I´m talking about the 70s and 80s, so the good old times. May be things have changed in the 90s.

Never call it soccer, call the squad the roster or the dressing room the locker room.

44 minutes ago, bluehaze said:

Never call it soccer, call the squad the roster or the dressing room the locker room.

When in Rome. 

7 hours ago, City Beautiful SC said:

Thanks for the reply and the Rangers comment is awesome. I did not know that. My wife and I are supposed to be going to Scotland in November and the layovers in Gatwick don't look to afford enough time to visit Stamford Bridge for a picture but I could certainly hit maybe the next best thing in Glasgow that week if all this pandemic idiocy can get under control. Also, any advice on how much time it would take to be feasible to make it to the Stamford Bridge for an hour and then back from that airport is not unwelcome!

I would suggest staying off the subject of football in Glasgow, I met a Glaswegian lass on a symposium a few years back and after a couple of drinks it was clear she still had the sectarian hatred, talking about the Billy boys.

12 hours ago, dkw said:

The 2006 win at home to West Ham has always felt like a game that summed us up as a club. 1-0 down, man sent off and we just fought and scrapped and end up battering them 4-1.

Yeah I know better than that. I will visit Ibrox for sure though.

http://thechels.info/wiki/USA_%26_Canada_Tour_1954

I think 1954 was our First North America and Canada Tour.

USA & Canada Tour 1954

D	M	Year	Opposition	Result	Score	Venue
9	May	1954	Fortuna Dusseldorf	Won	3-2	New York
16	May	1954	Rangers	Lost	0-1	Montreal
21	May	1954	Baltimore Rockets	Won	7-1	Baltimore
23	May	1954	Borussia Dortmund	Lost	1-6	New York
26	May	1954	Eastern Seaboard All Stars	Won	6-0	Fall River, Massachusetts
30	May	1954	American All Stars	Won	2-0	New Jersey
5	June	1954	Rangers	Won	4-1	Toronto
6	June	1954	Rangers	Drew	0-0	New York

Edited May 21, 20206 yr by erskblue

21 hours ago, nominator said:

I´m talking about the 70s and 80s, so the good old times. May be things have changed in the 90s.

I genuinely don't remember it being on my radar in the 70s and 80s but then there's a lot I don't remember from the 70s and 80s!

Chelsea's Clive Walker (l) and Liverpool's Alan Hansen (r) chase a through ball

https://gameofthepeople.com/2014/04/29/clive-walker-right-man-wrong-time/

Clive Walker – right man, wrong time

GOTP Editorial Team

Posted on April 29, 2014

ASK ANY Chelsea fan to name one of the best wingers to have worn the club’s colours over the past 30-plus years and the odds are that Clive Walker will feature. He was a remarkable player at times, was Walker, and in happier circumstances, may have left a much stronger legacy. It was his misfortune that he played for the club in a time best described as mediocre and, at its worst, shambolic. But he left behind some memories that will linger long at Stamford Bridge and will forever be recalled when the FA Cup comes around each year, especially if the Blues get drawn against Liverpool.

Clive was introduced to the Chelsea first team at the end of the 1976-77 promotion campaign. He had gradually filtered into the conscience of Bridge regulars in the form of snippets about the Chelsea reserve side. While the first team were riding an emotional wave to promotion, despite the stringent financial restrictions placed upon the club in the summer of 1976, rumours abounded that there was an “even better player in the stiffs”, who was faster, more skilful and goal-hungrier than anyone in the first team. Bold words, given that Jock Finnieston and Kenny Swain had performed pretty well in front of goal for most of the season!

He was introduced in a couple of mid-season friendlies and his mere appearance set him apart from others of his age. He was only 19 but it was clear even at this young age, that he wouldn’t be needing a comb into his 30s! He was left-footed, as quick as a sprinter and awkward to knock off the ball. And he could shoot! Those that liked wingers were excited by his willingness to run between players and take a pot shot at goal. Put simply, he was exciting to watch. The press said the Oxford-born striker “looks like Terry Yorath and shoots like Bobby Charlton”. The latter was fairly accurate, at least.

It wasn’t until December 1977 that Walker broke into the Chelsea first team on a regular basis. It coincided with a mid-season flourish that brought a glut of goals for a struggling team. Walker’s introduction was a breath of fresh air and in January 1978, he achieved his 15 minutes of fame. Actually, it was 90 minutes. Walker tore European champions Liverpool apart in the FA Cup third round at Stamford Bridge. His first goal stunned an over-confident Liverpool and set the scene for a memorable January afternoon. His shot, from 25 yards, with the outside of his left foot, caught Ray Clemence unaware and took a wicked swerve at it soared into the top corner of the net.

For most of the game, Walker tormented the likes of Emlyn Hughes and Joey Jones, switching wings when necessary and goading the Liverpool players to take him on. It was a joy to behold and inspired Chelsea to a 4-2 win, against all the odds. And this was achieved without Ray Wilkins, who had to withdraw due to injury.

The following season, a dire one for Chelsea, Walker was the catalyst for another – all too rare – glorious occasion. Chelsea were 0-3 down to Bolton when Walker came on as substitute in the 70th minute. So pathetic was the Blues’ first half performance that many supporters left their seats in the East Stand at the interval, congregating in the space between the stand and the old Shed End.

These were grim times for Chelsea and the club’s downward spiral prompted Chairman Brian Mears to invite highly-rated Yugoslav coach Miljan Miljanic to watch and assess Ken Shellito’s hapless team.

Within six minutes of coming on, Walker lifted the 19,000 crowd by creating a “consolation goal” for Tommy Langley. Walker had the bit between his teeth and started to torment Bolton’s Paul Jones down the flank. In the 84th minute, Swain pulled another goal back and three minutes on, Walker, typically, raced through to score the equalizer with a low cross shot. The stray supporters in nomansland went berserk, and they were in a good position as Walker was ploughing his furrow down their wing. He wasn’t finished, for in the 89th, another dash, a low cross and Bolton’s lumbering centre-back, Sam Allardyce (!), scythed the ball into the net for Chelsea’s winner. Miljanic left his seat and returned to Belgrade, never to be seen again. He knew that even a spirited 4-3 win was never going to be enough to save Chelsea.

They were relegated and spent the next four years steadily declining. Walker had some purple patches, scoring regularly and sometimes being compared to great wingers of old. But like many flankmen, he was prone to periods of inertia. He played a key role in another FA Cup win against Liverpool – every bit as remarkable a performance as a few years earlier – but in 1982-83, he often looked disinterested like most of Chelsea’s team. But at the end of the season, with Chelsea staring into the abyss, he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Bolton that effectively saved the Blues from the drop to the third division. His manager, John Neal, was none too convinced and for a while, it looked as though Walker would be on his way.

As Chelsea rebuilt in the summer of 1983-84 amid cries of “never again”, Walker was given the chance to play a part in the rebirth. He started the season well, but then broke his jaw. Waiting in the wings, so to speak, was one Pat Nevin. Walker’s career at Chelsea was effectively over and he was sold to Sunderland in the close season. He returned to torment Chelsea in the Football League Cup semi-final second leg, scoring twice in what was a dreadful night for the club. Walker was abused from the stands, too, which was especially heartbreaking for those that appreciated his efforts at the Bridge.

After winding down his career with QPR and Fulham, Walker then enjoyed a second wind in non-league football. He played for Woking and Cheltenham and was, without doubt, one of the best players at that level by some distance. At Woking, he was a pivotal figure in a fine footballing side that won the FA Trophy on a regular basis. One player who benefitted from Walker’s precision crossing was centre forward Darran Hay, a three-time Trophy winner himself. “Clive was the best I played with. He made so many goals for me and was head and shoulders above everyone else. To come out of the Football League and show the sort of dedication to playing that he did with Woking was incredible,” recalls Hay.

He gave the same level of commitment to Cheltenham finally retiring in 1999-00 when he was into his 40s. He played over 250 games in non-league football, scoring almost 100 goals.

It’s a pity that Clive Walker didn’t get the chance to appear in a successful Chelsea team. The only time that might have been possible was in 1983-84 but that jaw injury cut his season short. But any grey-haired Blues fan will recall, with relish, games against Liverpool and Bolton and a young player who had the mad idea of taking the opposition on. Clive Walker really could have been a contender…

Photo: PA

 

Clive Walker of Chelsea scores a vital winning goal during the English Division Two match between Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea held on May 7, 1983 at Burnden Park, in Bolton,

Chelsea won the match 1-0 to help Chelsea successfully avoid relegation to the old Third Division in English football. (Photo by Hugh Hastings/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Clive Walker scored a vital a goal v Bolton, shown above. That was as vital a goal as was ever scored by any Chelsea player.

Stamford Bridge.  Entrance Gates. Just like this picture.

The Shed Terracing is to the left of this picture and the Main Stand is seen ahead.

1982/83 ish prices.

On 20/05/2020 at 20:50, nominator said:

Don´t know how it is today, but for me as an old man it´s still Celtic that I hate.

Same here.

That Celtic “ friendly” at the Bridge 15 odd years ago was a lively affair.

There were hundreds of chaps from the outside Fulham Broadway Station all the way down to the main entrance looking for someone to clump ( lots of Glasgow Rangers and a smattering of Millwall who Chelsea generally get on with BTW)

I saw Celtic scarfers get laid into that night, which I wouldn’t normally approve of, but they were singing pro IRA songs.

No where near enough police on duty. Surprised the fixture went ahead in the first place.

Edited May 24, 20206 yr by Ewell CFC

There are some interesting personas in Chelsea. Past players and managers. You should look into them as well. I am a people person myself. Less of a tribalist.

Here are my favourite ones from 1994 on:

Players

Ruud Gullit, Gianfranco Zola, Luca Vialli, Dennis Wise, Marcel Desailly, Didier Drogba, Claude Makalele, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Eden Hazard, Diego Costa.

Managers

Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte.

All of them are not maybe big talkers or bubbling persons but on field shining lights.

There are tons of others but here are the ones from the top of my head.

Did your really forget JT?

Did your really forget JT?

Yes. Add JT. Not my favourite person (a far) but definetly someone to read into. Somewhat polarising as a person.

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2018/08/29/the-fire-and-ice-of-jimmy-floyd-hasselbaink-and-eidur-gudjohnsen/

The fire and ice of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen

The fire and ice of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen

29/08/2018 by Chris Henderson

 

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2016/07/13/jimmy-floyd-hasselbaink-an-ode-to-one-of-the-premier-leagues-most-devastating-marksmen/

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: an ode to one of the Premier League’s most devastating marksmen

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: an ode to one of the Premier League’s most devastating marksmen

13/07/2016 by Matt Gault

 

Both articles are worth a read.

 

2016 Premier League vs Tottenham, the battle of the bridge

Just watched the condensed replay on YT for this match. 

Thoughts:
I've watched two classic Chelsea gang fights where football matches broke out.
It's an odd thing as an American to listen to the commentators celebrating the championship of a team not actually on the screen.
It's absolutely hysterical watching Tottenham get cock-blocked at the most critical time in their history to hand the championship over to Leicester City?!?!?
Teams with chickens as mascots should be ashamed of themselves.
Mousa Dembélé is a bitch.
Erik Lamela is a bitch.

That is all.

1 hour ago, City Beautiful SC said:

2016 Premier League vs Tottenham, the battle of the bridge

Just watched the condensed replay on YT for this match. 

Thoughts:
I've watched two classic Chelsea gang fights where football matches broke out.
It's an odd thing as an American to listen to the commentators celebrating the championship of a team not actually on the screen.
It's absolutely hysterical watching Tottenham get cock-blocked at the most critical time in their history to hand the championship over to Leicester City?!?!?
Teams with chickens as mascots should be ashamed of themselves.
Mousa Dembélé is a bitch.
Erik Lamela is a bitch.

That is all.

You probably missed this yet the ref (Clattenburg) came out some time after and said Spurs should have had two people sent off for bad challenges yet he was concerned about being seen as biased and trying to give Leicester the Championship. So it turned into a really spiteful affair and two I really disliked were Dembele and Deli Alli.

11 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

two I really disliked were Dembele and Deli Alli.

Add 9 more of this N17 scum plus their manager, that its complete.

17 minutes ago, nominator said:

Add 9 more of this N17 scum plus their manager, that its complete.

I don't see Poch winning any trophies even assuming he goes to Newcastle with their prospective new wealthy owners.

He won´t win anything with the magpies, but he´ll only go to Newcastle, when he can´t find a top club.

43 minutes ago, nominator said:

He won´t win anything with the magpies, but he´ll only go to Newcastle, when he can´t find a top club.

Yes he looked odds on a while back to be going to OT yet OGS started to improve once they bought Fernandes so the Magpies might be all that is left. It would be interesting to see Bale back in the EPL if that could happen.

I agree - but who knows, it that´s going to happen, as nobody knows how much the investors can or will invest? Bale won´t play there for a tenner a week so they have to invest heavily.

Edited May 28, 20206 yr by nominator

31 minutes ago, nominator said:

I agree - but who knows, if that´s going to happen, as nobody knows how much the investors can or will invest? Bale won´t play there for a tenner a week so they have to invest heavily.