited April 18, 201511 yr by George Mills

Yes.

Care to elaborate Peckham Blue? Which era are you referring to?

Great post, GM.

We were great in the 60s and early 70s, but always laughably inconsistent, so people didn't hate us, but didn't take us seriously either.

The East Stand fiasco, coupled with crap management, saw us take a mid-70s nosedive which - apart from one exciting Eddie-Mac season in Div 2 - didn't really end till John Neal and Iain McNeill re-built the side in 83, and we had a few good years until John Neal;'s heart surgery and John Hollins' sh!te management caused another decline.

We weren't great under Campbell, Porterffield and Webb, but we weren't truly sh*t. The Hoddle era was the start of the current good times, especially the signings of Gullit and Hughes. That was the real turning point. (Colin Hutchinson take a bow).

I agree Backbiter. The Campbell, Porterfield and Webb sides (and the Hoddle sides in my opinion) were mediocre rather than 'sh*t'. Inconsistent rather than awful.

 

We were decent in the 60s and early 70s. Look at our league finishes back then compared to say, West Ham's (during their supposed illustrious era of Moore, Hurst and Peters) and they actually compare pretty favourably.

Great post, GM.

We were great in the 60s and early 70s, but always laughably inconsistent, so people didn't hate us, but didn't take us seriously either.

The East Stand fiasco, coupled with crap management, saw us take a mid-70s nosedive which - apart from one exciting Eddie-Mac season in Div 2 - didn't really end till John Neal and Iain McNeill re-built the side in 83, and we had a few good years until John Neal;'s heart surgery and John Hollins' sh!te management caused another decline.

We weren't great under Campbell, Porterffield and Webb, but we weren't truly sh*t. The Hoddle era was the start of the current good times, especially the signings of Gullit and Hughes. That was the real turning point. (Colin Hutchinson take a bow).

 

A very accurate synopsis.

I wasn't there obviously, but I've heard a few tales of the 84 promotion with the season opener at the Old Highbury stadium.

Amongst them included a thunderous epic tackle by Doug Rougvie, a sensational Kerry Dixon volley and the fact over 20,000 away Chelsea supporters flooded the stadium and apparently outnumbered the home supporters.

I wasn't there obviously, but I've heard a few tales of the 84 promotion with the season opener at the Old Highbury stadium.

Amongst them included a thunderous epic tackle by Doug Rougvie, a sensational Kerry Dixon volley and the fact over 20,000 away Chelsea supporters flooded the stadium and apparently outnumbered the home supporters.

I was there, it was a morning kick off. Although we completely packed out the Clock End, and had fans in seated areas, i would'nt have thought we outnumbered the Arsenal fans?.

The ground was full, and it held IIRC over 50,000 back then.

We had a lot of crap seasons after that first relegation in the 70´s till the hoddle era. In between we had the Eddie Mac and the late great John Neal periods but in the main, until Hoddle came along, we were pretty average to say the least.

 

Who, of a certain age, will ever forget the away defeat at The Macain stadium on a very cold and wet Tuesday (i think) night in Scarborough. Not too many of us got to that game although there were a few Northern Chelsea there that night. If anybody else was there, that was certainly a CRAP performance.

 

However, those teams had massive support following them, probably more so than todays side and I say this after watching us beat the Mancs at the bridge just now, all the way from sunny Spain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited April 18, 201511 yr by Montesinos

I wasn't there obviously, but I've heard a few tales of the 84 promotion with the season opener at the Old Highbury stadium.

Amongst them included a thunderous epic tackle by Doug Rougvie, a sensational Kerry Dixon volley and the fact over 20,000 away Chelsea supporters flooded the stadium and apparently outnumbered the home supporters.

 

 

I was there, it was a morning kick off. Although we completely packed out the Clock End, and had fans in seated areas, i would'nt have thought we outnumbered the Arsenal fans?.

The ground was full, and it held IIRC over 50,000 back then.

 

thanks for your stories - I read about this match in Paul Canoville's book. He was amazed at the facilities of Old Highbury, but happy to have the support of the Blues. IMHO I have always thought the Golden Age of Chelsea started w/ Glenn Hoddle.

Care to elaborate Peckham Blue? Which era are you referring to?

 1978-1983, the times I did my most watching.  

Although I'm 25 and therefore too young to remember those times, I know the Chelsea side of the 60's and early 70's constantly threatened, had some Chelsea legends (notably Osgood) and played some good football but fell short of being title winners (a little like today's Arsenal side). The underachievement of Chelsea during the late 70's/early 80's was quite legendary, but it seems to me that we were no worse than mediocre from 1989-onwards. From 1996-2003, we were a little like the Tottenham of today (OK, somewhat better) - usually lingering around the Top 4 but only occasionally cracking it, with the odd cup win to give us solace. 

Peckham Blue, yes, Chelsea were poor then. Unfortunately that was our worst post WWII period. There were still some good moments though.

If we're looking at Chelsea's entire history, we've had 19 seasons in the second division and the rest in the top division. Leeds (who are often cited as a big club) have had three seasons in the third tier and well over 30 in the second.

Mid 80`s to early 90`s sometimes was hard work watching the lads. Don't get me wrong I loved going but getting relegated was horrible, the whole circumstances, closed terraces etc. Romping back to division one was great but it was hard getting upbeat going to Bradford or Walsall. Throw in a couple of spankings by Forest and it brought me down to earth about how good we really were.

I wouldn't necessarily say we were out and out sh*t, but we had awful games sandwiched by cracking wins. Spurs away, Arsenal home, Utd away always got me going when we won. And you know what it was enough.

Don't forget the likes of Bournemouth, Scarborough, Bristol City etc, for feeling about as low as I could.

Still kept going though, Chelsea gets in your blood and bones. sh*t or not .

i'm only 25 but in my time chelsea has never been sh*t to the extent other supporters would claim.

 

even my earliest memories of supporting the club in the mid to late 90's were the complete opposite of sh*t.... we were winning trophies domestically and abroad, should of won the league title when i was 9. never lost to tottenham, smashed barcelona in the champions league, saw wisey score against milan on a sh*tty old tv, franco singlehandedly annihilating united at home...all of this before roman came along....

 

i mean f**k - if those were sh*t times, i wonder how city fans feel considering they were the definition of a yoyo club before their owners came along - what was their highest premier league finish before they came? 13th? no trophy in any competition for how many years? and people have a go at us? jesus

 

we achieved more in the 6 years prior to romans takeover than anything spurs have done in over 30 years, we also won more trophies domestically and abroad in that period than arsenal have done in the last 10 years. the exact same goes for liverpool

 

i can understand some nostalgia kicking in for older fans of other clubs, most likely from the 70's and 80's when we weren't doing so well....but i just gotta laugh when i run into a spurs or arsenal fan at work. "oi you c**ts were proper sh*t back in the day oi" most of these nobheads are the same age as me and must of forgotten that spurs spent the first half of the premier league era fighting relegation battles with sunderland and leicester while we were at the opposite end of the table and whl was still known as 3 point lane

 

i've definitely been privileged into watching chelsea in mostly good times vs a lot of the older supporters here who like my father, witnessed some atrocious sh*t.

 1978-1983, the times I did my most watching.  

Same here. I became a season ticket holder in 1978 and endured some truly awful times. Rubbish football and small crowds.

By the time we started to improve under John Neal I had moved away from London so wasn't able to make every game.

Peckham Blue, yes, Chelsea were poor then. Unfortunately that was our worst post WWII period. There were still some good moments though.

 

Yes of course there were, but we were more easily pleased in those days.

 

I remember in the 78/79 season (I think) whilst struggling in the relegation zone, we played fellow strugglers Bolton at home. We were on a terrible losing run at that time so it was no surprise when we went 3 down by half-time. Clive Walker was brought on in the second half and he transformed the game. We went on to win 4-3 and the celebrations were such that you'd think we'd won the league.

So yes there were good times, but it's all relative!

Completely all relative Wicksy. It all depends on your expectations. People say it is 'easier' supporting a bigger club but your satisfaction of beating one of the sh*tters is less when you're expected to win.

Edited April 19, 201511 yr by George Mills

Started going 1978 Liverpool FA cup great start!! But over the next few years it was really poor at times. It was interesting taking stick from school friends who were either Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U or Palace ( nearest team) but my brother just told me to say to them you like your team but you don't support them!! Ask them how many times they had been to Anfield etc. that use to shut them up.

Although is was bad, going to watch away games at 11 in London and then everywhere from the age of 12. I wouldn't change it for the world because it meant whatever happened you went to the game good or bad. I enjoy the success now and makes it all the sweeter. Those that are old enough remember Rotherham 0-6 1-4 and Wigan in the cup 1979 along with games people have already mentioned.

It was tough at the time but I can look back and say in a strange way that I still enjoyed that era.

Best thing about the sh*t years was you could turn up on the day and just pay into wherever you wanted in the ground, the shed, east or west stands any section of the stand too! You could still do this up till the mid 90s.Late 70s early 80s we were pretty sh*t, tho its all relative as George says in the original post. Those awaydays when we were sh*t are up there with my favourite memories.To be near the bottom of the old division 2 and turn up at Elland Road with 5000 fans as we did in 82/83 just made you proud to be a blue. No glory hunters just proper chelsea!

All so true,my first game was in 67 at the age of 6 when my dad took me.

I started going to most of the games home and away in 77. I remember that Bolton game when Sam Allardyce score the home goal and also the Rotherham away when we lost 6-0.

 

I just laugh at people when they say where were you when you were Sh**.

I just mention that we were in 2 Cup final in the 90's one of which we won plust winning the Cup winner Cup in Sweden.

It make me laugh when they say this to someone in there mid 20's as if they where around then.

We had a lot of crap seasons after that first relegation in the 70´s till the hoddle era. In between we had the Eddie Mac and the late great John Neal periods but in the main, until Hoddle came along, we were pretty average to say the least.

 

Who, of a certain age, will ever forget the away defeat at The Macain stadium on a very cold and wet Tuesday (i think) night in Scarborough. Not too many of us got to that game although there were a few Northern Chelsea there that night. If anybody else was there, that was certainly a CRAP performance.

 

However, those teams had massive support following them, probably more so than todays side and I say this after watching us beat the Mancs at the bridge just now, all the way from sunny Spain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was there mate, only time I ever went on one of Gary's coaches, got picked up at Newport Pagnell and upon arriving at Scarborough's ground not a pub to be found. Me and my mate made our way to the Rangers Supporters Club in the town as they'd put up flyers at the home leg inviting Chelsea supporters to theirs for the evening. Needless to say we signed in with false names, both our surnames being noticeably Irish and all, but a warm welcome and a nice pre match refreshment session was had. As to the match, what's there to say, 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go and we somehow managed to throw it away, only Chelsea eh?

 

Other great away trips I can recall are Wigan in the League Cup 81ish, lost 4-2 and got home at 3 in the morning just in time to get ready for work at 6. Bristol City in the FA Cup 1990, my little bruvs first away game, still he got to find out what supporting us was all about. Losing 3-0 at Hull on a Tuesday night in the last promotion season, what a delightful and friendly town that is, still we didn't lose again for about 6 months but what a memorable night. I'm sure I could think of a fair few more but that'll do for now, but great memories all and I wouldn't have missed them for the world.

 1978-1983, the times I did my most watching.  

Funny enough they were probably my best 5 seasons for getting to the most games as well, do you think we're jinxes?

We often hear of how Chelsea were sh*t before Roman took over. We know that isn't true (When Roman arrived in 2003, Chelsea hadn't finished below 6th in the top flight since 1996. The season before we qualified for the Champion's League) but what about before? In my mind, not as sh*t as everyone makes out.  I recently had a Spurs fan telling me how sh*t we were, but if we were so bad, how comes they couldn't beat us at WHL in the league between 1987 and 2006? And still haven't won at The Bridge since 1990? And look at our record at Old Trafford back then. No other team could match it.

 

Since we were promoted in 1984, we've had one solitary season outside the top division (88/89) and we came back as champions. The team in the mid-80s was decent and finished 6th in Div 1 for 2 years running. I saw that poster of the old boys reunion on this vintage section and it said something like: "representing Chelsea when we were sh*t". A lot of those players were from the 83-86 side which was far from sh*t in my opinion. They achieved some good results and could have won the league in 86 if we hadn't capitulated in Easter. The team in 88 should never have been relegated in my opinion. It had internationals and any other season would have stayed up (as some of you will remember, we went down in a play off which hadn't existed before). The team showed their quality the following year by easily winning promotion. So 1 season outside the top flight in the past 31 years. Compare that to other 'big' clubs like Newcastle, Leeds, Forest, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Man City.

 

I first started going during that relegation season but don't really remember it. What I do remember are the early 90s seasons. Were Chelsea truly sh*t back then? I don't think so. Our first season back resulted in a 5th place finish which is far from sh*t. In that season we beat United, Spurs (4-1 away) and reigning champions Arsenal (at Highbury). Then the following season we beat Liverpool, Spurs (twice. 3-2 at home and 3-0 at WHL in the league cup), did the double over Man United and were the only team to beat would-be champions Arsenal all season. However, we also lost some shockers (7-0 at Forest, Oxford in the cup, Luton away). So whilst that side was certainly inconsistent, I don't think it was sh*t. It certainly had potential. The following seasons were a bit nothingy until the cup run of 94 and the signings of Gullit and Hughes in 95 and then the rest, as they say, is history. Was mid-table in the top division truly sh*t? Depends on your perspective I guess. Leeds would love to be that sh*t now. West Ham are that sh*t now and they seem happy enough. I don't think they consider their current team as a crock of sh*t. Teams like Palace strive to be that sh*t and are even thrilled with the prospect of being that sh*t. Then you speak to a Palace fan and all you hear is "oh, you used to be f*cking awful!" Erm, being that f*cking awful is your current objective and you're loving it.

 

So I think to go back to when Chelsea were truly sh*t, you'd have to return to 82/83 when we were nearly relegated to division three and were playing our 4th consecutive season in Div 2. But that was over 30 years ago. You have to be around 40 to even remember that. And even during those bleak mid-70s to early 80s years, we still had a few decent results (beating Liverpool in the cup in 78 and 82 for example). So when opposition fans say to a 25-year-old "where were you when you were sh*t?", they won't even remember it  Chelsea have been pretty decent for 20 odd years.

 

Also, we only really went sh*t in the mid-70s as a result of building the East Stand. We had a decent side before that. It was bad financial management.

 

What do you think? Were we that terrible?

The old boys reunion is linked to a facebook site called Chelsea when we were sh*t. Silly thing is the site can show pics of Osgood Hudson and co winning the fa cup and cup winners cup early 70s. Though the side is called when we were sh*t its just a Chelsea site covering every era not just the sh*t ones. I agree with everything you say but one thing. I just dont see how 2 poor results at easter cost Chelsea the title when Chelsea won just 2 div 1 games Jan to May 86. You wont win titles doing that. Chelsea  beat Luton 1 0 and Man City 1 0. The other home results before easter were Chelsea 1 Oxford 4, Chelsea 2 Leicester 2, Chelsea 1 Qpr 1, The Chelsea lost 4 0 home to West Ham with a 6 0 loss at Qpr just after that. Then Chelsea 1 Ipswich 1, Chelsea 1 Newcastle 1, Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1, Chelsea 1 Watford 5. Chelsea were sh*t at home before easter and after easter dropping countless points you dont win titlkes doing that.