Chelsea Football Team

Barclaycard Premiership glamour boys Chelsea proved long ago that they have plenty of substance alongside their style as they brought home the silverware for the Stamford Bridge fans.

Chelsea have become one of the FA Premier League’s success stories. The London club have flourished since the competition’s inception in 1992 and chairman Ken Bates has overseen a radical redevelopment of their plush Stamford Bridge base.

Mid-table mediocrity was the order of the day before Ruud Gullit’s appointment as Chelsea boss in 1996 ushered in a new era. The flamboyant Dutchman helped attract a number of world-class players to Stamford Bridge with Roberto Di Matteo and Gianfranco Zola soon becoming heroes in the royal blue jersey.

Chelsea’s attractive brand of football earned them sixth place in the FA Premier League in 1997 and FA Cup glory confirmed their improvement. When Gullit departed in 1998, Gianluca Vialli achieved a fourth-place finish and European Cup Winners’ Cup and League Cup wins.

The big names continued to arrive, including World Cup winners Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps. A third FA Cup triumph was secured in 2000 before Vialli made way for Claudio Ranieri, who soon moulded a competitive side. Two more top-six placings earned the club a reputation as high flyers but the big prize still awaits.

Chelsea Football Club History

Chelsea have developed a reputation as one the game’s glamour clubs and Stamford Bridge has become home to some of football’s biggest names over the years. The Blues, founded in 1905, were committed to playing attractive football that matched the stylish surrounds of their West London setting, but silverware initially proved elusive.

A First Division championship in 1955 stood alone in the trophy cabinet until a golden period in the 1960s and 1970s. The League Cup, FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup were hoisted in a six-year spell before the dawning of the FA Premier League coincided with another successful era.

A losing FA Cup final appearance in 1994 was followed by victory three years later and 1998 alone saw three more trophies – the League Cup, European Cup Winners’ Cup and European Super Cup. The FA Cup was won again in 2000 and although they still seek the elusive Barclaycard Premiership title, the Blues are now associated with both style and success.

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