The History of Chelsea FC: From Humble Beginnings to Global Glory

An Introduction to Chelsea’s Rich Legacy

For most of the 20th century, Chelsea FC remained a mid-table side with flashes of promise, clinching their first major domestic title in 1955. However, everything changed when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took over in 2003. Since then, “The Blues” have transformed into one of England’s and Europe’s footballing powerhouses.

So what makes Chelsea’s history so fascinating? Let’s take a deep dive into the journey of this extraordinary club link MitomTV.

The Birth of a Club (1905)

Chelsea Football Club was founded on a memorable evening, March 10, 1905, in a room above The Rising Sun pub (now known as The Butcher’s Hook) on Fulham Road. The club’s founding members included wealthy businessman Henry Augustus “Gus” Mears, his brother Joseph, and their brother-in-law Henry Boyer.

Gus Mears had purchased the Stamford Bridge athletics stadium in 1896, but it wasn’t until 1904 that he secured full ownership. With nearby Fulham FC already occupying a spot in the football scene, alternative names like “London FC” and “Stamford Bridge FC” were rejected in favor of “Chelsea” — named after the neighboring district. This made Chelsea one of the rare clubs formed after a stadium acquisition.

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Though initially denied entry into the Southern League due to objections from Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea gained admission to the Football League thanks to financial stability and their impressive new stadium. Their recruitment of big-name players such as William “Fatty” Foulke (a legendary goalkeeper who won league titles and FA Cups with Sheffield United) helped bolster their early reputation.

Scotland’s John Robertson became Chelsea’s first player-manager. Right from the start, the club showed ambition, signing stars like Jimmy Windridge, Bob McRoberts, and Frank Pearson. Chelsea’s first professional match was a narrow 0–1 loss to Stockport County on September 2, 1905. However, their first home game at Stamford Bridge was a 4–0 victory over Liverpool in a friendly — a sign of things to come.

In their debut league season, Chelsea finished third in the Second Division. Following a managerial change in 1907, the club earned promotion under William Lewis, thanks to prolific goal scorers like George “Gatling Gun” Hilsdon — the first player to net 100 goals for the club.

David Calderhead then took the reins, managing Chelsea for a remarkable 26 years. During this time, the club oscillated between the top two tiers, with World War I halting football in 1915 after a disappointing 19th-place finish.

Between the Wars and the Rise of Popularity (1919 – 1980)

When football resumed in 1919, the First Division expanded to 22 teams, granting Chelsea a reprieve from relegation. In 1920, they achieved their highest league finish to date — third place.

While major trophies eluded them during this period, Chelsea became one of the best-supported teams in England. Their attractive attacking football, financial stability, and star signings kept the fans coming.

In 1952, Ted Drake, a former Arsenal and England striker, became manager and revamped the club. He modernized training, recruited young and amateur players, and laid the groundwork for future success. His efforts paid off when Chelsea won their first league title in 1954–55. However, due to pressure from the Football League and FA, Chelsea withdrew from the inaugural European Cup the following year.

In the 1960s, Tommy Docherty took over, building a team around homegrown talent. Chelsea came close to domestic dominance, winning the League Cup in 1965. Under Dave Sexton, they finally won the FA Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971, defeating Real Madrid in a replayed final in Athens.

The Struggles and Survival Years (1980 – 2003)

The 1980s were marked by turmoil. Financial problems, driven by costly stadium renovations, forced the sale of key players. In 1982, businessman Ken Bates bought Chelsea for £1 — a symbolic act during dark times, as Stamford Bridge had already been sold to property developers.

Despite instability, John Neal helped the club bounce back. With a limited budget, he built a solid squad that won the Second Division in 1983–84. Chelsea earned promotion again in 1989 after a brief relegation.

Legal battles to reclaim Stamford Bridge were won in the early 1990s. But it wasn’t until 1996, when Ruud Gullit was appointed player-manager, that the club’s fortunes truly turned. Gullit brought in top international talent and won the FA Cup in 1997. His successor, Gianluca Vialli, added the League Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup, Super Cup (1998), and FA Cup (2000), and led Chelsea to their first Champions League appearance.

The Abramovich Era: A New World Power (2003 – 2022)

In 2003, Roman Abramovich purchased Chelsea for £140 million, marking a new era. He immediately injected over £100 million into the squad, signing stars like Hernán Crespo, Claude Makélélé, and Damien Duff.

Although Claudio Ranieri brought Chelsea to a Champions League semi-final, he failed to win any trophies and was replaced by José Mourinho in 2004. In his debut season, Mourinho led Chelsea to a record-breaking Premier League title (95 points) and the League Cup. They retained the league crown in 2005–06.

Over the next few seasons, Chelsea won the FA Cup and League Cup again, but Mourinho parted ways with the club in 2007 amid tensions with Abramovich.

Avram Grant took over and led Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League Final against Manchester United. In a dramatic shootout, John Terry slipped during a decisive penalty, and Chelsea heartbreakingly lost.

In 2009/10, under Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea clinched the Premier League and FA Cup double. However, after a trophyless season, he was dismissed. His successor André Villas-Boas failed to deliver, and was replaced mid-season in 2012 by Roberto Di Matteo.

Di Matteo delivered Chelsea’s greatest triumph — their first UEFA Champions League title — in a thrilling final against Bayern Munich. Later that year, Rafael Benítez led them to another European crown, winning the Europa League.

The Return of Mourinho and Continued Success

In 2013, Mourinho returned for a second spell. Chelsea rebuilt in 2013–14 and went on to win the Premier League and League Cup in 2014–15.

But turmoil returned in 2015–16. Poor results, combined with Mourinho’s public fallout with team doctor Eva Carneiro, led to his dismissal by December. Chelsea’s title defense collapsed, marking another chapter of dramatic highs and lows.