Chelsea v Derby County August 1983.

[erskblue]

https://legacy.chelseafc.com/news/features/a-moment-in-time1/

A Moment in Time

feature Thu 10 Aug 2017

In a new feature for the new season, we recall some of the most memorable games in our history through pictures. We start off with an opening-day classic that set the tone for a brilliant league-winning campaign...
 

Chelsea v Derby County, Saturday 27 August 1983, Division Two, Stamford Bridge

The summer of 1983 proved to be one of the major turning points in the club’s history. Eight players were signed as a reaction to the near relegation of the previous season, mostly youngsters from the lower or Scottish leagues, but also former hero John Hollins who joined as player-coach. 

Midfielder Nigel Spackman, pictured below, had been spotted by manager John Neal and he opened the scoring on his debut inside five minutes. The 1983/84 season was off and running. 

 

Things got even better early in the second half against a side many tipped for promotion. Our no.7 Clive Walker doubled our advantage and is pictured below celebrating with Colin Lee in front of a joyous Shed End. 

 

 

Chris Hutchings made it three soon after and the Blues were rampant. Spackman's midfield partner John Bumstead fancied getting in on the act but this effort flew over...

 

 

Colin Lee swings a cross over from in front of the West Stand benches. 

 

 

The scoring was completed with two goals by a new striker making his debut. His name? Kerry Dixon...

It was the start of a brilliant Chelsea career and he will go down as one of our very best no.9s. 

 

The victory, and more importantly the manner of it, gave the team great confidence. We lost just one of our first 17 games and went top of the table on New Year's Eve.

We clinched the Second Division title on the final day at Grimsby, edging out Sheffield Wednesday on goal difference. It brought one of the most fondly-remembered seasons in our history to a perfect conclusion. 

To find out more about the club's past visit the history section of the website with other great games and seasons featured. 

Photos courtesy of the Chelsea FC photo archive. 

 

I thought this article from the official site, posted back in August last year had been given a thread of it's own.

It has now !

 

[blues up north]

Travelled down overnight from Glasgow to Victoria. Great start to the season. Back up the road Saturday night.

[ddrblue]

Came down on 08:30 from donny for the derby county game ,maybe my memory is knackered but Iam sure the Brighton away game was played the following Saturday as we did that one on British Rail aswell.

[erskblue]

This game took place 35 years ago tomorrow !

Okay, okay, so I fully admit this is just an excuse to go down 'that season' memory lane again.

[Richard P]

If only we had a tardis like doctor who!!

[erskblue]

15 hours ago, Richard P said:

If only we had a tardis like doctor who!!

A great many of us 'old gits' would travel back to 'that season'

The Tardis would be mobbed

[chi blue]

1 hour ago, erskblue said:

A great many of us 'old gits' would travel back to 'that season'

The Tardis would be mobbed

I'm on board, just gonna dig out my Lois cords, Pringle jumper, and puma G Vilas trainers, borrowing my teenage daughters hair extensions so I can get my hair Permed at the back again!, Finally I will  accessorize with a Chelsea/union jack ski Hat "Jonny Neal's blue and white army"

[erskblue]

3 hours ago, chi blue said:

I'm on board, just gonna dig out my Lois cords, Pringle jumper, and puma G Vilas trainers, borrowing my teenage daughters hair extensions so I can get my hair Permed at the back again!, Finally I will  accessorize with a Chelsea/union jack ski Hat "Jonny Neal's blue and white army"

Here we go again...

Great

[erskblue]

3 hours ago, chi blue said:

I'm on board, just gonna dig out my Lois cords, Pringle jumper, and puma G Vilas trainers, borrowing my teenage daughters hair extensions so I can get my hair Permed at the back again!, Finally I will  accessorize with a Chelsea/union jack ski Hat "Jonny Neal's blue and white army"

Right where's that Royal Blue Adidas Tracksuit top ?

 

[erskblue]

Continuing here on the that season thread.

Tuesday, 30th August 1983 .

We beat Gillingham 2-1 away in the League Cup.

Our scorers were Walker in the 38th and Dixon in the 57th minutes.

[erskblue]

Right looks like it's Brighton away on Saturday !

(Saturday, 3rd September 1983 )

For anyone new looking in.

I'm looking back at 1983/84 or that season as it's known by some old gits on here

[Richard P]

Made my way down on a special from Victoria to Hove. Total chaos! Not enough turnstiles open, there can’t be an official attendance as Brighton opened a huge gate to get people in. This is why looking at the attendance and how many people estimate were there don’t match up. 

This game was all ticket but so many there were to pay on the day. Once the gate got opened there is no way of knowing how May were there. I can’t remember how many seats we had but pictures of the terracing, people have said between 12-15,000

[chi blue]

3 hours ago, Richard P said:

Made my way down on a special from Victoria to Hove. Total chaos! Not enough turnstiles open, there can’t be an official attendance as Brighton opened a huge gate to get people in. This is why looking at the attendance and how many people estimate were there don’t match up. 

This game was all ticket but so many there were to pay on the day. Once the gate got opened there is no way of knowing how May were there. I can’t remember how many seats we had but pictures of the terracing, people have said between 12-15,000

Going to school at the time near Brighton, many of my school mates, always went to Brighton games they said they never ever saw any thing like it that day, and estimates of 12 to 15k are what they recalled at the time. One mate sat in their old main stand for the game as advised by his old man for safety reasons!, and said that Chelsea initially Cramed in the north east terrace but then 1,000's swarmed across the North stand terrace ( that was when gates were opened I presume) while the Brighton fans evacuated pronto, We also filled the Lego stand Which was a small roofed seated stand on the side, apparently mo meadow looked very impressive in there, there were also loads in the south stand behind the other goal. Dare I say,  I came bowling into school on Monday morning like Billy big spuds, even though I didn't go to that game I was one of the few who supported Chelsea and the only one that went to games on a regular basis.

 

[chelsea78]

22 hours ago, chi blue said:

Going to school at the time near Brighton, many of my school mates, always went to Brighton games they said they never ever saw any thing like it that day, and estimates of 12 to 15k are what they recalled at the time. One mate sat in their old main stand for the game as advised by his old man for safety reasons!, and said that Chelsea initially Cramed in the north east terrace but then 1,000's swarmed across the North stand terrace ( that was when gates were opened I presume) while the Brighton fans evacuated pronto, We also filled the Lego stand Which was a small roofed seated stand on the side, apparently mo meadow looked very impressive in there, there were also loads in the south stand behind the other goal. Dare I say,  I came bowling into school on Monday morning like Billy big spuds, even though I didn't go to that game I was one of the few who supported Chelsea and the only one that went to games on a regular basis.

 

Had only been living in Brighton a few years after moving from Chi when that game took place. The stand you are referring to was known the West Stand extension which is where I was sitting with an ex girlfriend. Yes you are right the Brighton fans exited the North stand pretty quick when our lot started to flow in from the corner enclosure.

[erskblue]

Brighton had been to the FA Cup Final in May 1983 drawing 2-2 with Man Utd in extra time, before losing in the replay.

And having a very good chance near the end to win it.

They had also just been relegated in the same season from Division 1 !

[erskblue]

Date:

http://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Results/1983.htm#3126     35 years ago today ! We played Brighton away at The Goldstone Ground in that season !     Saturday, 3rd September 1983 at 15:00

Brighton  1-   2 Chelsea

Competition:	Football League Division 2     Position 2
Venue:	Goldstone Ground
Attendance:	20,874
Referee:	Ken W Baker (Rugby)
Brighton & Hove Albion	Digweed, O'Regan, Pearce, Grealish (Lambert), Foster, Gatting, Case, Smith, Young, Connor, Smillie
Scorer	Young 76
Manager	Jimmy Melia
Chelsea	1 Eddie Niedzwiecki, 2 John Hollins, 3 Chris Hutchings, 4 Colin Pates, 5 Joe McLaughlin, 6 John Bumstead, 7 Clive Walker, 8 Nigel Spackman, 9 Kerry Dixon, 10 Colin Lee, 11 Paul Canoville
Scorers	Dixon 26 (Pen), Dixon 81
Sub Not Used	12 Joey Jones
Manager	John Neal

Edited September 3, 2018 by erskblue

[chi blue]

On 01/09/2018 at 07:41, erskblue said:

Brighton had been to the FA Cup Final in May 1983 drawing 2-2 with Man Utd in extra time, before losing in the replay.

And having a very good chance near the end to win it.

They had also just been relegated in the same season from Division 1 !

Remember that final, loads of my school mates went to final supporting Brighton, my worse nightmare would of been Brighton winning and coming to school on the Monday and having loads of 14 year olds giving it large,  late on in extra time Gordon Smith went 1 on 1 with United's Gary Bailey, John Motion said "and Smith must score" as it happened my mum was bringing through a cup of tea I jumped up as my nightmare loomed!! Thankfully he missed and I was saved from the Monday morning mauling I would of received. Three months later I could give it large as we won away. It wasn't all sweet though, the tea my mum was bringing through got knocked straight out of her hand onto our new carpet! I got a right bollocking!!!!

[erskblue]

Chi: I was wanting Brighton to win the FA Cup Final v Man Utd back in 1983.

To be fair though,there were not many Brighton supporters at my school in th West of Scotland.

Not many Chelsea supporters either back then. Two from memory !

[erskblue]

It's Blackburn away on the 7th and Cambridge Utd at The Bridge on the 10th.

Going back through that season (again )  yup it's 1983/84 !

[ddrblue]

I recall going to the Bolton v chelsea game the season before ,in the last away game of the season in a must win game tha helped keep CFC in div2 .bolton 0 chelsea 1.think Clive Walker scored the goal and it was raining cats and dogs .

 

after the game we was in a pub when ken Bates dropped in,he basically said to us that the chelsea team by the start of the next season 1983/84 will be very different as they will be signing X amount of new players .

Start of the 1983 season saw us beat derby 5-0 @ SB ,with untold new players running out for CFC that day,with promotion as league two winners  by the end of the season ,facking sheff weds  if my memory is correct.

 

[erskblue]

On 10th Sept 1983 we beat Cambridge Utd 2- 1 at The Bridge with John Bumstead in the 20th minute and Clive Walker scoring in the 76th minute for us.

14,425 saw it.

Then on Tuesday, 13th September we beat Gillingham 4-0 at The Bridge in the Milk Cup 1st Round, Second Leg.

Our scorer was our new striker 'King Kerry' Dixon with all four goals. In the 40th,44th, 54th and 84th minute.

9,704 saw it.

This team looks different from the last couple of seasons Chelsea teams.

Next up Sheffield Wed away in the League on Sat 17th Sept.

 

 

[Richard P]

15 hours ago, erskblue said:

On 10th Sept 1983 we beat Cambridge Utd 2- 1 at The Bridge with John Bumstead in the 20th minute and Clive Walker scoring in the 76th minute for us.

14,425 saw it.

Then on Tuesday, 13th September we beat Gillingham 4-0 at The Bridge in the Milk Cup 1st Round, Second Leg.

Our scorer was our new striker 'King Kerry' Dixon with all four goals. In the 40th,44th, 54th and 84th minute.

9,704 saw it.

This team looks different from the last couple of seasons Chelsea teams.

Next up Sheffield Wed away in the League on Sat 17th Sept.

 

 

Saw the two home games but missed the Sheffield Wednesday away game which was one of 4 games I missed the whole season.

[erskblue]

Saturday, 17th September 1983 saw us lose 2-1 away to Sheff Wed

. It meant we dropped from 2nd to 6th in the table.

Clive Walker gave us an early lead in the  second minute,. However	Lyons in the 47th and Megson in the 84th minute saw us go down narrowly.
A crowd of 20,596 saw it.

[erskblue]

Saturday, 24th September 1983 is our next game (well it was back in that season) sees us play Middlesboro at The Bridge.

[Richard P]

On 17/09/2018 at 19:39, erskblue said:

Saturday, 24th September 1983 is our next game (well it was back in that season) sees us play Middlesboro at The Bridge.

Was a boring 0-0 draw with two more points dropped