Chelsea’s TOP 10 BIGGEST WINS OF ALL TIME – FANS CHOICE!

  1. Home
  2. Football
Jordon Ledbury

These days, being a Chelsea fan is one of the easiest things in football.

A plethora of success since Roman Abramovic took over the club back in 2003, asking any Chelsea supporter to pick a list of the biggest and best triumphs would certainly provoke discussion and debate.

Here at SillySeason, we like to listen to YOU, the fans, and for this article I spoke with multiple True Blue’s, and complied with them this list, so get your celery, sit back, and in no particular order save the last, lets take a look at Chelsea Football Club’s TOP 10 BIGGEST wins of all time, according to the supporters!

Kicking things off with an FA Cup 4th Round tie back in 1997, a good old fashioned comeback. After 21 minutes, Liverpool were 2-0 up against the Blues, but after goals from Mark Hughes, Gianfranco Zola, and two from Gianluca Vialli, Chelsea sealed a famous victory over The Reds. “I didn’t really follow English football, at the time.” Said Chelsea Fan Alan Muir, from Scotland. “I was watching the game with my older brother, an avid Liverpool fan!” He recalls taking a keen interest in the game, after Mark Hughes, a player he particularly liked at the time, came on and scored Chelsea’s first of what became a historic comeback. “The team work, and the noise from the crowd just bowled me over. An amazing show of heart and spirit to come back from 2-0 down to what was at the time, a very very good Liverpool side.” The win allowed Chelsea to continue on in that season’s FA Cup, and the Blues would eventually lift the old trophy. “I’d even go as far to say, that due to that day, I became more passionate about Chelsea than my Scottish team, Hearts!” Alan went on to say. There is no doubt, a huge comeback against an incredible Liverpool side, sparked a fire in the hearts of many Blues – and lives on in memory to this day.

In the same year as the previous entry, Chelsea took on Middlesborough in the final. A big game for Chelsea, who won the day after goals from Roberto Di Matteo and Eddie Newton. Laurie Tingley, a die hard Chelsea fan, recalled the day: “It was our first major trophy in a long while. And the start of so many great things. It was a awesome day. Frist final we reached after 1994 disappointment. Di Matteo with the rifle of a goal in the first minute. It’s when FA cup finals lasted the whole day. Suggsy bought out blue day and we were all singing it. Atmosphere was electric. Our first since the FA Cup final against Leeds almost 30 years earlier. And then going on to win trophies every year since. Before the money. Remember it like it was yesterday. Amazing.” There is no debating that this victory may well have been the first sign of Chelsea’s rise to glory, with Roman Abramovic arriving at the club just six years later, and, you know the rest.

Turmoil. The only word that could possibly sum up Chelsea’s season before this point. Andre Villas-Boas dismissed by Roman Abramovic, after just ten months in charge at the club, with results being poor and for most Chelsea fans, the dreams were dead. Enter Roberto Di Matteo. Already having a great relationship with the club and the fans from his playing days, he took over as caretaker manager and was tasked with trying to salvage something, anything, from Chelsea’s disastrous season. Dider Drogba, John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Branislav Ivanovic all found the net for Chelsea in a dramatic game to secure the club continued on in the competition. At this point, you have to assume that despite the roller coaster they had already experienced, some Chelsea fans must have began to believe.. and rightly so.

After a 2-2 draw in the first attempt, Chelsea took another crack at besting Leeds United to the 1970 FA Cup, which still stands as the second highest UK audience for a sports broadcast (sitting just behind the 1966 World Cup final) Leeds and Chelsea were two of England’s top teams that season, having finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the then First Division. The match was considered by many as a clash in footballing contrasts: Chelsea were regarded as “flamboyant southerners” whereas Leeds were seen as “uncompromising northerners” Neither had won the FA Cup before, but both had recently been runners-up, Leeds in 1965 and Chelsea in 1967. When you look at present day, and where Chelsea and Leeds currently sit, the gap is quite clear; and this day may well have contributed to that, even if it was so long ago, and without a doubt is one the older Proper Chels, will remember.

“This was a week before my 14th birthday! I’d been to a few home games by then, but never went away, so most of my knowledge has been garnered through first hand accounts from both Chels and Bolton supporters over the years.” Recalls Pete Brindle. Winless in nine. Staring relegation to the third division, and with that, potential extinction in the face. “One of the things me and most of my Chelsea mates at the time shared with match going supporters, was a sense of foreboding about what could actually happen to the club. It was common knowledge that Ken Bates had bought the club for the nominal price of £1 plus the substantial debts and at that time nobody was certain about what direction Birdseye would take us or whether the club could withstand the pressure it was under from its creditors. Most of us believed seriously, that the club couldn’t survive relegation. That is definitely no exaggeration.”  continued Pete. Chelsea knew they needed a win, and standing across from them were fellow Division 2 struggles, Bolton. The game looked to be heading to a 0-0 draw, a result that almost certainly would have altered the course of history, and perhaps changed everything we know about Chelsea Football Club today, but a Clive Walker goal secured arguably one of Chelsea’s MOST IMPORTANT wins, of all time. Without that all important Clive Walker finish, I maybe wouldn’t be here writing this article today.

Following a 0-0 draw with Portsmouth, it became apparent that the Blues needed a victory against Sheffield Wednesday to clinch the 1954/55 First Division title, the Blues had been in blistering form leading up to the clinching clash, and to the Chelsea faithful the result was never really in doubt, and Chelsea ran out comfortable 3-0 winners thanks to a Sillett penalty and an Eric Parsons brace in front of 51,421. A historic day, and a trophy triumph still remembered to this day.

Out of the Champions League, but still hopeful for the season, Chelsea pushed through to reach the Europa League final, and faced a difficult clash with Portuguese giants Benfica. With Rafa Benitez taking charge, despite many fans being against the appointment of the former Liverpool boss, even going as far to bring signs in protest of the appointment to games at Stamford Bridge, the Blues aimed to become the first team in history to have both the Champions League and the Europa League in their possession at the same time, as the new European Champions had not been crowned at that point. Against the run of play, Fernando Torres put Chelsea ahead on the hour mark, but in typical Chelsea fashion, they took their fans on yet another roller coaster of a ride when Oscar Cardozo converted a penalty to draw Benfica level. Petr Cech pulled off a world class save to deny Cardozo from grabbing a second, before Chelsea’s Frank Lampard hit the woodwork with a terrific effort, as he did in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United in Moscow – not a good omen. However, Branislav Ivanovic rose to meet a Juan Mata corner deep in stoppage time, to clinch the win for Chelsea. Another historic win, another trophy for the cabinet, and despite the controversy surrounding the appointment of Rafa Benitez, Chelsea had something to show for it.

With a victory against Bolton, Chelsea sealed their first championship for 50 years. An unforgettable Frank Lampard goal sealed the day, and sent the Stamford Bridge crowd into hysterics. Not much more needs to be said, if you’re a Chelsea fan, and remember the moment Frank Lampard buried his goal into the net and celebrated in front of the Chelsea faithful, then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Scenes.

“The game that changed everything, qualified for champions league football and without this Roman might have gone elsewhere.” says Terry Burtenshaw. And he is not wrong. Many speculate that this victory for Chelsea over rivals Liverpool in the Champions League is what persuaded Roman Abramovic to purchase the West London club as opposed to taking up an interest in London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea did take the win, and Abramovic did indeed take over the club, and the rest as they say, is history.

Was there ever any doubt that this would be number one on this list? Of course not. Who can forget? That shambolic season under Andre Villas-Boas, transformed into a blue heaven, a Chelsea dream land, thanks to Roberto Di Matteo and the efforts of the boys who took the field against an intimidating Bayern Munich side, IN Munich, in Bayern’s Allianz Arena. After Bayern took the lead with 8 minutes remaining, many fans were having flashbacks to that cold, rainy, miserable day in Moscow in 2008. But after Fernando Torres wins a corner, and Juan Mata swings in a cross, who else but Dider Drogba rose to meet the ball with a thunderous header, and catapulted Chelsea right back in to the game. Bayern Munich got themselves a penalty, and up stepped former Chelsea man Arjen Robben, who had taunted the Chelsea fans after Bayerns opening goal, and as fate would have it, the Dutchman could not beat Petr Cech with the spot-kick, it was well and truly “on” for Chelsea. Penalties, every Englishman dreads them, and this was no exception, tensions were high, and after a thrilling shoot-out, it came down to one kick, “And Chelsea, are one kick away! But thats what they were in Moscow!” announced Martin Tyler. But moments later, a much more memorable shout was heard from the commentator, the words rang throughout the ears of Chelsea fans all over the world; “He’s done it.” Everyone in Chelsea blue felt a chill down the spine, as they realised that finally, after so long of being the club who had come closer than anybody else without success; all of the blood, sweat, and tears, had paid off. Chelsea were the Champions of Europe.. but, the Germans never lose on penalties? Well, on this occasion, as Ashley Cole so wonderfully put it; “They do now.”

 

Jordon Ledbury – @Ledds6

Leave a Comment
Exit mobile version