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I had to wait until Chelsea's eighth match before I could celebrate
an outright win...1 nil against Cambridge at The Abbey Stadium
after 4 draws and 3 defeats in the previous matches, this was not
the promotion winning form I wanted to see.
After the win at Cambridge things took a dramatic turn for the
better, as we went on an unbeaten run of 10 matches which
included a wonderful 6-0 demolition of Newcastle United.
By the beginning of December the thoughts of that promotion spot
becoming reality were back with me, only a few points off top
placed London rivals West Ham, we had found our form and surely
that unbeaten run was what promotion chasers were made of?
If as by magic the route to goal was lost not only by our strikers but
by all the players! After Notts County away on November 30th
where the superb John Bumstead scored, Chelsea only found the
net on a further 8 occasions, six of those coming in two matches, in
the next 22 league matches which was not the form of promotion
chasers!
The FA Cup did not offer any distraction away from poor league
form as we were drawn away to First Division Southampton, I was
looking forward to this game as this was my first away game in the
FA Cup, I was confident the tide would turn and we would create a
Cup shock, personally I hadn't seen Chelsea score since mid
November so that was optimism at its best!
Chelsea lost 3-1 with our only goal coming from Colin Lee, my only
memories from the game were the large amount of Chelsea fans
that infiltrated the home end..obviously to swap scarves and
exchange some good natured banter...!!! along with a certain
Kevin Keegan taking the piss out of our defence and us away
supporters when he scored, I laughed a few years later when just
up the road from where I was living a certain Kevin Keegan was
mugged with a baseball bat after he pulled off the M25 to have a
rest.....justice had been done!! (although I only had to wait until
next season for revenge)

Clive Walker celebrates with goal scorer John Bumstead at
Notts County

Chelsea ended up a disappointing 12th that season with arch
rivals West Ham gaining promotion as Champions, the two games
between the sides had seen Graham Wilkins put through his own
net in the 88th minute (I was gutted!) and at Upton Park we were
ripped apart by some bloke called Trevor Brooking and on the
wrong end of a 4 goal drubbing. Maybe, just maybe next year?

      1981/82

The new season opened with the unveiling of our new
management team of John Neal and his assistant Ian McNeill
(shown on the left) hopes were as usual high and the first two
matches did nothing to dampen our dreams, but we were soon
back to our normal selves when we would win a couple, draw then
loose!
Loose we did on October 31st away to Rotherham as the home
side put 6 past Peter Borota, to add insult to injury later on that
season Rotherham put another 4 past us at home with only one in
reply.
The season as it progressed was gradually turning into that 'middle
of the table' form that we had experienced the previous season
and in fact we ended up in the same position, 12th, winning only
one game more.
If the league was not to be conquered then perhaps we would be
more successful in the cups? Things looked promising with a one
all draw away to Southampton and winning the second leg 2-1 at
home (revenge from the FA Cup from the previous season??) we
were then given an away tie at Wigan which we duly lost 4-2, but
there was always the FA Cup??
A 3rd round nil nil draw at home to Hull didn't looked good but we
won the replay 2-0 and got another home draw against Wrexham
where again we couldn't score so a replay at the Racecourse
Ground was required, this had to go to another replay after a 1 all
draw, Wrexham finally succombe 2-1 and we were given a dream
home tie aginst the then European Champions Liverpool who were
beaten 2-0 in front of 41,412 delirious fans (well I was anyway, I
started at the rear of the Shed and by the game had ended, I
finished up 20 feet from the front, such was the force of the crowd
that day)
Things could only get better, this time another home tie in the 6th
round and against Tottenham. Two games from Wembley!

Chelsea took the unusual step of issuing a bleak warning for any
hooligans on the front cover of the matchday programme this to my
knowledge is the first and only time this has been done by any club.
I had arrived early as a big crowd was expected, even bigger than
Liverpool. It was such a promising start that sent the Chelsea
section of the 42,557 crowd mad with delight but again this was not
to be our season as we were outplayed in the second half with the
help of a certain Glenn Hoddle & Micky Hazard.
I have a lasting memory from that game, not the football
unfortunately but the Tottenham fans grouped in the North Stand
by the far end of the West grabbing hold of the railings and as one
shaking them back and forward and this whole length of wrought
iron fence just bending and weaving as though it was one of those
little wooden picket fences you get around a garden! The police
moved in and made arrests before the two sets of fans could clash
(more than they had already through and over this fence!)
I think I can remember it being some time before that area of
fencing was repaired and in fact that section of the North Stand
was cordoned off for quite a while


            1982/83

82/83 saw the first pre-season game at home since the China X1
back in 1979 this time our opponents were Arsenal who ran out 3-1
winners in front of what I thought was a disappointing crowd of
8,261, travelling up to the game the talk was of a bumper 15,000+
crowd with Arsenal bringing a big following. I think both sets of
supporters were still sunning themselves on their summer holidays
and a Friday night kick off didn't help!
The opening League fixture saw us playing away at Cambridge
United, this was to be my first visit to the Abbey Stadium and along
with 2 mates, Kev & Trevor, we planned this trip as meticulously as
possible from the route we would take, stop off points for food and
refreshments everything except how long it would take us to get
there! For some unknown reason we decided to set off in the early
hours of the morning and we arrived, yes you guessed it.. still in
the morning! Even though we stopped off for a full English at a
truck stop on the A11 to kill some more time along with various
scenic routes around Cambridge, I haven't driven in Cambridge for
a few years now but if I remember back then all we could find as far
as directions went were 'Town Centre' & 'Other Routes' Perhaps if
they had been clearer we would've got there even earlier!
The game was won with a single goal from Bryan 'Pop' Robson in
front of a crowd of 8,124. Memories from this game are the crowd
disturbances along with a large amount of vegetables (yes
vegetables) flying over the wall from behind the goal where the
Chelsea fans were standing, these veggies had been liberated
from an allotment by the Chelsea fans who had been locked out
due to the size of the crowd, I'm sure the game was stopped due to
a Swede or two (or a similar looking root vegetable)on the pitch!
Was this the start of the infamous link that Chelsea has with
vegetables??.... 'Celery Celery '
The 'Redhill Chelsea' flag made its first appearance only to be
confiscated at the gate by the local constabulary.. 'Too large for in
here son, I'll put it over here safely for you to collect after the
game' That's the last I see of that I thought, all that hard work
getting it, but no, give him his due it was there to collect after the
game.
On walking back to collect the car after the game I can re-call
seeing a Chelsea fan trying to ride a cow...yes a cow!! End result
Cow 1 Chelsea fan 0!! (don't know about now but then we parked
in the fields by the stadium and walked across one or two to the
ground) along with more fighting as we were pelted with coins etc
from a large mob of Cambridge. Thank -you.. 3 points and about
£4.75 in change!
The Cups didn't give much consolation that season either, a 2-1
defeat away to Derby grabbed all the wrong headlines once again
with crowd trouble inside and outside the ground. My first visit to
Prenton Park in the League Cup saw us go down 2-0 to Tranmere
coupled with a long midweek trip back home I was not a happy
bunny!!
Overall I think too many draws at home and only 3 away wins were
our downfall that season (no kidding I hear you say!!) it has gone
down in history as the season that Chelsea nearly ended up in
Division Three and if it wasn't for Clive Walkers wonder strike in the
71st minute at Burnden Park it would've happened. I wasn't at the
match which I was gutted about, I can remember listening to it on
the radio, well as best as I could as the signal kept coming and
going on the car radio after some hooligan the night before had
decided to snap off my aerial....coat hanger in place I listened as
best as I could and then promised myself that next season I
wouldn't have to sit through something like that again, I would have
to be there to savour the atmosphere and see the action for
myself. Next season I will not miss a game.

                  1983/84

I waited for the list of fixtures to be published with eager
anticipation that pre-season along with a good mate Peter
'Swordfish' Ordish, whose claim to fame was appearances in
Superman and Grange Hill and he had a dental plate that
resembled the Starship Enterprise (or so he thought!) and after a
few beers had great pleasure in showing everybody who showed
even the slightest interest, wherever we were, along with
accompanying theme music!! I should also add that another
favourite party trick was to place his wide opened mouth against a
piece of glass, more often than not a compartment door on a train
and blow, making his face resemble a basking shark!! What all this
has to do with a site about football I don't know but at least I may
have embarrassed him?....you out there Peter?
I started my season at Wimbledon a pre-season friendly which we
duly lost with our goal being scored by Kerry Dixon, I was
disappointed to miss out on the two other friendlies in Wales
(Aberystwyth & Newport) the latter Peter managed to get to which
he was constantly reminding me about, but my promise was all the
League and Cup games.A home friendly against QPR was followed
by our opening league game against Derby and what a game that
proved to be as we romped home 5 nil winners, right, I thought this
was THE season and as history shows I was right, unfortunately I
never got around to putting any money on it, but then I always
seem to pick a winner if I don't bet on it, the same seems to be true
today!
That season holds many, many fond memories, not only the
results, the promotion, but the team....players that will always be
my heroes and the group of friends who travelled away together
and stood in The Shed End together, sometimes around the Tea
Bar and even paying the extra 50p transfer into The Benches, we
were adventurous in those days!!
The following week after Derby we were to play Brighton away,
sandwiched between these fixtures was a Milk Cup game against
Gillingham away. An 8,633 crowd, half of which seemed like
Chelsea, saw us win 2-1.... now to plan the Brighton away game!!
There was a consensus of opinion that a trip down Friday evening
would be good and I know that literally thousands of Chelsea fans
did such a thing, with many meeting one or two Pompey fans who
had decided to make the trip along the South coast to greet them
shall we say!! Stories of being locked into the subways along the
sea front by the Old Bill were abound when I arrived early Saturday
morning (I only lived...and still do 25 minutes from Brighton) I can
recall popping into an Off Licence for a bit of refreshment before a
jaunt along the seafront and a huge mob of Chelsea waded in
helped themselves and before I knew what was happening I was
out along the pavement clutching the beer I had picked up but
never had the chance to pay for (honest M'lud!) The game was a
certain 'Chelsea here, Chelsea there, Chelsea every f***ing where'
and the events that evolved came back to haunt me later in the
season.
Four days later it was a midweek away trip to Blackburn, due to not
being able to give enough notice at work I couldn't book any
holiday so it was with much regret that the previous week I
announced that an Uncle had passed away and the funeral was
the following Tuesday....needs must and all that. I got the day off,
unpaid, but that was better than having to mess up the proposed
'complete season home and away' so early into the season,
Blackburn here we come!
0-0 draw, not home until the early hours of the morning and then
up for work, I was glad I didn't need to do that too often!
After a 2-1 win over Cambridge with goals coming from Bumstead
and Walker Chelsea suffered their first defeat of the season away
to Sheffield Wednesday, I can remember getting to the ground just
before kick -off and some of the turnstiles were shut at the away
end, I think the police and Sheffield Wednesday had under
estimated the large away following Chelsea had,( and still have)
the resulting melee caused a few raised tempers and due to the
crush I was near to passing out and I can thank a mate from the
Croydon area, Russell Worthington for pulling me clear and saving
me from injury, cheers Russ!!
A nil nil draw at home to Middlesbrough was followed by a 3-2 away
win at Huddersfield which again was marred by crowd trouble and
the death of Chelsea fan Richard Aldridge who was kicked to death
whilst walking back to his car after the match.
A mid week League Cup game (sorry Milk Cup!!) saw us drawn
away to Leicester which we won 2-0
The following week was a local derby against Fulham where
Gordon Davies scored a hatrick for Fulham....thankfully we replied
with 5, a great end to end game with the right result!
Following another home win this time against Cardiff (2-0) we
travelled away to Carlisle, thankfully this was scheduled for a
Saturday, on arriving at Carlisle station we were met and greeted
by the usual local constabulary along with a handful of home fans,
if memory serves me right a long walk to the ground was met with
one or two interesting encounters but nothing too serious, the
match ended in a 0-0 draw, what was it with the North and nil nil
draws? 3 already and it wasn't even November! A midweek fixtur
for the return league of the Milk Cup saw us loose 2-0 to Leicester
at home but we went through on a penalty shoot out 4-3!
A thrilling 3-2 victory over Charlton at home saw David Speedie
score his first 2 league goals for Chelsea with the other one being
added by none other than Kerry Dixon.
The following week was a trip to Oldham which ended in a one all
draw, at least we were scoring up North now!
A large crowd of 22,932 watched us play West Brom in the next
round of the Milk Cup expecting a win but it was not to be as we
went down 1 nil, that was the end of our League Cup campaign for
the season, and as they say, lets concentrate on the league.
The biggest home attendance of the season so far (30,628)
watched us outplay Newcastle United and end up 4-0 winners.
After drawing away to Charlton, beating Palace at home and then
winning 3-1 at Swansea ( another late midweek trip!!) we were set
up for an away fixture at our old rivals Leeds, a 1-1 draw was the
end result with my memories of the match (apart from the trouble to
and from the ground!!) being a stranded Chelsea player (I think
Bumstead?) who had just clattered into the goal post and was
receiving treatment from the physio when as one, the whole end of
Leeds fans sang 'Die you bastard, die you bastard, die, die, die'
....Welcome to Yorkshire! The trip home was a little bit on the chilly
side in one or two carriages as the Leeds fans reminded us that we
had forgot to pick up our souvenirs for the day...good old
Yorkshire brick...thanks!
We entertained Manchester City in our next home game placed
2nd in the table, expectations were high but it was not to be as we
lost to our promotion rivals one nil, we made up for the
disappointment 3 days later as we thrashed Swansea 6-1 in front
of what was our lowest league attendance of the season just
12,389.
The following Saturday it was normal service resumed as we got a
nil nil draw away 'up norf' at Barnsley my only memories are of the
poor half time beverage (weak Bovril!!) how bloody cold it was
along with some interesting 'banter' with the locals before and after
the match!
The week before Christmas saw us at home to Grimsby who
certainly were not full of the festive spirit as they beat us 3-2, it was
to be the second and last home defeat of the season.
Boxing Day and no public transport saw a great away trip to
Shrewsbury and the wonderfully named Gay Meadow. Even with no
public transport Chelsea fans made up a large proportion of the
7,582 crowd and saw the Blues run out 4-2 winners. One memory
of the game I do have is the local corner shop opening up on
Boxing day to make a few quid or two because Chelsea were in
town, the one armed shopkeeper must've wished he hadn't
because for every one item he sold there was at least five being
liberated for nothing!
The next two home games came in quick succession, the 27th &
31st to be exact, both against south coast opposition Portsmouth
and Brighton we got a two all draw and a one nil victory
respectively.
The New Year gave us an away trip to Middlesbrough on 2nd
January which I can remember being played in a torrential
downpour, even to the point that the local police allowed us poor
terrace dwellers the luxury of coming into the covered stand for no
extra charge...Happy New Year (we lost 2-1.... bugger!)
The FA Cup draw did us and my work schedule no favours as we
were drawn away to Blackburn in the 3rd Round, skint just after
Christmas and another away day north of Watford. No one we
knew was willing to drive so we looked at taking a coach, names of
people were mentioned who were running some coaches but
nothing was certain and the nearer to the date of the game we
were still without transport so we had to go for the luxury of the
British Rail Football Special...again.
I'm sure that someone high up in the then British Rail looked at the
cost of scrapping old rolling stock and the problem of where to put
young unexperienced drivers and came up with the bright idea of
Football Specials, if the trains got damaged so what and if the
driver f****ed up who'd care. How many trips were made in dirty
unheated carriages that either broke down or were delayed, but
yet still were full of fare paying passengers? Brilliant give that man
a pay rise, seat on the board and a fat pension fund!!!
A dour game if memory serves me right with some Chelsea fans
moaning about Blackburn cashing on our large travelling support
and charging £5 for a ticket with a face value of £3.60 (those were
the days!!) this was not to be our year in the Cup as we went down
one nil