By contrast if I walked up to Roman for a chat, his body guards would probably shoot me!

3 minutes ago, just said:

I met Uncle Ken a few times. Actually sold me match tickets from the temporary portakabins that were used as the ticket offices in the entrance to the ground when it was being redeveloped.

The last time was before our first ever home game in the CL against AC Milan. I was there early afternoon and met him on the staircase coming out of Bluebells. We had a brief chat and I thanked him and remember saying I never thought I would see Chelsea in a game like this in my lifetime. He actually got a little bit emotional talking about it and all the club had been through to get to this point.

I won't hear a bad word said about Batsey. For all he did for Chelsea, at any other club except ours there would be a statue of him outside.

Great story Just.

 

Still remember it was Liverpook supporting best mate who called me to let me know about the club being sold. Was before I got yo read the Mirror and see for myself. Such big news he had to call me to let me know.

Thought he was winding me up as I remember saying something like "Uncle Ken is as Chelsea as there is, he would not let us go till he is 10 feet under". To my shock me mate was not fibbing. Such a shame Ken did not maintain a good relationship with Roman, Ken did so much for us.

21 minutes ago, just said:

I met Uncle Ken a few times. Actually sold me match tickets from the temporary portakabins that were used as the ticket offices in the entrance to the ground when it was being redeveloped.

The last time was before our first ever home game in the CL against AC Milan. I was there early afternoon and met him on the staircase coming out of Bluebells. We had a brief chat and I thanked him and remember saying I never thought I would see Chelsea in a game like this in my lifetime. He actually got a little bit emotional talking about it and all the club had been through to get to this point.

I won't hear a bad word said about Batsey. For all he did for Chelsea, at any other club except ours there would be a statue of him outside.

 Always used to be looking out for his Roller at away games, the only time i came close was Blackburn away Zolas first game for us if i remember, after the game i left the stand and realised i left a bag behind, went back to get it against the crowd, eventually found bag, by the time i came out virtually everyone had gone, but then slowly rolled up his plush Rolls Royce and drove straight past me. 🗿

16 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Great story Just.

 

Still remember it was Liverpook supporting best mate who called me to let me know about the club being sold. Was before I got yo read the Mirror and see for myself. Such big news he had to call me to let me know.

Thought he was winding me up as I remember saying something like "Uncle Ken is as Chelsea as there is, he would not let us go till he is 10 feet under". To my shock me mate was not fibbing. Such a shame Ken did not maintain a good relationship with Roman, Ken did so much for us.

I have an even better story axman!

For a short period of time Kerry Dixon used to bring me my wages every Friday. And this was when he was in his peak years at Chelsea!

1 minute ago, just said:

I have an even better story axman!

For a short period of time Kerry Dixon used to bring me my wages every Friday. And this was when he was in his peak years at Chelsea!

Hmm wages, from a Chelsea player in that time frame, were you his bookie? Lol

1 minute ago, axman2526 said:

Hmm wages, from a Chelsea player in that time frame, were you his bookie? Lol

It was a bit to do with his gambling.

One of Kerry's best mates from Dunstable was a guy called John Dolan. He ran a fairly big Carpentry sub-contracting company at the time. I was a chippy for him on a few jobs for about a year and half or so.

Like most footballers at that time Kerry liked a bet and what I was told was, (in a bid to give him something to do and keep him out of bookies), Dolan had asked him to do some wage drops to the blokes on site, but also, more importantly, to get the site managers to sign day work sheets for variations. The site managers were all star struck with him and would literally sign anything he put in front of them.

Kerry was a brilliant fella, John Dolan was too. Both really down to earth. Got me and mates tickets a few times including away games. Last time I spoke to Kerry was outside Wembley after a cup-final, and as I sit here writing this I can't for the life of me remember who the final was against!

 

45 minutes ago, just said:

One of Kerry's best mates from Dunstable was a guy called John Dolan. He ran a fairly big Carpentry sub-contracting company at the time. I was a chippy for him on a few jobs for about a year and half or so.

Like most footballers at that time Kerry liked a bet and what I was told was, (in a bid to give him something to do and keep him out of bookies), Dolan had asked him to do some wage drops to the blokes on site, but also, more importantly, to get the site managers to sign day work sheets for variations. The site managers were all star struck with him and would literally sign anything he put in front of them.

Kerry was a brilliant fella, John Dolan was too. Both really down to earth. Got me and mates tickets a few times including away games. Last time I spoke to Kerry was outside Wembley after a cup-final, and as I sit here writing this I can't for the life of me remember who the final was against!

 

I read this thinking "Dolan, did you just give a gambling addict my wages as cash in an envelope!?!?!?!!??"

 

Not saying Kerry is a gambling addict...that's just how f'd my brain is. 

I cant believe there are Chelsea fans that slag him off. He wasn't everyone's cup of tea but he saved this club, people forget that and just see the money that he eventually made after years of fighting through the courts etc.

I for one will be eternally grateful for what he done.

43 minutes ago, Osgoodwasgood said:

I cant believe there are Chelsea fans that slag him off. He wasn't everyone's cup of tea but he saved this club, people forget that and just see the money that he eventually made after years of fighting through the courts etc.

I for one will be eternally grateful for what he done.

i don't think the intention of the poster was to slag him off but merely to point out that he was just as sharp (or trigger-happy depending on what way you look at it) to change manager's when things stopped working. 

Edited January 29, 20215 yr by Argo

4 minutes ago, Argo said:

i don't think @bisright1's intention was to slag him off but merely to point out that he was just as sharp (or trigger-happy depending on what way you look at it) to change manager's when things stopped working. 

He wasnt in the same league as Roman for pulling the trigger.

...saying that he could knock up a killer electric fence.

For all the talk of how football has changed, my two most enjoyable Chelsea teams to watch over all the years were the John Neal side, and Gullit's team. Both teams so fluid and exciting. Both pre-Roman.

 

Edited January 29, 20215 yr by just

24 minutes ago, just said:

For all the talk of how football has changed, my two most enjoyable Chelsea teams to watch over all the years were the John Neal side, and Gullit's team. Both teams so fluid and exciting. Both pre-Roman.

 

Two teams Worlds apart.

24 minutes ago, coco said:

He wasnt in the same league as Roman for pulling the trigger.

He sacked Vialli 5 games into a season we went into as FA Cup holders after he won 4 trophy's in two a half years (5 if you count CS), had us in a title race with an eventual treble winning team and gave us an excellent CL campaign we may have even won if luck went our way vs Barcelona.

If Roman sacked any manager let alone a club legend 5 games into a season when he had such success like above to fall back on and replaced him with a recently relegated manager i dread to think what the reaction would be. Bates was fantastic for us overall, but lets not pretend he wasn't also prone to the odd "souless" decision himself. 

1 minute ago, Argo said:

He sacked Vialli 5 games into a season we went into as FA Cup holders after he won 4 trophy's in two a half years (5 if you count CS), had us in a title race with an eventual treble winning team and gave us an excellent CL campaign we may have even won if luck went our way vs Barcelona.

If Roman sacked any manager let alone a club legend 5 games into a season when he had such success like above to fall back on and replaced him with a recently relegated manager i dread to think what the reaction would be. Bates was fantastic for us overall, but lets not pretend he wasn't also prone to the odd "souless" decision himself. 

I agree with a lot of that, but he still wasn't in the same league as Roman, 

Bates 21 years  82-2003 used 10 managers

Abramovich 18 years 03-21 used 17 managers.

So that banner for Frank that We Are The Shed had made has now been paid for by the club meaning the £4,100+ they raised has all gone to The Felix Project. Chelsea fans are all horrible c**ts though aren’t they!

2 hours ago, just said:

For all the talk of how football has changed, my two most enjoyable Chelsea teams to watch over all the years were the John Neal side, and Gullit's team. Both teams so fluid and exciting. Both pre-Roman.

 

I'd agree with that. I often wonder what might have been if John Neal's health had held up for a few more seasons.

2 hours ago, coco said:

I agree with a lot of that, but he still wasn't in the same league as Roman, 

Bates 21 years  82-2003 used 10 managers

Abramovich 18 years 03-21 used 17 managers.

I'd argue it's 11 managers under Roman and 9 under bates. I wouldn't count Benitez Hiddink Grant as managers. Same as I wouldn't count Rix. No one managed the club for longer than 3 years under Bates. 

But yeah I wasn't intending to slag Bates off, more that he was just as trigger happy as Roman. I imagine Bates wouldn't have had any worry about sacking Lampard. 

I was also highlighting that whilst he saved our club, if Roman hadn't bought us we would have collapsed like Leeds did. So Roman does deserve similar respect Bates gets in that regard. Funnily enough it's quite likely we end up getting bought by the Man City arabs if Roman doesn't buy us.

Edited January 29, 20215 yr by bisright1

16 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I'd agree with that. I often wonder what might have been if John Neal's health had held up for a few more seasons.

Yeah. Loved John Neal - great man.

At the time it seemed like a good progression with John Hollins stepping up from coaching to become Manager, what with Hollins being well thought of, lovely bloke and with his CFC history.

But boy did he and Ernie Whalley f**k up all the good work and foundations that John Neal had put in place. Will never forgive Hollins for that and the way he left Nevin and Hazard out of the side when they were our two most creative players. Boy how things go in circles and you get pissed off with the manager!

 

4 minutes ago, bisright1 said:

I'd argue it's 11 managers under Roman and 9 under bates. I wouldn't count Benitez Hiddink Grant as managers. Same as I wouldn't count Rix. No one managed the club for longer than 3 years under Bates. 

But yeah I wasn't intending to slag Bates off, more that he was just as trigger happy as Roman. I imagine Bates wouldn't have had any worry about sacking Lampard. 

I was also highlighting that whilst he saved our club, if Roman hadn't bought us we would have collapsed like Leeds did. So Roman does deserve similar respect Bates gets in that regard. Funnily enough it's quite likely we end up getting bought by the Man City arabs if Roman doesn't buy us.

Yes you could argue that, but you forgot David Webb, so thats...

17-3 = 14 managers in 18yrs (just over one season each)

10-2 = 8 managers in 21yrs ( almost 3 seasons each)

On 27/01/2021 at 14:29, Osgoodwasgood said:

I suppose i had better stop sulking and get behind the new man

Just for the record i was disgusted with the way Frank was used by a club that he served so well as a player, but i learned a long time ago that this club along with many other top flight clubs sold its soul, in our case to a load of Russians that know little about Morals and Sentiment.

To the younger supporters on this forum that have known nothing other than the Abramovic era, we might sound like whinging old farts, but you were unfortunate to have missed the pre Abramovic years, when this was a proper club with an identity and Balls, the way the club conducts its business these days just is'nt the Chelsea Way, Its shameful and embarrassing for us "old farts".

However, its not Thomas Tuchel's fault and im Chelsea till im pushing them up despite everything, so i would like to wish him the very best of luck#carefree

That's where I am too @Osgoodwasgood

Was so angry and sulking on Monday. Didn't want to get behind TT and seen to be disloyal to Lamps. But although I'm still pissed off with the club for what's happened, having seen TT conference, have to say he comes over as a really decent bloke and was very impressive and said all the right things so that much over-used saying of "It is what it is".

That said will be ready to post on here and slag him off the next time he starts Jorginho and it all goes tit's up again!

7 minutes ago, coco said:

Yes you could argue that, but you forgot David Webb, so thats...

17-3 = 14 managers in 18yrs (just over one season each)

10-2 = 8 managers in 21yrs ( almost 3 seasons each)

Well 10 managers,

Ranieri, Jose, Scolari, ,Ancelotti, AVB, RDM, Jose, Conte, Sarri, Lampard.

And I suppose we can add Tuchel if you really want.

But I don't fully know how having an average tenure of about 3 years but never 4 ruins my argument that Bates like to chop managers.

My point was Chelsea have always done that to someone that said our previous owners would never have sacked Lampard. 

Edited January 29, 20215 yr by bisright1

10 minutes ago, bisright1 said:

Well 10 managers,

Ranieri, Jose, Scolari, ,Ancelotti, AVB, RDM, Jose, Conte, Sarri, Lampard.

And I suppose we can add Tuchel if you really want.

But I don't fully know how having an average tenure of about 3 years but never 4 ruins my argument that Bates like to chop managers.

My point was Chelsea have always done that to someone that said our previous owners would never have sacked Lampard. 

The debate was, who was more trigger happy, not Bates wasn't trigger happy.

19 minutes ago, Nibs said:

That's where I am too @Osgoodwasgood

Was so angry and sulking on Monday. Didn't want to get behind TT and seen to be disloyal to Lamps. But although I'm still pissed off with the club for what's happened, having seen TT conference, have to say he comes over as a really decent bloke and was very impressive and said all the right things so that much over-used saying of "It is what it is".

That said will be ready to post on here and slag him off the next time he starts Jorginho and it all goes tit's up again!

Yeah osgoodwasgood nailed it, I dont think anyone can hold a grudge against Tuchel for taking the job and I hope he does well. But I will begrudge the way the club handled this whole thing and at the moment I'm very indifferent towards chelsea.