Chelsea Football Club:
In our previous four articles we started by looking at ‘Big 3’ (historically speaking) of English footall and then moved onto the club which has been enjoying the most success in the past few years that is Manchester United. However following on from that we are now going to look at another one of the ‘Big 6’ (a term not used as much as it was several years earlier due to the relative decline of Manchester United) and that is Chelsea Chelsea Football Club, based in the Fulham area of West London, are one of the most successful and popular football clubs in England and indeed the world. Since its formation in 1905, the club has enjoyed a rich history but particularly after it was bought by Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich.
Origins and Early Years (1905–1945)
Chelsea FC was founded on 10 March 1905 at The Rising Sun pub, located opposite the main entrance to what would become the club’s iconic stadium — Stamford Bridge. The stadium itself had been built in 1877 and was primarily used for athletics until Gus Mears, a businessman and sports enthusiast, acquired the lease to transform it into a football ground.
Interestingly, Mears initially offered the stadium to Fulham FC, who declined. As a result, Mears decided to form his own football club to occupy the stadium. Although names like “Stamford Bridge FC” and “London FC” were considered, the club was eventually named Chelsea, after the nearby borough.
Chelsea joined the Football League soon after their formation and played their first competitive match in September 1905. Despite their large attendances and ambitious beginnings, early success eluded them. The club became known for its flair and drawing power more than its silverware, gaining a reputation as the “fashionable” club.
Post-War Success and Development (1945–1970)
After the Second World War, Chelsea finally began to find some success. In 1955, under manager Ted Drake, the club won their first-ever top-flight league title. Drake had modernised the team, discarding the club’s former image of style over substance and introducing a more disciplined, tactical approach. His innovations extended beyond the pitch, including revamping the youth system and the badge.
However, Chelsea failed to build on this success, and inconsistency continued to plague the club throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. Nonetheless, they remained popular, largely due to their west London flair, and their reputation continued to grow.
The 1960s brought a new era under manager Tommy Docherty, who built a youthful, energetic team featuring players like Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris, and Bobby Tambling. This period also saw the club become known for its mod culture and stylish supporters.
The Glamour Era and Early Cup Successes (1970–1980)
Chelsea enjoyed their first golden period in the early 1970s. In 1970, they won the FA Cup for the first time, defeating Leeds United in a brutal and fiercely contested replay at Old Trafford. A year later, they claimed their first European trophy, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, beating Real Madrid in a replay held in Athens.
However, the club soon faced a decline. A planned stadium redevelopment proved financially disastrous, forcing Chelsea to sell star players. The team was relegated in 1975 and suffered further setbacks during the rest of the decade.
Turbulent Times and Rebuilding (1980–1996)
The 1980s were characterised by financial instability and inconsistency on the pitch. In 1982, Ken Bates famously purchased the club for £1, later presiding over a period of rebuilding. Stamford Bridge was under threat of sale to property developers, and the club’s future remained uncertain for much of the decade.
Despite the challenges, manager John Neal built a team that won the Second Division title in 1984, returning Chelsea to the top flight. Key players included Kerry Dixon, Pat Nevin, and Nigel Spackman.
By the mid-1990s, Chelsea was again on the rise. Under the player-manager Ruud Gullit, who joined in 1995, the club began signing big-name players from abroad, including Gianluca Vialli, Gianfranco Zola, and Roberto Di Matteo, setting the tone for the cosmopolitan Chelsea that would dominate in the new millennium.
The Abramovich Era: A New Dynasty (2003–2018)
The most transformative event in Chelsea’s history occurred in June 2003, when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich purchased the club. His immense financial investment quickly turned Chelsea into a global football powerhouse.
José Mourinho and the First League Dominance
In 2004, José Mourinho was appointed manager following on from experienced Italian manager, Claudio Ranieri. Ranieri had failed to win the title however and Abramovich became known to be an owner who would fire managers quickly if they failed to deliver and win the title for him and the club. Fresh off winning the Champions League with Porto, Mourinho brought swagger and tactical discipline to Chelsea. Under his leadership, Chelsea won back-to-back Premier League titles in 2004–05 and 2005–06, with a then-record 95 points in the first season. They also claimed League Cup and FA Cup honours during his first spell.
Key figures of this era included John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Čech, and Claude Makélélé — all instrumental in building Chelsea’s formidable reputation.
Continued Success and European Glory
Following Mourinho’s departure in 2007, several managers came and went, including Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink (interim), and Carlo Ancelotti. Under Ancelotti, Chelsea won the domestic double in 2009–10, scoring a record 103 league goals.
In 2012, under interim manager Roberto Di Matteo, Chelsea finally achieved their greatest triumph: winning the UEFA Champions League. After a dramatic campaign, the Blues defeated Bayern Munich on penalties in the final, held at the Allianz Arena. Didier Drogba scored the equaliser and the decisive penalty.
They followed this by winning the UEFA Europa League in 2013 under Rafael Benítez.
Return of Mourinho and More Domestic Titles
Mourinho returned in 2013 and delivered another Premier League title in 2014–15, alongside the League Cup. However, internal issues led to his dismissal in December 2015.
The Conte and Sarri Years (2016–2019)
Antonio Conte arrived in 2016 and won the Premier League in his first season, implementing an innovative 3-4-3 formation. In 2018, he secured an FA Cup. However in the league itself Chelsea ended up fifth. This was not what Abramovich was looking for and Conte was subsequently dismissed from his job.
Maurizio Sarri followed and delivered another European trophy, the 2019 UEFA Europa League, with a dominant win over Arsenal in the final. Eden Hazard starred in what would be his final match for the club. Sarri however was not that popular amongst the media and some of the fan base and he gave way to Chelsea club legend, Frank Lampard.
The Lampard Experiment and Tuchel Triumph (2019–2022)
Frank Lampard as Chelsea Manager
Frank Lampard had two stints as Chelsea manager — first from July 2019 to January 2021, and then briefly as interim manager from April to May 2023. In his first spell, Lampard was appointed during a transfer ban and focused heavily on integrating academy players like Mason Mount, Reece James, and Tammy Abraham. He guided Chelsea to a top-four Premier League finish and an FA Cup final in 2019–20, despite limitations in squad depth. His style featured attacking, high-tempo football with an emphasis on youth, but defensive fragility was a recurring issue. He was dismissed in early 2021 after a poor run of form left Chelsea mid-table. In his interim return in 2023, Lampard failed to lift a disjointed squad, losing 8 of 11 matches. Across both spells, he managed 84 games in his first tenure with a win rate of 52.4%, and just 1 win in 11 games in his second stint, giving him an overall Chelsea managerial win rate of 48.2%.
Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea Manager
Thomas Tuchel took charge of Chelsea in January 2021, replacing Frank Lampard. The German manager immediately implemented a structured, defensively solid system, most notably using a 3-4-3 formation that emphasised positional discipline, controlled possession, and high pressing. Under Tuchel, Chelsea quickly transformed into one of Europe’s most difficult teams to break down. In his debut season, he led the club to their second UEFA Champions League title by beating Manchester City 1–0 in the final, also securing the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in 2021 and early 2022. Tuchel’s side consistently performed well in cup competitions but showed inconsistency in the league due to injuries and squad rotation. His tenure was cut short in September 2022 following tensions with the new ownership despite a strong start to the 2022–23 season. Tuchel managed 100 competitive games for Chelsea, winning 60, giving him a win rate of 60%, one of the best in the club’s modern history.
New Ownership and Recent Years (2022–Present)
In 2022, amid political pressures and UK government sanctions linked to Abramovich’s Russian ties, Chelsea was sold to a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Since the takeover, Chelsea have experienced significant transition, including major spending on young talent. However, instability and managerial changes — including the tenures of Graham Potter and Frank Lampard (as interim) — have affected on-pitch consistency. Chelsea have also had a difficult relationshp with football’s governing bodies over what is acceptable or not acceptable expenditure in terms of player acquisition as the English FA introduced rules to regulate major companies and investors from spending ‘too much’ money that was not generated by the club itself on winning titles.
As of May 2025, Enzo Maresca is managing the club, and has recently won the Conference League for the club defeating Spanish club, Real Betis.
Stadiums
Chelsea have played at Stamford Bridge since their formation. Located in Fulham, not Chelsea itself, the stadium originally held over 100,000 spectators. It has since been redeveloped multiple times and currently seats around 40,000 fans.
There have been long-standing plans to renovate or rebuild Stamford Bridge to increase capacity, though these have been delayed multiple times due to financial and planning complexities.
Kits and Identity
Chelsea’s traditional home colours are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks. Their original kit in 1905 was a lighter blue, inspired by the racing colours of the Earl of Cadogan, the club’s first president.
The club badge has undergone several changes. Early versions featured a Chelsea pensioner, which led to the club’s early nickname “The Pensioners”. In 1952, Ted Drake modernised the badge, and by 1953, the club had adopted the now-iconic blue lion holding a staff — a nod to the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea’s coat of arms. This badge, with updates, remains in use today.
Chelsea’s away kits have varied in colour, including yellow, white, black, and more recently, bold designs reflecting modern branding strategies.
Major Managers in Chelsea History
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Ted Drake (1952–1961) – League champions in 1955; modernised the club’s identity.
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Tommy Docherty (1961–1967) – Brought flair and youth to the team.
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Dave Sexton (1967–1974) – FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup success.
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John Neal (1981–1985) – Rebuilt the club during a turbulent period.
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Ruud Gullit (1996–1998) – Player-manager; FA Cup win heralded a new era.
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Gianluca Vialli (1998–2000) – Cup Winners’ Cup and League Cup.
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Claudio Ranieri (2000–2004) – Set foundations for future success.
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José Mourinho (2004–2007, 2013–2015) – Most successful manager; three Premier League titles.
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Carlo Ancelotti (2009–2011) – Domestic double winner.
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Roberto Di Matteo (2012) – Champions League and FA Cup winner.
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Antonio Conte (2016–2018) – Premier League and FA Cup wins.
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Thomas Tuchel (2021–2022) – Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup.
Trophies and Honours
Domestic
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First Division / Premier League: 6 titles (1954–55, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17)
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FA Cup: 8 wins (1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018)
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Football League Cup / EFL Cup: 5 wins (1965, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2015)
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FA Community Shield: 4 wins (1955, 2000, 2005, 2009)
European and International
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UEFA Champions League: 2 wins (2012, 2021)
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UEFA Europa League: 2 wins (2013, 2019)
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UEFA Super Cup: 2 wins (1998, 2021)
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UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 2 wins (1971, 1998)
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FIFA Club World Cup: 1 win (2021)
Legacy and Global Status
Chelsea’s transformation from an inconsistent mid-table team to a global footballing giant is one of the most remarkable in the sport. Chelsea have been known in the past few decades for being prolific spenders and this has propelled them to becoming amongst the top elite of English football. The question is however, how long will they be able to maintain this status given Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool have been dominating the highest places in the League the past few years and Newcastle United are now preparing to become another major force in the premier league due to their massive Saudi funding. There have also been other clubs such as Aston Villa and Nottingham which have been doing well in the past year or two. Chelsea is an example of how money does not automatically guarantee you a title.