First Football Histories

This book is not intended to be a comprehensive history of Chelsea FC from training ground to the trophy cabinet. It is written as a story for the fans - a narrative of characters, scenes and events that provide an introduction to some key moments in the club's history; from its foundation in England's 'Edwardian' era through to the modern day, and a country contemplating its departure from Europe.Ironically, it is in Europe where many of the most compelling Chelsea stories and successes can be described, from being the only British club to have won the European Cup Winners' Cup twice and the only team from London club to lift the Champions League trophy. Chelsea's European pedigree stretches back to the very first European Cup competition more than 60 years ago when they were the original British team to be invited to take part.Locally, Chelsea's rivalry with other London clubs - particularly Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal (who they met in the first major London derby match in 1907) - has also been matched with clubs from the North, especially Liverpool, as well as the Midlands, with both Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion featuring prominently. In weaving together an overall picture of the history of football, the Chelsea story, therefore, becomes a key part of other clubs' records.It is hoped that, as the flow of history weaves its way in and out of times and places, readers will step off at different points and explore more about football clubs, competitions, countries and players for themselves - as well as the general social and political history providing the backdrop to each tale. The current generation of Chelsea fans could be forgiven for thinking that the club's fortunes on the pitch only increased after the 'Marriott Accord' or since 'new money' arrived in 2003, but Chelsea Football Club had rich founders and benefactors right at the very beginning of its history story. It was only in the 1970s and 1980s, when the club yo-yoed between the First and Second Divisions while simultaneously trying to re-build its Stamford Bridge stadium, that it faced serious financial problems.In spite of the silver spoons provided by Chelsea's property-developer founding brothers, 'JT' and 'Gus' Mears, the club never did play in the wealthy London borough that bears its name. For many years, Chelsea were considered something of a 'music hall joke;' under-achieving entertainers from the theatreland of Hammersmith and Fulham, whose only consistency for years was their uncanny ability to be inconsistent in the face of a major breakthrough, which never quite came. While London rivals such as Arsenal dominated football across the country, Chelsea were not even considered to be a 'big club' in the capital itself.Football history shows that great footballing sides were built: 'Drake's Ducklings' in the 1950s and 'Docherty's Diamonds' a decade later, before Dave Sexton's fine 1970s team finally made blue the colour to be reckoned with. However, these successes were not sustained or built-upon for any significant period of time in order to be called a 'dynasty' in the way of, say, Liverpool in the 1980s or Manchester United in the 1990s and 2000s.Chelsea's story is much more one of great moments rather than momentous periods. There remain peaks and troughs in the modern era, although, undoubtedly, the combination of financial investment and astute tactical coaching would suggest that the club is currently living through what fans in the future might well look back upon and refer to as the 'golden age.'
About the Author: Mark Rasdall was born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in 1960. He is a writer and football historian living in the heart of the Cambridgeshire Fens. Through his company - The Football Ground - he is writing a series of football books: First Football Histories. The books aim to tell the key football stories, including brief geographies of the places concerned, as well as major, global historical events that were taking place at the same time. He hopes to help children and young adults who love football to learn so much more from it, as he once did. Mark's first full-length fiction novel - Tales from Waxling Beach - a mystery story, set on England's North Norfolk coast, was published in August 2017 He has also shared his pithy observations of railway commuters and rail travel in his Railway Lines collection, as well as compiling three poetry anthologies in the Fen Creative: Freeform Verses series.