I'm an old bastard; 57 to be precise. For me I'm hovering between promotion 84, and first year back in the top flight in 85- could really  identify with the players, and fan power at its maximum.

 97-2003  - started winning trophies, the novelty of overseas trips away, still had a hardcore support.... early RA days-  finally winning the big  one  after decades of being either crap or also rans.

Support base starting to change but The Bridge could still rock.... what's your view?

Ps  Appreciate this is subjective, ; depends what age we we were, how free we were at that time of our lives etc etc

 

3 minutes ago, Fruit Bat said:

I'm an old bastard; 57 to be precise. For me I'm hovering between promotion 84, and first year back in the top flight in 85- could really  identify with the players, and fan power at its maximum.

 97-2005  - started winning trophies, the novelty of overseas trips away, still had a hardcore support.... early RA days-  finally winning the big  one  after decades of being either crap or also rans.

Support base starting to change but The Bridge could still rock.... what's your view?

Ps  Appreciate this is subjective, ; depends what age we we were, how free we were at that time of our lives etc etc

 

 

4 hours ago, Fruit Bat said:

 

77 first season I started going regularly was great 79 was good starting going away games with my mates. 80-83 was terrible but 83-84 was brilliant great team dressed to the nines drinking in pubs with older blokes singing your head off loved it. Pretty crap after that the odd highlight Boro was a nightmare still my lowest point as a Chelsea fan. 94 cup final was a good laugh bar the result and then as you say 97-2003 was really good.

It's not the same now for many reasons still Chelsea till I die but when we lost 3-2 against Spurs in 82 I was gutted even though they were full of top international players we were a mid table second division team. 40 years later we have lost three cup finals in a row and soon as the final whistle went it was oh well never mind especially the Arsenal one in 2020 the first cup final involving Chelsea I have watched indoors. For Chelsea to get to a cup final in 82 would have been a miracle now it's more or less every season and the excitement wanes.

Edited December 3, 20223 yr by bluehaze

I enjoyed the period as a kid when I ‘supported’ but didn’t really pay any attention to the team/results. It all went downhill quickly when I started watching the team and become emotionally invested. 

On 03/12/2022 at 13:17, Fruit Bat said:

I'm an old bastard; 57 to be precise. For me I'm hovering between promotion 84, and first year back in the top flight in 85- could really  identify with the players, and fan power at its maximum.

 97-2003  - started winning trophies, the novelty of overseas trips away, still had a hardcore support.... early RA days-  finally winning the big  one  after decades of being either crap or also rans.

Support base starting to change but The Bridge could still rock.... what's your view?

Ps  Appreciate this is subjective, ; depends what age we we were, how free we were at that time of our lives etc etc

 

 

We're similar ages so for me it was that same promotion under John Neal in 83-84, followed by first of seasons back in 1st Division (THAT day at Highbury where Highbury was BLUE).

The side with Nevin, Dixon, Speedie, Pates, Thomas etc was great to watch and promised so much only for Hollins to f**k it all up! Great kit as well!

The Abramovic years were amazing with so much success & trophies and big name signings but if I could go back to watch one era, it would be that John Neal side (from the Middle of The Shed!)

I’m mid fifties as well. To be at games in 82/83 was tough, so 83-86 was great. Being at the final in Munich, as well as on the pitch and in the dressing room after the game are both my biggest highs at different times of my life.

Eddie McCreadie’s blue & white army days.

Easy one 83-84
 

Every home game was great but away matches were a total laugh. Loads of Chels everywhere, some great trips and our support was magic.

Arse away the following season was a good day out too. We were everywhere

Late 90’s for me, probably around 97.’ Squad was starting to fill with exciting foreigners, but still we had lots of academy players coming through and a few leftovers from the Chelsea of «old»

A really fun time which brought us into the modern era, and of course we started winning things. Being 17-18 at the time helps as well, I guess!

I was supporting on the terraces fro 89 to 97.

Best time really was when Zola came and we won the FA Cup under Gullit. 

Some neat players during this time like Petrescu, Wise, Leboeuf, Di Matteo, Hughes and Vialli.

Those sadly that also did not make it due to injury like Paul Elliott and Pier Luigi Casiraghi.

My memories are bittersweet. 83-84 was fantastic as it came from nowhere, especially as the season before we survived by the skin of our teeth from going down to Div 3. but the racial abuse handed out by some of the chelsea faithful around that time was just F**ked.

Mine would be 67 to late 70s...so I went to home games as a kid...but bunked school to visit other London stadia non match days...then as I got older I went to home and away matches and thru the 70 will have fond memories of travel ...bus cars trains coaches hiking....all the places I've visited....all ends taken by Chelsea...as well as some we didn't....all the fantastic ladies I met...both Chelsea and elsewhere...the fun the fear the happiness and depressions....I shall tell beelzibub when I get there

My favourite seasons, following Chelsea were the obvious 83/84 and 84/85

and also 88/89 and 89/90

The coincedences are that they are both promotion seasons and the following seasons back in Division 1

Think my ages might also have a bearing 83 to 85 I was 15/16 and the fashion and music was also a big thing

88 to 90 I was 20/21 and  beers and birds were also  the big thing

Been other good seasons but these four seasons will always be my go to seasons.

Now I'm 54 and surrounded in the MHL by Tourists with phones, and ipads.

 

89-90 went to most of the matches, Dixon at his best and great to be back at the highest level.

96-97 and winning the FA Cup, first major silverware in 26 years.

2012-13 and Champions league season.