Chelsea FC Magazine by Nyambayar Batbold

OCTOBER ISSUE 110 DE GOEY PETRESCU CLARKE LEBOEUF DUBERRY GRANVILLE WISE DI MATTEO POYET FLO VIALLI • VIALLI

FERNANDO TORRES Games that made me

BIRTHDAY ROLE Lord Attenborough’s love for the Blues as he turns 90

WHY THIS PLAYMAKER IS A BORN WINNER

NATALIE PINKHAM • DOC’S DIAMONDS • KEVIN WILSON • PETR CECH

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CONTENTS ISSUE 110 | OCTOBER 2013 CHELSEA FC HONOUrS DOMESTIC

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Football League/ Premier League champions 1955, 2005, 2006, 2010 Division Two champions 1984, 1989

FA Cup winners 1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 Football League Cup winners 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007 FA Charity/ Community Shield winners 1955, 2000, 2005, 2009 Full Members’ Cup winners 1986, 1990

EUrOpEAN UEFA Champions League winners 2012 European Cup Winners’ Cup winners 1971, 1998 UEFA Europa League winners 2013

UEFA Super Cup winners 1998

SpINE qUIZ On the spine of the magazine is the starting line-up and manager of one of Chelsea’s trophy wins. Email cfc.magazine@trinitymirror.com if you know which one. A winner selected at random wins a mystery prize.

06 11 16 24 28 36

Ask the Manager News Oscar Lord Attenborough Chelsea Icon: Kevin Wilson High Five

39 44 52 54 58 60

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1962/63 promotion season Photo Album The Games That Made Me Game From Every Angle Technical Area Academy interview

64 69 72 79 80 82

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Ladies interview Community One of Us: Natalie Pinkham Chelsea Quiz Month Ahead Seb Coe

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I AM AMBITIOUS FOR THIS SEASON AND I AM HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING FOR ME. WE HAVE STARTED WELL AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A BIG YEAR – A YEAR IN WHICH CHELSEA WIN TITLES

Read our exclusive interview, Oscar’s winning role, on page 16 04

ASK JOSE With the season now in full flow, the manager discusses motivation, forward planning and young prospects at Chelsea When you started your career, who was your inspiration? Ahmed El Sayad @sayad_05

Oscar gets the first goal of the new Mourinho era

Nobody. No inspiration. I started my career and I didn’t even know where I could arrive. I didn’t even know what could be the dimension of my success. When I started, I was not even a football professional – I was giving PE classes in high school and I was, at the same time, coaching kids. So, I was worried about study and putting into practice some of my ideas, but there was not really that obsession to follow somebody or be inspired by somebody. How do you concentrate on the match when the fans are chanting your name and the stadium is electric? chelsea4girls @chelsea4girls I concentrate. I am focused on the game. I try to have a quick reaction to say thanks and to say, “Yes, I’m listening”, but I don’t take my eyes from the game; I don’t stop analysing the match and trying to help my team. So, I can manage it.

because the important thing is that we were winning 1-0 and we had a good start.

How do you motivate yourself before a game? Lewis;J @lewis_jones1905

Do you think it’s important to have local players to win the title? For example, English players in an English club. Jonathan Davin @davinhadikusumo

I don’t need to, I have motivation every day. I have motivation to organise a good training session. I am motivated to do my job every day. Motivation is part of my personality – I don’t need to motivate myself. Before matches, it is all about being focused, being concentrated, so I think it is part of my nature and my passion for the game.

I like that. Of course, you can win without English players, but I like to have at least a little core of English players. If possible – and we have to work on it – I would like to have a little core of players made in Chelsea Football Club, starting here since young boys. I would like that – I think a club needs that culture as well.

How did you feel when Oscar scored the goal to mark your comeback? enoch amevor bibah @BibahEnoch Historical – I won’t forget it. The same way I won’t forget Eidur Gudjohnsen was the first scorer in my first time here – in the same goal, against Manchester United. I don’t forget this one from Oscar, either. However, that is just a detail,

How did you learn to speak all those languages fluently and have the vocabulary to inspire a team? Harry Robertson (via Facebook) Eidur Gudjohnsen opened the scoring account of the first Mourinho period

When I go to a country, I start thinking in that language. I can still speak Italian, Spanish or French

no problem, but in this moment I think in English. The vocabulary of football is not so big and I manage to do it. Sometimes, if I don’t have the right words, I think I have the body language so that the players understand what I am trying to say.

José Mourinho has seen Frank Lampard develop down the years

How do you feel about the prospects of young talents we have in our squad? Dipesh Chhantyal (via Facebook) We have two types of young talents – the ones that are in the squad and the ones that are still in the Academy. The ones in the squad were chosen with great detail and the decision to bring back Lukaku and De Bruyne – as well as to buy Schurrle and Van Ginkel – was based on many criteria. So, we know they are players for us, players for the Premier League and players for the big time. The other guys, in the Academy, I am starting to know them now. I watch them train; I trained with them and I watched them play. So, I start knowing these guys and, as I said before, it is not just important to have English players, but also to have players made in this club who learn what it means to be Chelsea. They are in our plans and the club is making an investment in them. How different is Frank Lampard now in comparison to when you first joined? Alex Woolley (via Facebook) I think the only difference is that probably his body is not the same as 10 years ago and, for that reason, he cannot beat another record for consecutive matches. He cannot play 40, 50, 60, 70 matches in a row and play 90 minutes for 20 matches in a row. We need to take care of his body and to manage the fatigue and the recovery process. However, as a player – and what he does for the team and for me – he is the same. How far in advance do you plan for a match? Stephen Hibbeler (via Facebook) We start working maybe two weeks before a match but, of course, we play one match at a time. So, with the players, only when one match finishes do we start thinking and preparing for the next one in terms of practice, in terms of methodology, in terms of training. However, for analysing an opponent, we start much before that.

José Mourinho will be answering fans’ questions each month in Chelsea magazine throughout the 2013/14 season. You can tweet your question to @chelseafc using #CFCMag or, alternatively, you can email cfc.magazine@trinitymirror.com. In every issue, a selection of the best and most original questions will be put to the manager, with his answers appearing on these pages.

pic of the

month

18 august jose comes home As a new season dawns, a familiar face steps back into the home dugout at Stamford Bridge. Following his return as Chelsea boss in the summer, JosĂŠ Mourinho salutes the fans at Stamford Bridge as they give him a standing ovation prior to our opening game of the season against Hull City. Mourinho would later acknowledge what an emotional occasion it was for him, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have to thank the fans, because the reception you gave me was something unique, something fantastic. I want you to know that I will never forget it.â&#x20AC;?

UP FRONT

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Willian signs five-year Blues deal Chelsea Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of Willian. After being granted a work permit, the 25-yearold Brazilian has signed a five-year contract, having moved to England from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. He will wear the No22 shirt. On completing his move, Willian said: “I’m very happy to be here, it’s been a dream of mine to come and play here. “Chelsea are one of the best clubs in the world and now I’m going to play for one of the best managers in the world, so I’m very happy and looking forward to it.” Born on 9 August 1988, in Ribeirao Pires, Willian Borges da Silva played at Sao Paulo before moving to Corinthians at the age of nine. Willian rose to prominence in 2005 at the prestigious Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior tournament, which he won with Corinthians, being promoted to the first team shortly after. Willian’s stock continued to rise, culminating in a move to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in August 2007. During his time at Shakhtar, Willian won four

league titles, three Ukrainian Cups, three Ukrainian Super Cups and, most memorably, the 2009 UEFA Cup, which was clinched with a 2-1 win over Werder Bremen. Chelsea supporters will be familiar with the player after he scored twice at Stamford Bridge when we beat Shakhtar 3-2 in the group stages of last season’s Champions League. He also impressed during our 2-1 defeat in the away game. Willian spent six years at Shakhtar before completing a switch to Anzhi last January. He made his senior international debut for Brazil on 10 November 2011 in a friendly match against Gabon and has two caps. Also last month, Henrique Hilario signed a new one-year contract to extend his stay with Chelsea. Hilario had previously made 39 appearances in his seven years at the Bridge, keeping a clean sheet on 18 occasions. Dutch teenager Nathan Ake has also agreed a new deal, keeping him with the Blues until 2018. That comes after a breakthrough 2012/13 for the 18-year-old, during which he made his debut for the first team, featuring in the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League. Willian holds a Chelsea shirt shortly after signing for the club

CHILEAN YOUTH STAR JOINS BLUES Chelsea have completed the signing of Chilean teenager Cristian Cuevas from O’Higgins. The youth international featured heavily for Chile as they reached the quarter-finals at this summer’s Under-20 World Cup in Turkey, helping them finish second in a group that included England, Egypt and Iraq before defeating Croatia in the second round. The speedy 18-year-old operates predominantly at left-back, but has also played as a winger. Cuevas signed a five-year deal with the Blues and made his first appearance for our Under-21s in the 3-0 friendly victory against Sutton United in pre-season and also played in the 5-1 win over Colwyn Bay.

Cuevas joins on a five-year deal

PLAYERS ASSIGNED SQUAD NUMBERS Chelsea have submitted our provisional first-team squad numbers for the 2013/14 Premier League season. New signing Andre Schurrle has taken the No14 shirt, which has remained vacant since Claudio Pizarro left in 2008. Fellow new arrival Marco van Ginkel has been handed the No16, made famous at Stamford Bridge by Arjen Robben and Roberto Di Matteo. Another new arrival, Mark Schwarzer, will wear the No23 shirt previously seen on Carlo Cudicini and Dmitri Kharine. Of last season’s squad members, the only player to change their shirt is Demba Ba, who has moved from No29 to No19.

CHELSEA TIMELINE 4 AUGUST

14 AUGUST

Chelsea Ladies return to action in good form after the FA Women’s Super League’s summer break, defeating Doncaster Rovers Belles 4-0 at Wheatsheaf Park.

Frank Lampard receives his 98th international cap and Gary Cahill plays the full 90 minutes as England defeat Scotland 3-2 at Wembley Stadium.

10 AUGUST

16 AUGUST

The Blues end our preparations for the 2013/14 season with a friendly win in Washington, DC, beating Italian side Roma 2-1 before flying back to London.

Chelsea Under-21s pick up their first win of the season, as Alex Davey, Isaiah Brown, Lewis Baker and Islam Feruz’s goals give us a 4-1 win over Southampton at St Mary’s.

UP FRONT SUBSIDISED TRAVEL TO AWAY GAMES Chelsea are offering our supporters subsidised travel to at least 10 Premier League away games this season. The new scheme began with our first away trip on 26 August, when we faced Manchester United at Old Trafford, pictured below. Reduced coach and train travel is also available for just £10 for the trip to Everton on 14 September, before subsidised travel is again provided for the away games at Newcastle and Sunderland later this year. Further information on travel arrangements, prices and matches covered by the scheme will be announced at www.chelseafc.com as they become available.

South Americans out on loan in Spain. Fellow Brazilian Wallace will spend 2013/14 in Italy with Inter Milan. The right-back signed for Chelsea in January from Fluminense, but remained on loan in Rio de Janeiro until the summer. The 19-year-old also has international honours, having helping Brazil win the South American Under-17 Championship in 2011. Striker Pirez is staying for a second season with Leganes in Spain. The 20-year-old Uruguayan, who joined Chelsea from Defensor Sporting in 2008, also represented Leganes in 2012/13, scoring two goals in 10 games.

South American trio Lucas Piazon, Wallace and Jhon Pirez have joined Chelsea’s on-loan contingent with temporary moves abroad. Piazon moves to Holland with Vitesse Arnhem for the season, where he has fellow Blues Patrick van Aanholt and Gael Kakuta for team-mates. The 19-year-old made his debut for the Dutch side by starting their 1-1 Eredivisie draw against Roda. Our 2012 Young Player of the Year is an FA Youth Cup winner with Chelsea and made his first senior appearances last season, featuring in home wins over Wolves, Manchester United and Aston Villa before making 13 appearances on loan with Malaga

Lucas Piazon, who was named as Chelsea’s Young Player of the Year in 2012, is with Vitesse Arnhem for the season

KENYA CHELSEA CARD IS UNVEILED

Goal Decision System in Bridge first

Chelsea have announced a new five-year partnership with afb, meaning supporters in Kenya can now benefit from a club-branded credit card. African consumer finance business afb specialises in responsible credit cards and launched in Kenya this year, having operated in Ghana since 2009. Fans who take up the Chelsea credit card will be eligible to win plenty of Blues prizes, including signed shirts and tickets to games at Stamford Bridge. The partnership follows similar regional deals Chelsea have done in Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan. For more information on afb and their Chelsea credit card, visit www.afb.com.

The Premier League’s new Goal Decision System [GDS] was used at Stamford Bridge for the first time when we took on Hull City on the opening day of the season. The Hawk-Eye technology, which sees a number of cameras located around the stadium track the ball’s position, was installed at the Bridge over the summer. The system alerts the referee via a watch monitor within one second of the ball crossing the line and provides a virtual representation on the big screen and television coverage within 20 seconds. That was seen against Hull, when GDS’s first task at the Bridge was to confirm that Branislav Ivanovic’s header had not crossed the line.

Hawk-Eye is tested at Stamford Bridge

CHELSEA TIMELINE 17 AUGUST

25 AUGUST

Our Under-18s get off to a winning start to the new season, recording a 3-0 victory against Sunderland.

Chelsea Ladies’ Hannah Blundell helps England top their group at the European Juan Mata with his awards from Women’s Under-19 Championship, the Player of the Year event playing in every match, including 3-0 wins over Denmark and hosts Wales.

18 AUGUST Premier League football returns to Stamford Bridge for 2013/14, with goals from Frank Lampard and Oscar making it a happy return for José Mourinho as we beat Hull City 2-0.

21 AUGUST Branislav Ivanovic’s header makes it two wins in four days for the Blues, securing us a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Bridge.

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Cech makes it a clean 200 Petr Cech kept his 200th clean sheet in a Chelsea shirt during our 0-0 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Our No1 joined the club from French side Rennes in 2004 and has proven himself to be one of the world’s top goalkeepers during his time at Stamford Bridge. He is only the second player in history to reach the 200 clean sheets landmark for the

Blues, holding that honour alongside 1960s and 70s hero Peter Bonetti. “It’s a great milestone to get,” said Cech after the match. “To get the 200th away at Old Trafford as well, I am pleased with that and I am pleased overall with what I have done here.” Cech’s first clean sheet for Chelsea also came against Manchester United, as his debut saw us beat them 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the 2004/05 season, in what was also José Mourinho’s first match as manager. The Czech Republic captain could surpass Bonetti’s record of 208 clean sheets this term. Cech already holds the Chelsea record for most clean sheets in one season after successfully defending the Blues’ net 28 times in his first campaign, plus his 12 penalty saves are the most of any Chelsea goalkeeper.

CHELSEA HERE, CHELSEA THERE When Chelsea took on Hull City on the opening day of the season, there were some elite sportsmen in the crowd as well as on the pitch. The Australia cricket team were at the Bridge to see the Blues and Nathan Lyon and Peter Siddle got their photo taken with our Champions League trophy in the Chelsea Museum. They aren’t the only men from other sports to be seen at the Bridge recently, as Blues fan and boxer Darren Barker paraded his IBF world middleweight belt on the pitch at half-time against Aston Villa. He could soon be joined as a world champion by fellow Chelsea supporter George Groves, who is set to take on Carl Froch for the IBF and WBA super-middleweight titles later this year.

Petr Cech is closing in on Peter Bonetti’s record for most clean sheets by a Blues goalkeeper

Special message from Mr Abramovich To celebrate the first Blues match at Stamford Bridge since the 10th anniversary of Roman Abramovich becoming Chelsea’s owner, a special version of the matchday programme featured a personal message to the fans from Mr Abramovich. The wrap enclosing the programme also showed a photomontage of some significant moments from the last 10 years at Chelsea. There are still a few copies available priced at £3 from the Stadium Megastore at Stamford Bridge and, for the same price, plus delivery, online at www.chelseafc.com/publications. You can also get that and every other Chelsea matchday programme of the 2013/14 season in a digital format, which is available to download for all Android and iOS tablets for £2.99 each or £39.99 for a season-long subscription.

Darren Barker on his lap of honour

Another Blues fan making headlines recently was Jamaican sprinter Warren Weir, who followed up his 200 metres win at the London Anniversary Games with a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow. Weir even beat former Chelsea Academy player Adam Gemili in the final in Russia.

In addition, you can read Chelsea magazine on your Android or iOS tablet, also for just £2.99 each. For more information on the digital versions of Chelsea’s official publications or to download the latest issues, please visit www.chelseafc.com/mobile.

It seems as though former Blues goalkeeper Kevin Hitchcock passed on some football talent to his son Tom, as the 20-year-old scored on his debut for Queens Park Rangers. He popped up in injury time to score the only goal against Ipswich in the Championship.

23 AUGUST

26 AUGUST A

Summer signings Andre Schurrle and Marco van Ginkel make their first appearance in the Chelsea TV studio for the Friday Night Live show.

Chelsea stay top of the table after three games in the Premier League, thanks to a 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

24 AUGUST

30 AUGUST A

Chelsea Under-21s play their first game at Stamford Bridge this season, putting on a show for the crowd with a 5-1 victory against Leicester City.

Young fans join Stamford the Lion and Bridget the Lioness for fun and games at the Bridge on Chelsea’s free junior supporters’ day.

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BLUES NEWS

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Photography | Dan Davies Stamford Bridge has already hosted an Under-21s victory over Leicester City this season

Youth campaign to take in new home venues Chelsea’s opening game of the Under-21 Premier League season against Spurs was the first of 25 matches our Academy teams will play at the Recreation Ground this season. Due to the increased number of competitions and fixtures the club will compete in below senior level, a two-year agreement has been reached with Skrill Premier club Aldershot Town for our Under-21s and Under-19s to use their ground. Located between Hampshire and Surrey, the venue has already proved a popular choice. A large crowd saw our Under-21s host Spurs in their first competitive match of 2013/14, with the numbers bolstered further by an initiative giving free entry to fans for the game. The ground is not a completely new experience for the Blues, though, as it hosted several of our reserve games up until 2007 and was the venue for last season’s home match against Ajax in the NextGen Series. However, there will be no Under-20s fixtures at Aldershot in the current campaign, as the NextGen Series has been suspended for a year due to a lack of funding, with current plans for the competition to resume in 2014/15. As well as games at the Recreation Ground, Under-21 Premier League fixtures will also be

Aldershot Town’s ground is the new venue for a number of our Academy home matches this season, while other home games will continue to be played at Brentford’s Griffin Park

played at Stamford Bridge. The first one of 2013/14 took place on 24 August and saw us beat Leicester City 5-1, with another scheduled to be played against Manchester City at 11am on 6 October. Tickets for the City game, priced £5 for adults and £3 for concessions, can be purchased in person at the box office, by calling 0871 984 1905 or by going to www.chelseafc. com/tickets. Please note that tickets will go off sale on Friday 4 October. We will also continue our link with Brentford and Staines Town, meaning that Blues fans can see various Chelsea sides playing in no less than four local venues in 2013/14. Brentford’s Griffin Park is the third stadium to host Under-21 games this season, just as it did in 2012/13, and will also provide a home for a Chelsea Under-19s side competing in the inaugural UEFA Youth League, having held NextGen Series matches last term. The fourth venue to be used by the Blues this season is Staines’ Wheatsheaf Park, home of Chelsea Ladies. The ground has become the regular base for the FA Women’s Super League side over the past two years and has also been used by the men’s Under-18s for games in the early rounds of the FA Youth Cup.

winning role With a spectacular debut season under his belt, OSCAR is ready to earn his share of plaudits on the green carpet once more

rom the moment he signed for Chelsea at the outset of last season, Oscar proved he was star quality. He had the flashbulbs lighting up Stamford Bridge when he struck his blockbusting goal past Juventus in the Champions League group stage last September and he was soon noted as one to watch by pundits across the networks with his performances in the supporting role behind the striker. This season, having started with some fine displays in the centre of the team’s staggered midfield set-up, he is looking every inch the creative director – starting moves with intent and finishing them with growing regularity. Speaking to us after a training session at Cobham, we give him the chance to write his own reviews on his influential start to the 2013/14 campaign and – reflecting on our assessment of his form – Oscar begins with a simple statement. “It’s all down to confidence,” he explains, leaning back and resting his hands on the

Interview | Dominic Bliss Photography | Darren Walsh 17

Tricking his way around the pitch in training

Oscar is always keen to play a major part for Chelsea

I feel a lot more confIdent thIs year and I am sure that I am goIng to score a lot more goals

arms of his chair as he talks about his desire to score more goals in his second season. Having grown up in Brazil with the No10 shirt on his back, he quickly had to learn where the goal was – the five strikes he registered in six Champions League appearances last season proved that – but it took some time for him to show his lethal touch in front of goal on the Premier League scene after arriving last summer. That has all changed now. With the same assurance he exudes when standing over the ball on matchdays, the 21-year-old explains he feels more able to express himself now that he has had a year to acclimatise and adapt to his new surroundings. “I feel a lot more confident this year and I am sure that I am going to score a lot more goals,” he says. “I am ambitious for this season and I am happy with the way things are going for me at the moment. We have started well and I want to make sure that this is a big year; a year in which Chelsea win titles.” After making a remarkable 64 appearances in

his debut season – the joint-highest of any of our players – Oscar certainly had the chance to get a feel for the English game and his team-mates’ style of play. With familiarity, his confidence grew and he ended the season looking particularly dangerous, popping up with a variety of goals – headers, closerange finishes, storming strikes from distance – and proving to be a thorn in the side of any team that dared to leave him the slightest amount of room to operate in. With the experience of that action-packed introductory season behind him, and his self-belief as high as ever, Oscar adds that he began the current campaign chomping at the bit and hungry for success. “It really did help,” he says, referring to the number of games he played for Chelsea in 2012/13. “This was clear when you look at how I finished last season, when it was clear that I was settled and that I had learned more and felt stronger in my game. “I started my first season well and the other players welcomed me and helped me to develop, all of which helps me and contributes to this season. Now, I am feeling even stronger and I

OSCAR INTERVIEW

Taking on the Hull City defence on the opening day of the season

would like to play as many games for the team this year as I did last year.” Oscar looks stronger, too. His performances against Hull City and Aston Villa in Chelsea’s opening two Premier League fixtures were a study in his versatility and resilience – two attributes that are absolutely vital for a linking player who drops between the lines to look for openings and to draw opponents out of position. A well-organised opposition defence will not easily surrender their shape and it is up to players like Oscar to probe and stretch the lines of defence and midfield until the gaps appear for their team-mates. On opening weekend, we saw Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Oscar combine to open up Hull’s well-drilled backline and – after the clever running of the Belgians – it was the Brazilian who ran beyond the last man to prod home the first goal of the season. Yet, we saw an altogether very different Oscar take the initiative three days later when Aston Villa presented a more resilient challenge at Stamford Bridge. With two solid centre-backs positioned behind three solid central midfielders, there was no room

for the man in the traditional No10 role to work his magic for Chelsea. Oscar refused to be marked out of the game, or to disappear into the blind alleys being shown to him by his adversaries, but instead dropped into a noticeably deep position himself, away from the close attentions of the Villa midfielders. Suddenly, he had time to collect the ball, look up and plot the downfall of Paul Lambert’s men. Playing a completely different role than that in which he had caused Hull so many problems, Oscar was instrumental yet again in winning the game for José Mourinho’s men. “This is a very important part of my game because I am the sort of player who always wants to receive the ball between the lines,” he says, reflecting on the mindset that allows him to deal with different challenges and opponents. “Against Aston Villa, this meant I had to drop a little bit deeper in search of the ball, while, against Hull, I managed to find space between the lines further forward. This is an important facet of my game and it turned out to be important in both matches.” It seems Oscar has the energy and the keenness to combine several roles into one if it allows him

With the Europa League trophy

After scoring against Hull City

Oscar after receiving the 2012/13 Chelsea Goal of the Season award

OSCAR INTERVIEW

Slick passing is just one of Oscar’s traits

Showing strength against Aston Villa

I WATCHED THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES FROM BRAZIL AND CONSIDERED THIS TO BE THE BEST LEAGUE IN EUROPE, IF NOT THE WORLD. SO, IT WAS ALWAYS A DREAM FOR ME TO COME AND PLAY HERE

to get on the ball and make things happen. As he explains, one-dimensional players – no matter how talented – have no place in the high-tempo, fiercely competitive and intricately strategic modern game. “Today, the pure No10 doesn’t exist,” he says. “Every player needs to help the team and the creative players are very important to the team, so they need to work extra hard to make sure they are in the space to do their best for Chelsea. “This was particularly true against Aston Villa, when I couldn’t find that space, so I needed to go a bit deeper to receive the ball from Ramires or Frank Lampard.” Those words, coming from such a young player, demonstrate why Oscar was such an important acquisition for Chelsea last summer. His understanding of time and space are clearly more than inherent – they are carefully considered skills that he is developing with every game. You only have to watch him tracking the runs of counterattacking opponents when a Chelsea move breaks down to understand why he remains popular with the Blues supporters even in tough moments. He is not just a champagne footballer looking to play pretty one-twos and nutmeg defenders; he is an

all-action midfielder player, a creative influence and – increasingly – a deadly finisher as well. Of course, his impact on the game cannot be measured in isolation. Oscar is part of a unit – one that is strengthened by the clear understanding between its creative players, operating between the lines of midfield and attack in the team’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system. “I think that it is really important to have all these great players with similar characteristics in those positions,” he says. “It makes it easier, with our football brains, to understand each other and what we come up with on the pitch is never predictable. “I always watched Premier League matches from Brazil and considered this to be the best league in Europe, if not the world. So, it was always a dream for me to come and play here. In Brazil, we know that there is more contact in the English game and that it is a more dynamic style of play. Last year, from playing here, I realised that is the case. However, I have adapted my game to this and, despite it

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OSCAR INTERVIEW

being strong and dynamic in style, it is also very technical. “The best evidence of that is to look around you here at Chelsea and see the great technical players we have in our team. Increasingly – game by game and training session by training session – we are improving and it looks like things are very well set for this season.” The most profound difference in Oscar’s attitude this season, he tells us, is his growing self-confidence, which has been unlocked, in part, by his new manager. In the past, Frank Lampard spoke of the belief that Mourinho instilled in him when he first arrived at Chelsea in 2004, explaining that he went out on the pitch with renewed confidence in the seasons that followed. Nine years later, Oscar echoes those sentiments. “It’s been great to work with José Mourinho,” he says. “He is one of the best coaches in the world. We have seen he has already had a lot of success at Chelsea and I am just really happy to have the opportunity to work with him. “You can already see the influence he has had on us during the first few games and I hope the team will be able to continue to grow under him, as I will also be able to grow as a player. “As early as pre-season, we could see the belief with which he works. We could see the confidence he has with us as players, but also the confidence within his own work. It is clear to us that he is a great coach. “For example, at half-time, he speaks very clearly about how the game is going, how he sees that developing in the second half, and he is always instilling his confidence in us. “Speaking the same language, we have been able to converse in Portuguese about my game and the most important thing that he is imparting in me is to give me the confidence to go out and play my game.” In many ways, Oscar’s form is a microcosm for the team’s performance. His position at the creative hub of the side means that he sees more of the ball when Chelsea are in control and he pulls the strings most effectively when his team-mates respond to the lightness of his touch. Most importantly, however, the youngster – like several of his creatively-minded team-mates – always shows a willingness to receive the ball and even to search it out. While it might seem to be over-simplifying things somewhat, the phrase with which Oscar opened our interview begins to make more sense as you listen to him discuss his game. Perhaps it is all down to confidence.

LORD ATTENBOROUGH

Lord Attenborough with a personalised Chelsea shirt in 2008

Arguably the most famous Blues fan of them all, Chelsea Life President LORD ATTENBOROUGH recently celebrated his 90th birthday

helsea Life President Lord Attenborough celebrated his 90th birthday on 29 August and his preferred charity was invited to hold a matchday collection at our home game against Aston Villa to mark the occasion. The actor, director and producer is a legend of the film industry, best know for his roles in The Great Escape, Jurassic Park and Miracle on 34th Street as well as winning two Oscars for his work as director and producer on the film Gandhi. Of course, another major passion in his life are the Blues and he has served the club as Vice-President, Director and Life Vice-President before taking his current honorary role. Lord Attenborough, known affectionately to many at Stamford Bridge as “Dickie”, has also played a big part in improving conditions for disabled supporters at our stadium over the years. When presented with a special award to commemorate his appointment as Life President in 2008, Lord Attenborough said: “I’ll sweep the Oscars off the mantelpiece and put this plate right on top now. We all use terrible clichés and say

Presenting Michael Essien with the 2007 Chelsea Player of the Year award

we’re very honoured and very flattered, but I really am honoured and touched. It means as much to me as any award or honour I have been given in the past. I’m President of a number of organisations, but Chelsea is very special to me. “Why would I think I would become Life President? I haven’t done anything! Well, I suppose I have done one thing – there is a part of a stand at Stamford Bridge called ‘Dickie’s Deck’ and it’s for disabled people. I contributed to the funding of that when I first became a Vice-President around 25 years ago.” In addition to his role with the Blues, he is Life President of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, a leading UK organisation dedicated to beating muscle-wasting conditions by finding treatments and cures to improve the lives of all those affected. That charity was welcomed to Stamford Bridge for our 2-1 Premier League victory over Aston Villa last month. They held a bucket collection around the ground before kick-off, with Blues fans generously donating a total of £1,249. It was around 70 years ago that arguably our

THE 1954/55 TEAM CHANGED MANY OF OUR LIVES IN TERMS OF DEVOTION TO FOOTBALL. THEY GRANTED US THE EXCITEMENT, THE PLEASURE, THE REWARDS AND THE MEMORIES – ALL THAT IS PRECIOUS

With Frank Lampard and John Terry at the 2007 Player of the Year ceremony

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck presents Lord Attenborough with a special signed photo at Stamford Bridge before a game against Aston Villa in 2010

Chatting with Dennis Wise at the Chelsea TV studio in 2002

most famous supporter first started coming to games at Stamford Bridge, but it wasn’t until he spent time training with the team to prepare for his acting role in the film Brighton Rock that Lord Attenborough’s true passion for the club was formed. “My wife Sheila and I first came to Stamford Bridge before we were married, in the early Forties when we were students together at RADA [Royal Academy of Dramatic Art], and we used to take sandwiches and stand on the bank,” he has previously recalled. “I was very interested and keen to watch Chelsea when I met Tommy Lawton, who was probably the greatest England centre-forward ever. Then, I started working with the team, Lawton and that group of boys, when I was getting fit for a movie.” Lord Attenborough has remained close with members of the team ever since and holds the side that won our first-ever top flight title in particularly high regard. “In 1954/55, that season – that league win – for people of my age and older, it was an occasion, an event and a year which will remain in our hearts and heads,” he said in an old Chelsea TV interview. “Roy Bentley I have known and admired for many, many years. I thought he was a great captain, a fabulous player and a terrific guy. I was both touched and very happy to be given the opportunity to write the introduction to his autobiography. “That team changed many of our lives in terms of our devotion to football. They granted us the excitement, the pleasure, the rewards and the memories – all that is precious.” Lord Attenborough was central to the Blues establishing a reputation as London’s glamour club in the 1960s and 70s, spreading his passion for Chelsea throughout Hollywood and the showbusiness world as well as bringing illustrious guests to matches at the Bridge such as Steve McQueen and Raquel Welch. However, as Lord Attenborough has pointed out in the past, the Blues will always be the stars of the show. “I think Chelsea could not only be one of the great clubs of all time, with a quality and a self-respect and commitment to a sense of decency and proper behaviour, but we have a wonderful standard to maintain. I find myself feeling very humbled and conscious of what Stamford Bridge and Chelsea has meant to me.” Words | James Sugrue

CONTENTS

Ch e

d l o G sl ea

HIGH FIVE The players who made the biggest impact on their Chelsea debut

CHELSEA ICON Kevin Wilson looks back on his playing days at the Bridge

PHOTO ALBUM Revisiting some of our most memorable European trips

44 27

CHELSEA ICON

Kevin Wilson

Former Blues striker Kevin Wilson is now in charge of non-league Ilkeston FC who came up against the Chelsea Under-21s in pre-season. He discussed that experience and reminisced about his playing days at the Bridge with Josh de Kooker

Kevin Wilson salutes the Stamford Bridge crowd

So what are the prospects for Ilkeston FC in the 2013/14 season?

the club was bought by David Mantle, who initially worked for Derby County. I met him in the June of the same year as we were setting up an Academy here and that’s really where it all started. We’ve got a productive Academy now: the first team has had 16 players who have come through the youth set-up and have either made the squad or played first-team games. Our philosophy is really focussing on our youth and seeing them through to our first team. It’s worked really well; when we went into administration, we dropped two levels into the Evo-Stik South. Fortunately we got promoted to the Evo-Stik Premier in our first season as Ilkeston FC, and last year we finished 11th and won the Derbyshire Senior Cup. So, in two years, it really has been like a club rising from the ashes. We’re delighted with what has happened during the first two years of our five-year plan, but we are striving to have more success and promoting more Academy players into our first team.

What a lot of people need to know is that Ilkeston Town went into liquidation in September 2010 and

It sounds like you have a real blueprint for success there. Back to yourself and your time at Chelsea, you

You are currently manager of Northern Premier League side Ilkeston FC. A couple of weeks ago, you played a friendly against the Chelsea Academy. How was that as an experience for the lads? We’re very grateful to have been afforded this opportunity. For me personally, being able to bring a club that I used to play for up here meant it was a great night. For the boys, it was a great experience playing against some of the talent that could possibly come through and get into José Mourinho’s first team in the coming years. You could see that a lot of the lads out there had a special talent. They all looked tidy on the ball and you can see that they have a chance to go on and have good careers.

joined the club in 1987 from Ipswich Town – how did you feel when you found out we were interested in you? Well, I had played for two real “homely” clubs before that, in Derby County and Ipswich Town, who were big clubs in their own right, although coming to Chelsea was a big step. It was a big club back then and is now one of the biggest clubs, if not the biggest, in London. So, for me, it was a step in the right direction, and it’s an amazing feeling when a club like Chelsea wants you to sign for them. I wouldn’t say it was the easiest of starts, as at the time I went there, they had just sold David Speedie and had an established strike partnership of Kerry Dixon and Gordon Durie. I was really trying to jump in and get in between them. I think it took a long while for me to win over the fans because I was coming off the bench, but my first league goal was against West Ham [in December 1987]. After that, I think I got more recognition from the fans when they saw what I gave to the side. Were you nervous about disrupting the Dixon and Durie partnership and upsetting the status quo? No, not at all! At the end of the day, I was quite a versatile player: I even played at right-back during my time at Chelsea. I could play across the midfield and also up front so, for me, it wasn’t an issue.

Granted, I preferred to play up front and maybe when people look back, they will see that I had a great understanding with Kerry Dixon when we did play together and we got goals. Any time you go to a new club, you have to believe in yourself and fortunately for me I was quite versatile. In my second season there, when we got promoted back to the First Division, I played in over 50 games in all sorts of different positions. As long as your name was on the team sheet, that was all that mattered. I was one of those players that worked hard on my attitude and application because I liked to put in 100 per cent effort, whenever and wherever I played. Chelsea were relegated in the first season you were at the club – 1987/88. What was that like for yourself and the team? It makes you stronger, I think. It makes you want to do more as a person and show people that you are going to try even harder to be a good player. In the end, I went on to start 155 games for the club and I think I showed my worth to Chelsea at the end of it all, which is what you try to do. I’d been a success at clubs I had been at before and was a hit with the fans. I think that when I left Chelsea, the fans really appreciated what I was about. Around the time I joined the club, Tony Dorigo and Clive Wilson signed from Aston Villa and Manchester City respectively, so we were looking to make a stance. I knew I’d

Wilson – front row, second left – celebrates winning the Division Two championship with his Chelsea team-mates in 1989

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Kevin Wilson takes on Tottenham’s Jason Cundy during his Notts County playing days, both players having recently left Chelsea

FACTFILE: WILSON Place of birth: Banbury, England Date of birth: 19 April, 1961 Other clubs: Derby County (1979–85) Ipswich Town (1985-87) Chelsea (1987-92) Notts County (1992-94) Bradford City (1994, loan) Walsall (1994-97) Northampton Town (1997-2001) Chelsea career: 1987-1992 League appearances: 152 League goals: 42 Total appearances: 191 Total goals: 55

I’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER A GOAL I SCORED FROM THE EDGE OF THE BOX AGAINST BLACKBURN IN THE PLAY-OFF TO DECIDE WHO STAYED IN DIVISION ONE, WHEN WE BEAT THEM AT STAMFORD BRIDGE 4-1; THAT WAS NICE TO DO had a good pre-season that year; I got about eight or nine goals but still didn’t make the starting line-up which was a disappointment. Saying that, I was one of those players who got my head down and just waited to see if I was selected. I gave 110 per cent every game; sometimes it wasn’t good enough, sometimes it was, that’s just the way it goes. What would you say your fondest memory was while you were playing for Chelsea – is there anything that particularly sticks out? I’ll always remember a goal I scored from the edge of the box against Blackburn in the play-off to decide who stayed in Division One, when we beat them at Stamford Bridge 4-1; that was nice to do! Otherwise, playing at Wembley was a highlight [in the 1990 Full Members’ Cup final]. People say it was only the Zenith

Data Systems Cup, but we won it, and also getting promoted back into the First Division. I just felt privileged to pull on the shirt every time really. When you left Chelsea you played for Notts County, and then both Walsall and Northampton in a player-coach capacity. What were the different challenges that came with playing, and coaching, in the lower divisions? Because I came from the higher leagues, I was always getting the attention of the defenders as I was someone they thought they had to watch out for and be aware of. It was also always useful to pass on my advice to the younger players and that’s what part of my job is as well nowadays – trying to mould and inspire the lads to progress in their careers and to be able to enjoy the things that

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Celebrating a goal against Wolves in 1990

Wilson poses in front of a Chelsea kit from his playing days in the Chelsea Museum

KERRY DIXON SHOULD HAVE PLAYED A LOT MORE FOR ENGLAND. HE WAS QUICK, STRONG, COULD USE BOTH FEET AND HAD A GREAT STRIKE RATE FOR CHELSEA I enjoyed as a player. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I took my coaching badges: to try and back up my credentials and give the boys the experience I had during my career. Who was the best player you played with during your time at Stamford Bridge?

and great goalscoring record Kerry Dixon boasted a p cam ea els Ch the in ed was highly regard

I played alongside him for a long time but, for me, Kerry Dixon should have played a lot more for England. He was quick, strong, could use both feet and had a great strike-rate for Chelsea. I remember the last game of the 1989/90 season against Millwall when he scored a perfect hat-trick [header, left foot, right foot]. It is always difficult to pick out players, though. In terms of leaders during my time at Chelsea, people like Graham Roberts and Peter Nicholas had great experience. Clive Wilson and Tony Dorigo were also fantastic players with a great left foot, almost like wands sometimes! Like I said, I was privileged to play with players like that. I just hope that the fans remember me for what I gave to the team and the effort I put in every time I pulled on the shirt, as well as for the moustache!

CHELSEA ICON

Wilson gets the better of Gary Pallister during Chelsea’s meeting with Manchester United in 1990

THERE ARE ALWAYS GOOD AND BAD THINGS WITH ANY MANAGER AND YOU SHOULD TAKE INSPIRATION FROM EVERY COACH YOU HAVE HAD Speaking of the moustache, have you got any plans to bring it back? No, not anymore! I think a lot of people remember that about me: I might grow it back if I come down to the Bridge, just for the craic. Is there anyone who you played with here that perhaps rivalled your facial hair? I don’t think there were many who had a good ‘tache like mine: it was well-groomed and what have you! As a manager now, were there any of your bosses at Chelsea who really inspired you?

his famous moustache Kevin Wilson sporting day during his Chelsea hey

John Hollins was a very good coach, but Bobby Campbell was an excellent manager; he was a motivator and also a good coach. There are always good and bad things with any manager and you should take certain inspiration from every coach you

My Chelsea mate

Bobby Campbell (centre) was a great motivator

have had, which is what I have tried to do. Maybe sometimes you didn’t always agree with the boss, but you respected them and that’s what I expect from my players. They might not always agree with my decisions, but there has to be a mutual respect present. There was maybe only one manager during the course of my career that I didn’t particularly get on with, but I was fortunate at Chelsea to have worked with some very good coaches who helped my career move forward. Moving on to talk about the current Chelsea team, what do you think they can achieve this season? I think they can win the Premier League. I certainly hope so; they are always a club that I keep an eye out for on a Saturday after we have finished, and I think José coming back will be a real inspiration. When he had his first spell there, I brought my son with me and the manager and players were fantastic with him. Those are the sort of things you remember, his character and charisma. I think José will be looking to emulate what he achieved here the first time around.

I spent a lot of time with Kevin Hitchcock. We lived together in Hemel Hempstead and got on really well. I also got on very well with Kerry Dixon as he lived in Luton, so we travelled together. Vinnie Jones was another one who lived on the same street as me in Hemel, so perhaps those three in particular. I’m not sure that I could repeat many of the stories for publication in a family magazine, but one funny quirk of Kevin Hitchcock is that he didn’t like cotton wool, so sometimes we would taunt him with it as it used to rile him! There were always little pranks going on in the dressing room: talcum powder in players’ pockets, cutting the ends off socks, cutting up people’s boxer shorts, those sorts of things which were quite harmless, but funny. One story I can tell is that when I moved to Notts County, I sent for my boots to be brought down quite quickly and Wisey and Vinnie, allegedly, cut the ends of my boots off so when I went to put them on they just sort of flapped open, much to my embarrassment! So I had to get new boots to be able to play in my first game. There was always a lot of banter going on in the dressing room; there was a real camaraderie between the players. Of course, there were fallings out because everybody wanted to win and perhaps your performance wasn’t quite as good as your team-mates thought it should have been, but that is part and parcel of the game.

Do you think there is anything he will do differently this time? I think he most probably will: from what I have read, it seems like he will try to attack a bit more but still be solid defensively. Every coach or manager knows that if you keep a clean sheet, you’ve got every chance of winning the game. With the quality in attack Chelsea have, there will be no problems scoring goals. People like Frank Lampard, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku will be dangerous, and I think Lukaku has the potential to perhaps be the next Didier Drogba. Is there one player in the team who you really admire? I always look at Lampard. If he has not made the side, he has just kept his head down and got on with his job. I think he showed last year how important he was to the team and he is a fantastic player, along with John Terry who has also been a great servant to the club.

Kevin Hitchcock was one of Wilson’s closer friends

Words | Dominic Bliss

53 35

high five

Arriving in style This month we pick out five of the most explosive debuts in Chelsea history. Plenty of players have made an instant impact upon joining the Blues, but these five produced introductions that were particularly memorable

GEORGE HILSDON 01.09.1906

Chelsea 9 Copeland, Key, Kirwan, McDermott, Hilsdon (5)

Glossop North End 2 Collins

Ian Hamilton’s record-breaking debut strike was likened to that of Jimmy Greaves, inset, also against Spurs

Way back in a bygone era, 21-year-old George Hilsdon exploded onto the scene with a five-goal haul in a 9-2 victory. Earning the nickname “Gatling Gun” due to his rapid-fire style, Hilsdon became the first Chelsea player to score over 100 goals and even bettered his record debut tally with six goals against Worksop Town in the FA Cup in 1908. The weather vane which stood atop the East Stand was modelled on the prolific striker. He was also prolific at international level, scoring 14 times in just eight appearances for England. In the rest of Chelsea’s history, only one other player has managed to hit a hat-trick on their debut – Seamus O’Connell against Manchester United in 1954/55.

IAN “CHICO” HAMILTON 18.03.1967

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Greaves

Chelsea 1 Hamilton

Ian Hamilton’s debut was notable for many reasons – a goal against Spurs plus, at the age of 16 years and 138 days, becoming Chelsea’s youngest-ever player and youngest-ever scorer. Hamilton only played four more games for the Blues, moving to Southend, Aston Villa and Sheffield United before ending his career in the USA. His debut goal drew comparisons to Chelsea legend Jimmy Greaves, who also scored against Spurs in his first match, 10 years previously. In contrast, the oldest debutant in Blues history was Graham Rix, who played his first game against Arsenal in 1995, aged 36 years, 10 months and 23 days. Called out of retirement due to an injury crisis, it proved to be our then youth-team coach’s one and only appearance.

George Hilsdon netted five times on his debut and inspired the East Stand weather vane, inset

MARIO STANIC 20.08.2000

Chelsea 4 Hasselbaink, Zola, Stanic (2)

West Ham United 2 Di Canio, Kanoute

Quite possibly one of the best goals ever scored on a debut anywhere, Stanic wowed the crowd with an audacious keepy-up and volley routine from 35 yards out. He scored twice in the 4-2 victory, and there were high hopes for Chelsea’s new Croatian superstar. Unfortunately, injuries meant he never managed to command a regular first-team place, playing 59 league games over four years and retiring in 2004. Stanic is mobbed by team-mates after his audacious debut strike

Tambling and Bridges, inset, made scoring debuts in the same game

BOBBY TAMBLING & BARRY BRIDGES 07.02.1959

Chelsea 3 Greaves, Bridges, Tambling

West Ham United 2 Keeble (2)

Bobby Tambling and Barry Bridges both made their debuts and scored their first goals for the Blues in the same 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge. The two club legends went on to achieve great things with Chelsea, Bridges scoring 93 times in 205 games during his eight-year career and strike partner Tambling amassing 202 in 370 matches, a record only recently surpassed by Frank Lampard. The West Ham win turned out to be 17-year-old Tambling’s only start of the 1958/59 season and he had to wait another two years before he nailed down a regular starting place in the first team, after Jimmy Greaves’ departure to AC Milan, and he never looked back.

George Weah nods home a late winner against Spurs

GEORGE WEAH 12.01.2000

Chelsea 1 Weah

Tottenham Hotspur 0 The former World Player of the Year instantly endeared himself to the fans at Stamford Bridge, heading the winner against Spurs with only three minutes left on the clock. Amazingly, he had only arrived from AC Milan hours before he extended Chelsea’s amazing unbeaten run against our London rivals to 21 games in all competitions. Weah only played 11 matches for the Blues, but this goal still lives long in the memory.

The High Fives feature will be continuing every month throughout the 2013/14 season and we want you to suggest which categories we cover, and even give us your opinion on which moments should be included. Whether you want to see Didier Drogba’s five greatest goals, the best goalkeepers to man the Chelsea net, or any other list your imagination can come up with, join the debate on Twitter using the hashtag #CFCmag and you could see your feature idea appearing on these pages.

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Words | Dominic Bliss

Diamond anniversary So many of the glorious stories in Chelsea’s past have been told over and over, as they leave the history books and make their way into the realms of folklore. Yet we very rarely hear about the young team that Tommy Docherty led out of the Second Division in 1962/63; the team who kick-started that glamorous era when the Blues embraced the Swinging Sixties scene and mixed it with the big boys. This summer marked the 50th anniversary of that dramatic push for promotion and, to celebrate, the club is hosting a dinner in honour of the heroes who made it happen (turn to page 81 for more on this). We decided to delve into the archives and relive the action... “The Doc” took charge of a team that had lost its way since winning the league title in 1955. The main draw for crowds during the intervening years had been Jimmy Greaves, whose superhuman goalscoring feats had made him a hero to a generation of young supporters at Stamford Bridge. But Greavesy’s goals could not keep Chelsea afloat indefinitely, and when he left for AC Milan in the summer of 1961, the

team lost its talisman and main threat. A year later, the boys in blue were in Division Two, and it was up to Docherty to make sure we would not be there for long. His promotion from player-coach to manager had actually come about in the midst of that turbulent 1961/62 campaign, when Chelsea’s ongoing struggles proved too much for Ted Drake, but Docherty had not been able to steer the club clear of danger that season. Instead, he decided to clear the decks and start afresh with a team cast in the mould of their young, keen manager. Promoted from the youth set-up were a group of players with fresh faces, fire in their bellies and, most importantly, plenty of technical ability. After the lack of progress endured during the late Fifties, these boys brought some style to the club at the end of the King’s Road, and they would form the basis for one of the iconic Sixties sides. Greaves had been an icon in his own right – there was no doubt about that – but The Doc was laying the foundations for a team, unified by a manager who trusted them to deliver on the pitch, and

1962/63 PROMOTION SEASON Barry Bridges and Derek Kevan looking relaxed during the Blues’ promotion season

who expected them to buy into his practices 100 per cent in return. Brian Mears, who would later become Chairman of the club, believed the attraction of that side lay in their collective identity. “The Docherty side was unique in that it was the first one that demanded emotional loyalty,” he once wrote. “It had a soul.” That soul emanated from the youth system, which was beginning to flourish a decade after erstwhile manager Billy Birrell had set it up with the help of chief talent spotter, Jimmy Thompson, and popular youth coach Dick Foss. Thirteen players made their first-team debuts in the 1961/62 season – among them Ron Harris, Peter Bonetti, and Bert Murray, who joined a squad already including Ken Shellito, Terry Venables, Barry Bridges and Bobby Tambling. Chelsea may have been relegated, but were ready to surge forward again straight away, and there was a hell of a decade ahead for the club. As this new generation of players emerged, the likes of Frank Blunstone and John Mortimore remained in the side to add some much-need experience, while 27-year-old Frank Upton became a permanent fixture in the team for their Division Two promotion push in 1962/63. Those notable exceptions could not disguise the fact that this was

effectively a fresh start, however, and that was just how the young boss wanted it. “Docherty was headstrong, impetuous and reckless, anxious to wipe out any trace of the Drake era,” recalled Brian Mears. It worked a treat early on in the campaign. Docherty’s Diamonds won their first three games without conceding a goal, scoring nine of their own in the process. Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Charlton – all seen off with minimum fuss. The Second Division didn’t know what had hit it. Four goals for lightning quick centre-forward Barry Bridges and three for skilful inside-forward Graham Moore suggested Chelsea’s young forward line was going to cause serious problems for second tier defences, and the main goal threat among them was just getting his eye in. Tambling’s name will forever be synonymous with goals – he led the club’s all-time scoring charts for 33 years before Frank Lampard finally passed his 202 strikes for the Blues. This was the season when the boy from the South Downs would establish himself as a hero in SW6. With his slick side-parting and even slicker finishing, he was the stand-out act in a team that created chance after chance after chance in the early months of the season. Bobby Tambling played a key role in Chelsea’s rise to Division One during the 1962/63 season

Chelsea surged to the top of the table and, although their sometimes gung-ho style brought the odd stinging defeat, they looked certainties to rejoin the top flight company they had been so devastatingly ejected from the previous season. The Doc’s men truly hit their stride in late autumn, winning seven out of eight league games played over October and November, while Tambling struck 14 times in the same spell. Stamford Bridge was a dreaded place for visiting teams at that stage and by the time the Christmas fixtures had been completed, Chelsea were six points clear at the top of the league, at a time when only two points were awarded for a win. Docherty, though, refused to get carried away – at least that was what he told the press following a 2-0 home win over Luton Town on Boxing Day. “We’ll save the celebration until next April – if we make promotion,” he said as the newspapers praised his “nimble-footed” team, which was quickly gaining a reputation for its mobility and for the innovative use of marauding full-backs. It was almost unheard of for a British side to use its full-backs to attacking effect, but the number of chances the Blues created in the first few months of the season ensured the tactic soon caught on up and down the country. Just as they began to believe the hype, however, Chelsea’s swashbuckling youngsters were halted in their tracks, as they came up against an adversary they had no answer for – the weather. The period between January and February is

always cold, but the conditions Britain faced in early 1963 have gone down in history. The “Big Freeze” claimed its fair share of victims, among them countless football fixtures. Chelsea didn’t play a single league game in January, and they managed just two in February, with the extreme weather prompting Docherty to take his boys to Malta for warm-weather training and a couple of friendly matches to keep them on their toes. Unfortunately, the Maltese sun and the limited opposition provided by local side Hibernians (a 1-0 win) and a Malta League XI (a 4-0 win) proved to be scant preparation for two away games in wintery Wales. Defeats to Swansea and Cardiff (who had been beaten 6-0 by a rampant Chelsea at the Bridge earlier in the campaign) signalled the start of a run of five straight defeats, which threatened to derail the Blues’ promotion express train. Dismal away form was compounded by inconsistency at Stamford Bridge as well. Home wins over Derby County and Luton Town, for example, were soured by defeat to Walsall in front of an unimpressed crowd of 19,625 at the Bridge. Those games straddled March and April and, by May, the situation at the top was incredibly tight. Going into their final three fixtures, the Doc’s men were hanging on to the second automatic promotion place on goal difference from Sunderland, and the first of those vital fixtures saw Chelsea host top-ofthe-table Stoke, and their 48-year-old hero, Stan Matthews.

Peter Bonetti makes a full-length save to deny Swansea Town

1962/63 PROMOTION SEASON

Terry Venables keeps a close check on Stoke’s Tony Allen during a close contest in 1963

The Daily Mirror’s report on Chelsea’s defeat to Stoke focused on the Blues’ handling of visiting dangerman Stan Matthews

The encounter was to prove a controversial one. Desperate to nullify the Potters’ attacking threat on the flanks, the Blues dished out some rough treatment to the veteran England winger, prompting even the home supporters to show their disapproval. “Do you have to kick an old man for promotion?” an angry headline demanded to know in the following morning’s Daily Mirror. Alongside a photo of a teenage Ron Harris committing the kind of challenge that earned him the moniker “Chopper”, Ken Jones’ exasperated report noted that “Matthews was twice spilled over the touchline by Chelsea’s exuberant young defence in the opening minutes.” Whether the hard stuff had been planned or not, it didn’t seem to work as Stoke ran out 1-0 winners, leaving Chelsea – who had been so dominant for much of the season – outside the promotion places, with just two games remaining. As if it had been scripted, however, the penultimate game of Chelsea’s season took them to Roker Park to face the team who had just taken their place in the top two. What’s more, the game was to be Sunderland’s last of the season, meaning a win would guarantee them promotion, while Docherty’s boys required maximum points from their last two fixtures if they were to seal promotion on goal average. Having placed so much faith in youth throughout the campaign, the boss was a little concerned by the recent drop-off in form and made the decision to change tack for this crucial match in the North

Bobby Tambling and Tommy Docherty celebrate the Blues’ promotion to Division One and, below, the rest of Doc’s Diamonds in high spirits following the final day 7-0 victory over Portsmouth

East. The inside-forward line – usually full of young enthusiasm and raw pace – was transformed into an experienced, solid unit, as recent signing Derek Kevan (who was yet to live up to his reputation and his £48,000 transfer fee since arriving in March) joined Frank Upton and Tommy Harmer in the most advanced positions. Harmer, a 35-year-old former Tottenham star, had barely featured since arriving in the summer to help out with coaching the reserve side. Yet Docherty felt Harmer’s composure and wise old head would settle his young Diamonds down in a must-win game. Incredibly, the veteran scored the only goal of the game – his one and only strike for Chelsea – when he deflected a wayward shot back on target using the most delicate appendage in the male anatomy. The Blues were in with a chance, thanks to the most unlikely of scorers with the most unlikely of touches! All they had to do now was beat Portsmouth at the Bridge in a rearranged match after most teams had already completed their seasons. With so much riding on the game, the papers reported that Sunderland fans were travelling down in their hundreds to join Pompey supporters in the away end, just in case it turned out to be their night. Those Rokerites who made the journey formed part of a 54,558-strong crowd – a huge turnout for a second-tier game – and they probably wished they hadn’t bothered when Kevan scored his first and only Chelsea goal after just two minutes. From that point on, it was one-way traffic. A Tambling hat-trick had pushed the score up to 4-0 just three minutes into the second half, before goals from Blunstone and Venables made completely sure. A seventh for Chelsea and a fourth for top-scorer Tambling sent the crowd into raptures and the excitement even spilled over just moments before the final whistle had blown, when an impromptu pitch invasion took place upon the wrong whistle! Eventually the pitch was cleared – with the celebrating supporters waiting on the greyhound track – and when the final whistle blew for real, it was mayhem. “We actually celebrated more in 1963, when we got promoted from the Second Division, than we had in 1955, when we won the league,” remembered Blunstone, who had played in both legendary sides. If the next morning’s Daily Mirror report is anything to go by, it seems the press were caught up in the moment too, but the words of Ken Jones summarised the game quite succinctly. “Afterwards there were tears of joy in the eyes of the team when they came out to spill champagne over the crowd. “THE WHOLE SCENE WAS SHEER FANTASY.” When the players and management emerged to address the crowd on the pitch, an emotional Docherty shouted through cupped hands: “Now we’ll give you a team that you’ll be proud of for many years to come.” They lived up to his promise.

PHOTO ALBUM

European trips With the Champions League group stages getting under way this month, we sample some scenes from European trips of old

BOW TO THE INEVITABLE Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first European trophy in 27 years came at the expense of Stuttgart in Stockholm, where we defeated the Germans 1-0 thanks to a goal from Gianfranco Zola. The 1998 Cup Winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cup triumph came after a long and arduous campaign, prompting the players to bow down in thanks to the fans who had followed them across the continent, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle.

PHOTO ALBUM PLAYERS RECEIVE SOME (UN)FAIRS TREATMENT Midfielder Terry Venables made receiving treatment from trainer Harry Medhurst his first priority when arriving at Heathrow Airport after the feisty 0-0 draw against Roma, in the second leg of our Fairs Cup tie in 1965, which secured our progress. Also waiting to receive medical attention are Peter Bonetti, Marvin Hinton, Bert Murray and Eddie McCreadie after receiving injuries at the hands of both their opponents and the local fans in the Italian capital.

BLUES FALL SHORT IN FINAL CHARGE Kevin Hitchcock got into the spirit of our European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final trip to face Real Zaragoza in 1995. The goalkeeper donned matador attire as Chelsea aimed for a strong showing in the first leg in northern Spain. Unfortunately, that fighting spirit wasn’t enough as the Blues went down 4-3 over the two matches against the eventual champions.

SMOKESCREENS AND DEFENSIVE BARRIERS Albert Ferrer clears under pressure from AC Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko during a 1999/00 Champions League group stage game at San Siro. As you can see, so much smoke wafted down from the stands during the home fans’ half-time frivolities that it almost rendered the conditions inside the stadium unplayable. It was Chelsea’s first-ever season in the competition and this 1-1 draw ensured we would go through as group winners, at the expense of Milan.

THE BEST BAR NONE Defender Branislav Ivanovic perches atop the crossbar after Chelsea’s victory over Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final. After toppling the Bavarian giants on their home turf in improbable circumstances, the Serbian’s delight is obvious, despite having been suspended for the game. He’d more than earned the right to enjoy the moment, though, having scored the extra-time winner against Napoli in the quarter-finals and performed heroically in the semi-final win over Barcelona.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2013/14

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PHOTO ALBUM

BAYERN LARGE DIDIER’S IMMENSE It wasn’t just in 2012 that Didier Drogba emerged as Bayern Munich’s nemesis, scoring a crucial goal in our 2004/05 Champions League quarter-final second-leg match against the Germans at their former Olympiastadion home. He even displayed his hurdling prowess in the process as he leapt over the advertising hoardings to celebrate with the Blues supporters. His strike would prove to be decisive, handing us an epic 6-5 aggregate victory over Bayern.

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PHOTO ALBUM ALMOST DRIFTING OUT OF EUROPE The inclement Scandinavian winter almost rendered this 1997 Cup Winners’ Cup second-round tie unplayable, with volunteers from Norwegian club Tromso working tooth and nail to clear the pitch of snow. It may have affected the Blues, as we went down 3-2 in the first leg. Chelsea did, however, get revenge in less adverse conditions two weeks later, with a 7-1 thrashing at Stamford Bridge!

GODS OF GREECE ENSURE OUR FIRST EURO PRIZE Chelsea won our first continental trophy after a 2-1 replay victory against Real Madrid in the 1971 European Cup Winners’ Cup final in Athens. After the first game ended 1-1, goals from John Dempsey and Peter Osgood secured the win for the Blues, and the joy was encapsulated here as Alan Hudson (left) and Johnny Boyle (right) show their appreciation for goalkeeper Peter Bonetti.

SPIRIT OF THE GLENN Glenn Hoddle celebrating our progression to the third round of the 1994/95 Cup Winners’ Cup after a 1-1 draw against Austria Vienna. After a goalless draw in the first leg at the Bridge and going behind in the away fixture in Vienna, John Spencer scored a memorable solo effort after running almost the length of the pitch, to ensure we went through on away goals.

s e r r o T o d n Ferna

GAMES THAT MADE ME

Spain v France

Spain v Germany

Under-16 European Championships final (2001)

Under-19 European Championships final (2002)

We played France in the Under-16s European Championships final at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. It was the first great tournament I played in with the national team and we won 1-0 after I scored a penalty late in the game. That was the first time I was in the headlines and the first time I thought I could play football as a professional.

Albacete v Atletico Madrid Spanish Second Division (2001)

I turned 17 the month after that final and I made my debut for Atletico Madrid two months later, in May. I would not put my debut in this list because I played only a few minutes, but my next game was very important. We played Albacete, away, in the Second Division, with four games left and we needed to win every game to have a chance of getting promotion. I played the last 10 minutes, I scored to make it 1-0 and we won. It was a long ball from the right-back, diagonally to the back post, and I just headed it towards the far post – it hit the post and went in. That game probably had the biggest impact on my career because the next morning I was in all the newspaper headlines. My life changed that day – I started to be recognised outside and people knew who I was.

At the end of my first season as a professional, I went to the Under-19s European Championships and we played Germany in the final. We won 1-0 again and I scored the goal – it had a big impact on my career and was a big step forward.

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid Spanish First Division (2002)

Playing in the Under-16 European Championships final at the Stadium of Light

My debut in the First Division was in Camp Nou, a 2-2 draw against Barcelona. It was quite impressive for me to play there as I was only 18. I didn’t play a great game, but I will always remember the occasion. There are plenty of games like this: my debut in the Champions League with Liverpool, when we played Porto; my first game at Anfield, which was against Chelsea, and my debut with Chelsea – against Liverpool! There are many important games that were important for me but did not lead to a trophy or something like that.

Spain v Germany Euro 2008 final Celebrating Spain’s 2008 European Championship victory with David Silva

Looking back, I think you remember the finals more than anything else, because you can win something at the end of them, and Euro 2008 was huge for me. We went into the tournament, like always, with people criticising the team, the players and saying that we were not good enough to even go through the group stages. Nobody really believed in us and the patience of the fans was gone, but we had an amazing tournament and we won every single game. We beat Italy in the quarterfinals, and we always lost to Italy in major tournaments, so Spain avenged history that day. We always say we won the tournament that day because we knew we were going to win. We then beat Russia 3-0 in the semi-finals and Germany 1-0 in the final, playing brilliant football, and I scored the winner. That was the beginning of a very good run of results with Spain. At the World Cup two years later, we didn’t play as well as we did in the Euros, but we won in the end.

Spain v Italy Euro 2012 final

We went into the tournament thinking we were going to become the first team in history to win two Euros and one World Cup in a row, and we did it. I think we played

a really good tournament, although we had a difficult situation against Portugal in the semifinals, when we won a penalty shoot-out. Then, we played Italy again – too many games we had to win against Italy! This time, we played them in the final and we beat them 4-0, playing one of the best games we have played as a national team. I was lucky enough to come off the bench to score the third goal and give the assist to Juan Mata to score the fourth. Now, we have one more thing still to do – win the next World Cup and become the first team to win four major international tournaments in a row. Maybe this generation will not play a tournament together again after this one.

Barcelona v Chelsea

GAMES THAT MADE ME SIT UP Atletico Madrid v Compostela La Liga (1994/95)

Torres celebrates after scoring against Barcelona in the 2012 Champions League semi-final

The first time I went to watch Atletico Madrid, I was a young boy and I went with my grandfather and my father to watch them play against Compostela. It was just a normal league game – I think it was 1-1 – but I was really impressed by it. I was at my grandparents’ house and we saw in the paper that Atletico were playing at home that day, so we went to the stadium and bought the tickets. That is my first memory of going to a stadium.

Champions League semi-final (2012)

Atletico Madrid v Ajax

We went through many, many difficulties during this game. We were losing 2-0, down to 10 men, Gary Cahill was injured. Then, Rami scored and we were defending all the time in the box. Then, I remember Ashley kicked the ball long and I was there – I don’t know what I was doing there! However, I scored the goal to make it 2-2 and, at that moment, we knew we were in the final. When Didier scored the winning penalty in Munich, it was an even bigger feeling – a dream come true. I never dreamed of winning the World Cup because I thought that was for other people, not for Spain, but I did dream about winning the Champions League.

Chelsea v Benfica Europa League final (2013)

It was a big disappointment to go out of the Champions League last season, but I think we showed a great deal of respect for the Europa League and for our fans by trying to win it, and it was great when we did. I will always remember scoring that goal and celebrating Iva’s goal because it was another European trophy for Chelsea and we were the first team in history to hold both trophies at the same time – even if it was only for a week.

Champions League quarter-final (1997)

In the year Borussia Dortmund won the Champions League, they were in the same group as Atletico Madrid, and Atletico finished first in the group. They played Ajax in the last 16 and it finished 1-1 in Amsterdam in the first leg. It was 1-1 in Madrid when Juan Esnaider missed a penalty and, after that, Dani – the Portuguese striker – scored for Ajax to make it 2-1 and knock Atletico out. I remember the excitement of the supporters that year – maybe only Atletico fans thought they could do it, but there was a feeling of dejection after the ref blew the final whistle. Holding the Europa League trophy after victory over Benfica

Atletico lining up against Ajax in 1997

Atletico’s Kiko evades Frank De Boer

Interview | Dominic Bliss

GAME FROM EVERY

ANGLE

Team-mates congratulate Branislav Ivanovic on getting our second goal

GAME OF THE MONTH

Top: Romelu Lukaku shows his strength Above: Ivanovic celebrates with a knee slide

Branislav Ivanovic headed a late winner to ensure Chelsea began the Barclays Premier League season with two wins out of two in a feisty encounter with Aston Villa. After a high-intensity start to the campaign against Hull City, the Blues began in a similar vein against the visiting Villans and took the lead with just five minutes on the clock through an Antonio Luna own goal. The Villa left-back was in the right place at the right time as far as Chelsea were concerned, with Brad Guzan’s attempt to keep out Eden Hazard’s curling effort bouncing off his own defender and into the back of the net. It was a thrilling opening to the game by our array of attacking talent, who were threatening to run up a margin of victory to match the 8-0 win over the same opponents last term, but the visitors rode their luck and got themselves level deep into first-half stoppage time through Christian Benteke’s near-post finish. Buoyed by their equaliser, Villa began the second half well but were undone by a simple set-piece routine. Frank Lampard’s freekick was met by the head of Ivanovic, who powered home and celebrated the goal with his trademark knee slide.

Barclays Premier League, Stamford Bridge, 21.08.13

Chelsea 2

Luna 5 (og), Ivanovic 72

Aston Villa 1 Benteke 45+3

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Mata (Schurrle 64), Oscar (Van Ginkel 83), Hazard; Ba (Lukaku 64) Unused subs: Schwarzer, Azpilicueta, Mikel, De Bruyne Booked: Ivanovic

Aston Villa (4-3-3): Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar (c), Clark (Okore 42), Luna; El Ahmadi (Tonev 82), Westwood, Delph; Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor Unused subs: Steer, Bennett, Bacuna, Helenius, Sylla Booked: El Ahmadi, Westwood, Benteke, Guzan

Referee: Kevin Friend Att: 41,527

Match Stats Possession Shots on target Shots off target Corners Offsides Fouls Yellow cards Red cards

69 3 9 1 5 13 1 0

31 3 4 2 5 16 4 0

MATCH ANALYSIS Barclays Premier League, Stamford Bridge, 18.08.13

Chelsea 2 Oscar 12, Lampard 24

Hull City 0 Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c) Cole; Ramires, Lampard; De Bruyne (Schurrle 66), Oscar (Van Ginkel 84), Hazard; Torres (Lukaku 75) Unused subs: Schwarzer, Essien, Mata, Ba

Hull City (4-3-3): McGregor; Elmohamady, Chester, Davies, Figueroa; Koren (c), Meyler (Huddlestone 58), Brady; Aluko (Boyd 78), Graham (Livermore 58), Sagbo Unused subs: Harper, Rosenior, McShane, Bruce Booked: Meyler

Referee: Jonathan Moss Att: 41,374

Match Stats Possession Shots on target Shots off target Corners Offsides Fouls Yellow cards Red cards

52 6 10 5 1 8 0 0

48 2 1 1 2 16 1 0

Chelsea cruised to victory over Hull City, with early goals from Oscar and Frank Lampard seeing off the Tigers. José Mourinho was given a rousing reception as he made his way to the Blues’ dugout for the first time since returning to Stamford Bridge and Kevin De Bruyne was the only new face in the starting XI. It was a debutant for Hull, however, who was heavily involved in the early exchanges. Allan McGregor gave away a penalty, but the keeper superbly kept out Frank Lampard’s spot-kick to keep the scoreline at 0-0. It proved to be a temporary reprieve, though, as De Bruyne superbly fed Oscar for a slick finish to net the first competitive goal of Mourinho’s second spell in charge. It didn’t take long for the Blues to add a second, this time the honour falling to Lampard. The No8 made amends for his penalty miss with a vicious, swerving free-kick which flew past McGregor’s outstretched hand. The scoreline, ultimately, flattered the visitors, although they showed a distinct improvement after the interval, and the Blues’ devastating first-half display gave the fans plenty of cause for optimism at the start of what promises to be another enthralling campaign.

Top: Eden Hazard prepares to have a shot at goal Above: Frank Lampard reels away after scoring

MOVE OF THE MONTH | AMAZING MIDFIELD DISPLAY GETS OUR SEASON OFF THE MARK

Hazard 17

De Bruyne Oscar

Chelsea’s three attacking midfielders combined with devastating effect against the Tigers to leave Blues fans purring. Eden Hazard displayed a combination of strength and guile to hold off his marker and play a ball into the feet of Kevin De Bruyne, whose first touch and subsequent pass through the legs of the defender allowed Oscar to ghost in and nudge the ball past Allan McGregor. What a way to start the season. Hazard 17

Oscar 11

Player movement Ball movement

MATCH ANALYSIS Eden Hazard looks for a way through United’s lines

Top: Fernando Torres challenges Ryan Giggs Above: Ramires and Wayne Rooney go for the ball

Both defences came out on top in the first goalless draw seen by an Old Trafford crowd since 2009, leaving the Blues unbeaten after our opening three games of the campaign. Andre Schurrle, previously used from the substitutes’ bench, was employed as our lone centre-forward with a licence to drift out wide, but there were few clear-cut chances for either side. Robin van Persie and Oscar looked the most likely to break the deadlock in the opening half, while Danny Welbeck threatened after the break. However, ultimately, it was a game in which the centre-back pairings held firm. “Nobody deserved to lose, nobody did enough or nobody was better than the opponent to deserve a clear victory, so I think it’s a fair point,” said José Mourinho. “For us, after home victories, to come to the champions and – in their first match at home – to get the point, I think it’s fine, it’s positive.” It was a second shut-out from our opening three Premier League games, which meant Petr Cech became just the second Blues goalkeeper to rack up 200 clean sheets – although few would have featured less saves than required in the first meeting between the sides without Sir Alex Ferguson in the dugout since 1986.

Barclays Premier League, Old Trafford, 26.08.13

Manchester United 0 Chelsea 0 Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic (c), Evra; Cleverley, Carrick; Valencia (Young 66), Rooney, Welbeck (Giggs 78); Van Persie Unused subs: Lindegaard, Smalling, Buttner, Anderson, Kagawa

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires, Lampard; De Bruyne (Torres 59), Oscar, Hazard (Azpilicueta 90+3); Schurrle (Mikel 87) Unused subs: Schwarzer, Essien, Mata, Lukaku Booked: De Bruyne, Torres

Referee: Martin Atkinson Att: 75,032

Match Stats Possession Shots on target Shots off target Corners Offsides Fouls Yellow cards Red cards

55 3 7 4 3 9 0 0

45 4 3 1 1 10 2 0

GAME FROM EVERY

ANGLE

USA TOUR

QUICK STARTERS

Guinness International Champions Cup, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, 01.08.13

Chelsea 2 Oscar 13, Hazard 28 (pen)

Inter Milan 0 Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech (Schwarzer h/t); Ivanovic (Azpilicueta 67), Cahill (David Luiz 60), Terry (c), Cole (Bertrand 72); Ramires, Van Ginkel (Mikel 67); Moses (Essien h/t), Oscar (Mata h/t), Hazard (Torres 72); Lukaku (Ba 60)

Guinness International Champions Cup, Sun Life Stadium, Miami, 07.08.13

Inter Milan (3-5-1-1): Handanovic (Carrizo 76); Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus; Nagatomo, Guarin (Olsen 76), Cambiasso (c) (Kuzmanovic 67), Alvarez (Belfodil 67), Pereira (Jonathan 67); Palacio (Capello 76); Icardi (Chivu 60)

Att: 41,983

Chelsea 1 Ramires 16

Real Madrid 3 Marcelo 13, Ronaldo 31, 56

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c) (Azpilicueta 73), Cole; Ramires (Schurrle 73), Van Ginkel (Essien 73), Lampard (De Bruyne h/t); Oscar (Moses h/t), Lukaku (Torres h/t), Hazard

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Casillas (c); Arbeloa (Carvajal h/t), Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo (Nacho 73); Khedira, Modric (Casemiro 73), Isco (Morata 84); Ozil, Benzema (Di Maria 69), Ronaldo

Att: 67,273

De Bruyne 28, Schurrle 90+1

AC Milan 0 Chelsea (4-2-3-1):

AC Milan (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Antonini (Zaccardo h/t), Zapata (Constant 69), Silvestre (Pacifico 76), Emanuelson (Poli 69); Montolivo (c) (Nocerino 56), De Jong (Cristante 76), Muntari; Kevin-Prince Boateng (Kingsley Boateng 76); El Shaarawy (Niang 56), Balotelli (Petagna h/t)

Att: 39,764

Chelsea edged ahead of Aston Villa in the all-time headto-head record between the sides.

DRAWS

Pre-season friendly, RFK Stadium, Washington, DC, 10.08.13

Chelsea 2 Lampard 60, Lukaku 88

AS Roma 1 Lamela 20

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Schwarzer (Blackman h/t); Azpilicueta (Ivanovic 58), David Luiz (Cahill h/t), Terry (c) (Lukaku 79), Bertrand; Essien (Lampard h/t), Mikel (Van Ginkel 58); Moses (Ramires h/t), De Bruyne (Oscar h/t), Schurrle (Hazard 58); Torres (Ba h/t)

Roma (4-3-3): De Sanctis; Maicon (Jedvaj 78), Benatia, Castan, Balzaretti; Bradley, Strootman, Florenzi (Marquinho 69); Lamela, Osvaldo (Borriello 69), Totti (c) (Tallo 86)

Att: 25,615

Frank Lampard’s stunning free-kick against Hull City was the sixth time he has netted on the opening weekend of the season for the Blues.

WINS

DEFEATS

Chelsea 2

FRANK ENJOYS THE FIRST DAY

STATS V ASTON VILLA

SPUR A THOUGHT

Guinness International Champions Cup, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, 04.08.13

Cech (c) (Schwarzer h/t); Azpilicueta (Terry h/t), Cahill, Ivanovic, Bertrand (Cole h/t); Essien (Ramires h/t), Van Ginkel (Mikel 65); De Bruyne (Moses h/t), Oscar (Mata h/t), Hazard (Schurrle 68); Ba (Torres h/t) (Lukaku 86)

The Blues’ win over Hull City maintained our status as the Premier League’s opening weekend specialists – no other side has picked up as many points since 1992.

Tottenham Hotspur are the only side we have scored more Premier League goals against than Aston Villa (68).

RAMIRES PASSES Ramires was our top passer in his first two Premier League appearances of the season, completing 66 against Hull City and 99 in the meeting with Aston Villa.

66 99

V HULL CITY V ASTON VILLA

IVANOVIC V HULL CITY

Branislav Ivanovic had as many touches in the Hull City box as the whole of the Tigers’ team had in the Blues’ penalty area.

José Mourinho has lost just two of his eight competitive games at Old Trafford.

Keeping account of prevention How do you judge a player’s performance based on events that have not occurred? It seems an odd question to ask, but there are certain positions on the football pitch where a player’s effectiveness relies on his ability to prevent things from happening. Take a full-back whose positional play means he never has to make a tackle or a block because he is in the perfect place to step in and intercept the ball every time. Usually, if nothing happens at the back, then nothing has gone wrong, so your defensive players must have put in a near-perfect display. Great, but that won’t make the highlights shows. In their book The Numbers Game, football analysts Chris Anderson and David Sally argue that a “psychological phenomenon” prevents us from recognising the importance of events that do not happen in a game, while we “place undue significance on things that do happen.” In other words, we fail to notice the things that top players prevent from happening, particularly when it comes to shutting the opposition out. It’s an argument that applies to goalkeeping as much as any other area of the game. After all, if Petr Cech’s positioning allows him to catch an effort at goal, rather than having to make a dramatic, full-stretch dive, it would be easy to think that it had been a non-event, while the goalkeeper who fails to position himself correctly and only just manages to tip the same shot away with his finger tips may well be hailed as a hero. Naturally, it isn’t easy to find data for events that have not occurred, but the guys with the spreadsheets and sports science degrees do collect some stats that give us an idea of who keeps goal the most tidily. For example, looking at the men between the sticks for the top five clubs in last season’s Premier League, Cech caught by far and away the highest percentage of shots on his goal, with 38 per cent, compared to the 11 per cent that David De Gea caught. Furthermore, of the shots that he did decide to parry instead, Cech palmed the lowest percentage of shots on target back into danger, doing so on just eight per cent of occasions. Joe Hart, meanwhile, parried 15 per cent of the shots on his goal into danger, while for De Gea, the figure was even higher, at 18 per cent. While that may mean less slow-motion replays in the highlights reels for Cech, it also means more security, and less drama – and the last thing you want in your own goalmouth is drama.

TECHNICAL AREA

GOALKEEPERS FOR TOP FIVE CLUBS LUBS LUB S IN 2012/13 PREMIER LEAGUE ON TARGET SHOTS CAUGHT (%)

28 LLORIS

HART

SZCZESNY

CECH

11 DE GEA

ON TARGET SHOTS PARRIED INTO DANGER (%) CECH LLORIS SZCZESNY HART DE GEA

8 8 12 15 18 *Statistics compiled from goalkeepers representing Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur

JEREMIE BOGA The French midfielder has been a Blue since he was 11 and now, aged 16, is a regular in our Under-21s side. He discusses his football background and his hopes for the future D.O.B: 03.01.97 BIRTHPLACE: MARSEILLE POSITION: MIDFIELDER How did it feel to sign your first professional contract in July? It made me feel very proud, because I think I worked hard last year and therefore feel that I deserve it. My brother, sister and my dad were here for it, so it was a special day. It follows your impressive season with the youth team and the Under-21s. What are you looking to improve and achieve this year? My goal is to play better than last season; to score more goals and make sure I start as many Under-21s games as possible. Also winning more trophies, because last year we lost in the final of both the FA Youth Cup and the NextGen Series. Losing finals hurts, so we want to make sure that we win finals in the future. How does it feel to play with guys who are, in some cases, five years older than you? Does it make you play differently? No, I always try to play the same way, whether I am with my own age group or with the Under-21s. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of the age or the size [of the players], I just look to play my normal game. The older age groups are harder physically and in intensity, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change the way I play. There were big attendances in both legs of the FA Youth Cup final last year. Was that your first experience of playing in front of such large crowds? It was a very good experience, because it was the first time I have ever played in front

ACADEMY INTERVIEW of that many people, but I just viewed it as a normal game. During the warm-up, you notice the crowd more, but after that, you get used to it.

Did the experience of making the N NextGen Series final last year help to prepare you for this season’s U UEFA Youth League?

Who are your role models, both in football and outside of it?

The NextGen Series was a very good experience, but I think the new UEFA competition is more like the Champions League. Everyone is excited to play in it and to travel to the different countries.

When I was younger, it was Zinedine Zidane, but nowadays I would say Lionel Messi. I like the way he plays – he scores a lot of goals and he is always dangerous on the ball, which is the way I want to be. Outside football, I look up to my older brother, Daniel, as it was because of him that I started playing. He used to play reserve football for Sedan in Ligue 2 [in France], but he got injured so he had to stop.

2013/14 STATS

* Correct at 23/8/13

final second leg, so I have good memories of playing there.

I grew up in Marseille, where we played a lot of street football. I think that is how you can really improve your game, as every day after school we used to play. I also think it shows in the way I play now – with street football, you don’t have a lot of time on the ball, so you have to think very quickly.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

As a player, I am technical, quite fast and I look to score goals. From the first team, I admire Eden Hazard, as I think my game is fairly similar to his. Are you excited by the prospect of playing at Stamford Bridge for the Under-21s this season? I am looking forward to playing at Stamford Bridge again. I scored there on my debut for the Under-21s [against Wolves] and also twice against Norwich in the FA Youth Cup

Yes. I think my favourite place is New York as we went there during pre-season. It was busy, which was good, but I also like places that are relaxed as well. I don’t mind. In New York, we did some community work with FC Harlem – we did some training and signed some pictures, which was a good experience.

Academy Ap p Academy G s 0 oals 0 U21 Apps 2 U21 Goals 0

Where did you grow up, and how did that shape your style of football?

How would you describe yourself as a footballer and is there a first-team player you admire?

Do you enjoy travelling and where is your favourite place?

I don’t really go out much, so I like to play video games, especially FIFA. I’m quite impressed with how similar it is to real life. I used to play Call of Duty, but I don’t really play that much any more. When I do go out, I enjoy shopping, but that’s about it really. What are your hopes and expectations for the season ahead? As a team we have very good players, and I think we can improve on last year and win more league games. I think we are capable of finishing near the top of the league if we perform well week-in, week-out.

“I GREW UP IN MARSEILLE, WHERE WE PLAYED A LOT OF STREET FOOTBALL. I THINK THAT IS HOW YOU CAN REALLY IMPROVE YOUR GAME AND I ALSO THINK IT SHOWS IN THE WAY I PLAY NOW – WITH STREET FOOTBALL, YOU DON’T HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON THE BALL, SO YOU HAVE TO THINK VERY QUICKLY”

With France winning the Under-20s World Cup earlier this year, is this something you are looking to emulate having played for the French Under-16s side? It is always a huge achievement to play for the national team. To win trophies for your country – I think that is what everyone dreams of. I am too young to remember France ’98 and Euro 2000, but I watched the 2006 World Cup final and thought that one day I want to play on that stage. It was a very good game, but unfortunately we [France] lost! Who is your closest friend at the club? Isak Ssewankambo. He also lives in Cobham like me, so we hang around a lot. The whole team is close here – everyone has a good relationship and likes each other. I think that is why we are a good team on the pitch; we know each other well so we combine well on the pitch. Interview | Josh de Kooker

ACADEMY UNDER-21S FIXTURES & RESULTS 2013/14 Date

Opposition

Res

August

Fri 9 Fri 16 Sat 24

Tottenham Hotspur Southampton Leicester City

H3 A H1

2-4 4-1 5-1

H2 A -

Manchester City (11am) Sunderland

H1 A

West Ham United U21 Cup, Round of 16

H2 -

A A -

Fri 10 Reading H3 Mon 20 Wolverhampton Wanderers A Fri 31 West Bromwich Albion H

September

Fri 13 Norwich City Mon 23 Everton Sat 28 U21 Cup, Round of 32 October

Sun 6 Mon 21 November

Fri 1 Sat 23 December

Mon 2 Newcastle United (1pm) Mon 16 Bolton Wanderers Sat 21 U21 Cup, QF January

February

Fri 7 Fri 14

Fulham Liverpool

A H3

Arsenal Middlesbrough Manchester United Blackburn Rovers

A H A H2

Stoke City Aston Villa

A A

March

Mon 3 Fri 7 Mon 24 Fri 28 April

Fri 4 TBC

Chelsea score shown first. Fixtures correct at time of going to press. All games 7pm kick-off unless stated. H1 - Stamford Bridge. H2 - Brentford FC. H3 - Aldershot Town FC.

APPEARANCES 2013/14 Ake 3, Brown 3, Christensen 3, Loftus-Cheek 3, Baker 2+1, Ssewankambo 2+1, Swift 2+1, Blackman 2, Boga 2, Kiwomya 2, Feruz 1+2, Beeney 1, Chalobah 1, Conroy 1, Davey 1, McEachran 1, L Musonda 1, Osmanovic 1, Wright 1, Aina 0+1, B Clifford 0+1, Dabo 0+1.

Isaiah Brown has been prolific in front of goal

GOALS 2013/14 Brown 4, Feruz 3, Baker 1, Davey 1, McEachran 1 (pen), Swift 1.

BARCLAYS UNDER-21S PREMIER LEAGUE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Team Pld Tottenham 3 Sunderland 3 Fulham 3 Chelsea 3 West Ham 3 Reading 3 West Brom 3 Manchester United 2 Liverpool 2 Norwich 3 Newcastle 3 Manchester City 3 Middlesbrough 3 Blackburn 3 Everton 3 Aston Villa 2 Southampton 3 Leicester 3 Wolves 3 Arsenal 1 Bolton 2 Stoke 3

W 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

Stats correct up to and including 26.08.13

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1

L 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 0 1 2

GD Pts +6 9 +4 9 +3 9 +5 6 +3 6 +2 6 -3 4 +2 3 +1 3 +1 3 -1 3 -1 3 -2 3 -2 3 -2 3 -2 3 -3 3 -3 3 -3 3 0 1 -1 1 -4 1

Lewis Baker celebrates his goal at St Mary’s

Bouncing back with big wins The Under-21s recovered from the disappointment of losing their opening game of the season to record two thumping victories, including a 5-1 drubbing of Leicester City in front of the Stamford Bridge crowd. Dermot Drummy’s side had enjoyed a bright start in front of almost 3,000 fans at Aldershot Town’s Recreation Ground, but we were eventually defeated by Tottenham Hotspur, despite a debut goal by Isaiah Brown and an early penalty by Josh McEachran, who later went off injured. “The result wasn’t what we wanted, but playing in front of a crowd who create a good atmosphere is a great way for them to develop as players,” said assistant manager Andy Myers. The reaction of the players, however, was superb – with Southampton and Leicester bearing the brunt of two outstanding displays. The first, which took place at St Mary’s, saw Omar Rowe give the hosts the lead before goals from Alex Davey, Brown, Lewis Baker and substitute Islam Feruz overturned the deficit to give the Blues our first points of the campaign. “It was a very good performance from the boys to bounce back,” added Myers. “After going a goal down, it was difficult because sometimes a little bit of anxiety can creep into a team in those situations. “We always stick to our philosophy of playing out from the back and it wasn’t done in any other way throughout the match. It was great to see the lads playing with that confidence.” They certainly replicated that in front of the Blues faithful – including José Mourinho – at the

Bridge when Leicester City came to town, as two goals each from Brown and Islam Feruz, plus one for John Swift, gave us a resounding win. Leicester were capable of causing problems, hitting the woodwork and going close on a couple of other occasions, but their chances were limited by the home defence and they had to wait until the closing minutes for their consolation goal. “It can be difficult at the Bridge for the players,” said manager Dermot Drummy, “And, with José Mourinho watching as well – which is great – there is another edge to it. “We are Chelsea and we have to win well and play well, and the players did that. I can be overcritical sometimes, but I want the best and I can be demanding. I tend to look at Leicester hitting the bar rather than us scoring five, but I was very pleased with the all-round performance. “Baker was outstanding in midfield and Andreas Christensen and Nathan Ake had to defend the high ball at times and they did that admirably.” Six points out of nine represents a solid start to the season for Drummy’s side and September will also see them participate in the new UEFA Youth League, which is an Under-19 competition that will largely shadow the senior Champions League fixtures. However, the NextGen Series European competition that took place during the last two seasons, with Chelsea reaching the final on our first entry, will not be part of the campaign’s fixtures as the organisers have not secured the necessary funding for this term.

@chelseafc chelseafc.com

Strong start pleases coach Two wins and a draw represented an excellent start to the 2013/14 campaign for Adi Viveash’s Under-18s. The Blues prepared for the new term with a varied pre-season, including a trip to Austria which featured numerous players under the age of 16 after a large number of second-year scholars moved up to Dermot Drummy’s Under21s squad. The hard work certainly paid off when we welcomed Sunderland to our Cobham training ground for the season opener, our young side rewarded for a patient display with a 3-0 victory. The Black Cats set their stall out to defend and hit us on the counter-attack – a plan which proved effective when the two sides went in level at the break. However, Charly Musonda’s strike and a Dominic Solanke double settled the contest after the interval to ensure it was a perfect start. “Charly became more prominent as the game wore on and he scored a fantastic free-kick from 25 yards out to open the scoring,” said Viveash. “Solanke then scored two late goals, the second of which came from an excellent team breakaway. “It was a very solid, professional performance, with a lot of good displays from our players. George Cole hit a powerful winner against West Ham United

While Under-18s football is not about results, it does help to breed confidence in what we are doing.” A week later, West Ham were the visitors to Cobham for a game which began in terrible conditions with the Cobham pitch soaked by a heavy downpour. It was the visitors who got to grips with the conditions earliest, striking with virtually their first attack. Having gone behind, Viveash’s young Chelsea side responded well, turning the game on its head before the half-hour mark with two superb goals. The first came through Tammy Abraham, who finished a wonderful passing move with aplomb, before George Cole made it 2-1 with a powerful strike into the top corner – and that’s how it finished. Cole continued his goalscoring form when we travelled to Norwich City, netting a sublime free-kick to give the Blues the lead against the side who defeated us in the final of last season’s FA Youth Cup. The Canaries levelled shortly afterwards and, despite our best efforts – including Jay Dasilva and Abraham hitting the woodwork – 1-1 would be the score at the end of a pulsating encounter played out at the Norfolk club’s training ground.

UNDER-18S FIXTURES & RESULTS 2013/14 Date

Opposition

Res

August

Sat 17 Sat 24 Tue 27 Sat 31

Sunderland West Ham United Norwich City Everton

H H A A

3-0 2-1 1-1 -

Liverpool Blackburn Rovers Middlesbrough (12noon)

H A H

Southampton Tottenham Hotspur Stoke City (12noon)

H A A

Wolves (12noon) Arsenal Aston Villa (1pm) Leicester City (12noon)

H A H A

Fulham West Brom (12noon) Reading

H A H

Norwich City (12noon) Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United

H H A

Southampton Arsenal Aston Villa (12noon)

A H A

Leicester City (12noon) Fulham Reading West Brom Manchester United (1.30pm)

H A A H A

Bolton Wanderers Newcastle United Manchester City (1pm)

H A H

September

Sat 14 Sat 21 Sat 28 October

Sat 5 Sat 19 Sat 26 November

Sat 2 Sat 16 Sat 23 Sat 30 December

Sat 7 Sat 14 Sat 21 January

Sat 11 Sat 18 Sat 25 February

Sat 1 Sat 15 Sat 22 March

Sat 1 Sat 8 Sat 15 Sat 22 Sat 29 April

Sat 5 Sat 12 Sat 26

Chelsea score shown first. Fixtures correct at time of going to press. All games kick-of at 11am unless stated.

APPEARANCES 2013/14 G Cole 3, Kandi 3, Muleba 3, C Musonda 3, Palmer 3, Abraham 2+1, Dasilva 2+1, Mukhtar Ali 2+1, Aina 2, Collins 2, Dabo 2, Solanke 2, Tomori 1+1, Christie-Davies 1, Conroy 1, Killip 1, Scott 0+2, Butungu 0+1, Houghton 0+1.

Jay Dasilva hit the woodwork against Norwich City

GOALS 2013/14 G Cole 2, Solanke 2, Abraham 1, C Musonda 1.

BARCLAYS UNDER-18S PREMIER LEAGUE - SOUTH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Team Chelsea Tottenham Fulham Reading Norwich Aston Villa West Ham Arsenal West Brom Southampton Leicester

Pld 3 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2

W 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

D 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 2

GD Pts +3 7 +6 6 +4 6 +3 6 +1 5 +3 3 +0 3 -1 3 0 2 -3 0 -6 0

Stats correct up to and including 27.08.13

YUKI OGIMI Chelsea Ladies’ newest recruit is one of the elite players in world football. With a UEFA Women’s Champions League medal and World Cup triumph behind her, Yuki Ogimi is now looking to make an impact in the FA Women’s Super League D.O.B: 15.07.87 BIRTHPLACE: KANAGAWA POSITION: FORWARD How does it feel to be the WSL’s first Japanese player? It’s an honour – I’m proud and very happy. To be the first, I feel, gives me a sense of responsibility. I want to prove that Japanese players can be successful in England and that from now on, more will be able come to the English league. How have you found life at Chelsea so far? I’m so happy to be at a club which has the aim to improve. We have to work hard in training and be strict with ourselves if we are to achieve this. Specifically, I have to have a positive influence on the younger players in the team, with regards to my attitude towards training and my professionalism. How have your new team-mates helped you to settle at the club? Did you have to sing an initiation song? I didn’t do that. Actually, I didn’t do anything! Everyone here has been nice to me and, with regards to the football, the players here are more skilful and have a higher level of technique than those I came up against in Germany. When I got here and trained with Chelsea; well, I’ve only played a few games, but already there is this feeling that we are “playing” football!

Main picture | Akio Hayakawa

LADIES INTERVIEW What are your personal ambitions for the end of the WSL season?

Ogimi taking on Lincoln Ladies

When I arrived, the coach said she wanted us to finish in the top three and, in the short time I have spent playing with the team, I already feel I know the level of the side. We have set a very high target and in the remainder of the season we know that we have to give everything in that time to achieve that. I have to give as much of my energy as possible to help improve the side, and that’s a new challenge for me. Then, in the future, I would like this team to try and become the type of side who can win the Champions League. That may take a long time, but we have to try.

2013 STA (Corre TS c

The popularity of women’s football in the UK is still growing, but how big is it in Japan? Apparently 14 million people tuned in to watch the recent friendly match against England! Women’s football in Japan was given a boost by the World Cup. It was a boom. I’ve also played in Germany and there is already a culture of football – there is stability whether the team produces results or not. I think it would be good if the league in England could become very popular. If that happens then it will have a positive influence on the England national team as well. What was bigger for you: winning the Women’s Champions League with Potsdam or the World Cup with Japan? Both were equally important. For my team to take a big title – whether it was the Champions League or the World Cup with the national team – I can’t really weigh the importance of either. For me, the most important thing is to improve every day at training and in every match, and through that process I wish to be able to win titles. That’s it. For me to choose which one is bigger, I can’t really compare them.

28 Au t up to gust 2 Apps 013) 3 Goals 0

Which team do you support? Chelsea. Well, now I do [laughs]! But before I didn’t really have a favourite team. In Japan I support the team that my older brother plays for, Gainare Tottori. If you could compare yourself to a member of the men’s team here at Chelsea, who would it be? And which player do you enjoy watching the most?

fitness, eating and sleeping. And riding my bicycle. I started playing piano before I got into football, when I was four – I played football a couple of years after that. Piano was a hobby for around 10 years, I took classes until I was 15 – but then I chose football because I wasn’t good at piano! Words | Josh de Kooker

Juan Mata [laughs]! No, there’s not really anyone I can be compared to. And I don’t want to be compared to someone else. I really like watching David Luiz. I saw him in the Champions League final in 2012 and liked the way he played. I haven’t met him yet, but I want to! What are your interests outside of football? Cooking and studying – which is English at the moment! I also like training myself,

FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO IMPROVE EVERY DAY AT TRAINING AND IN EVERY MATCH, AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS I WISH TO BE ABLE TO WIN TITLES

Sofia Jakobsson scored in the victory over Doncaster Rovers Belles

FIXTURES & RESULTS 2013 Date

Opposition

March

Sun 17 Lincoln Ladies (FAWC5)

A 0-1

April

Sun 14 Birmingham City Ladies H 1-1 Sat 20 Doncaster Rovers Belles A 4-0 Sun 28 Doncaster Rovers Belles (CC Group 2) A 1-1 May

Sun 5 Sun 12 Thu 16 Sun 19 Tue 28

Everton Ladies (CC Group 2) Liverpool Ladies Bristol Academy Liverpool Ladies (CC Group 2) Birmingham City Ladies

A H A H A

1-2 2-1 0-2 0-4 1-2

June

Thu 6 Arsenal Ladies (7.45pm) Sun 9 Everton Ladies

A 1-2 H 1-4

August

Sun 4 Sun 11 Sat 17 Thu 29

Doncaster Rovers Belles Lincoln Ladies Liverpool Ladies Arsenal Ladies (7.30pm)

H 4-0 A 0-2 A 3-4 H -

September

Sun 1 Everton Ladies Thu 5 Bristol Academy (7.30pm) Sun 29 Lincoln Ladies

A H H

Chelsea score shown first. Fixtures correct at time of going to press. All games kick-of at 2pm unless stated. Women’s Super League unless stated. CC - Continental Cup. FAWC - FA Women’s Cup. To catch up with the Ladies, watch Inside The Academy on Chelsea TV every Tuesday at 6.15pm.

APPEARANCES 2013 Aluko 14, Jakobsson 14, Buet 13+1, Holtham 13, Ward 11+3, Susi 11+2, Vidarsdottir 10+1, Ester 9+3, Gardarsdottir 9, K Davies 7, Ingle 7, Lynn 6, Telford 6, Bleazard 5+4, Blundell 4+2, Coombs 3+5, Spence 3+5, Ogimi 3, Rafferty 2+1, N Davies 2, Longhurst 1+7, Cole 1+1, Ayane 0+1, Brett 0+1, Fogarty 0+1, Muya 0+1.

Ester battles away during a close contest with Liverpool Ladies

Blues impress in four-goal victory Chelsea Ladies returned to FA Women’s Super League action with a bang, firing four goals past Doncaster Rovers Belles in a dominant display at Wheatsheaf Park. The Blues were irresistible in their first game back after the summer break, as a brace from Eniola Aluko, who was at her electrifying best, and further strikes from Helen Ward and Sofia Jakobsson saw off Donny. “We’ve got a competitive squad now that can push on – not just for the end of the season, but to challenge for the WSL title in the future,” said boss Emma Hayes. “We have a playing style that’s very clear; we want to possess the ball and have a lot of rotation and good movement.” Key to that is new signing Yuki Ogimi, who impressed on her debut against the Belles. “She’s been a breath of fresh air and given everybody a massive lift,” said assistant manager Paul Green. “She’s, technically, the most gifted player I’ve ever worked with and everybody else is trying to aspire to get to her level.

“She’s going to be a fantastic addition for the club and the team; she’s already had a big impact and I’m sure she will continue to do so.” The Doncaster game also saw three graduates from our Centre of Excellence put in impressive displays, and Hayes is predicting a bright future for them. “Hannah Blundell coming in at right-back has worked for us because she’s a gem of a player,” she said. “Rosella Ayane and Jodie Brett came off the bench and they have both stepped up from the Centre of Excellence to the first-team squad during the summer break. “We’re really excited about them and the second half of the season is giving us an opportunity to integrate some youngsters into the squad so they can feel the benefit of that going into next year’s campaign.” The away trips to Lincoln and Liverpool resulted in 2-0 and 4-3 defeats respectively, but there were plenty of positives to be taken from the latter game, which featured further goals for Aluko and Jakobsson.

GOALS 2013 Jakobsson 7, Aluko 6, Ward 3, Blundell 1, Vidarsdottir 1, own goal 1.

THE FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE 2013 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Team Pld Liverpool Ladies 9 Bristol Academy Women 8 Arsenal Ladies 7 Birmingham City Ladies 9 Chelsea Ladies 10 Everton Ladies 8 Lincoln Ladies 9 Doncaster Rovers Belles 6

W 7 6 5 3 3 2 1 0

D 0 0 1 3 1 2 3 2

L 2 2 1 3 6 4 5 4

GD +10 +7 +8 -4 -1 -5 -4 -11

Pts 21 18 16 12 10 8 6 2

THE FA WSL CONTINENTAL CUP 2013 – GROUP 2 1 2 3 4

Team Liverpool Ladies Everton Ladies Doncaster Rovers Belles Chelsea Ladies

Pld 3 3 3 3

Stats correct up to and including 18.08.13

W 2 2 0 0

D 1 1 1 1

L 0 0 2 2

GD +5 +3 -3 -5

Pts 7 7 1 1

Aluko’s loyalties tested during Bridge opener Eniola Aluko was a special guest at the men’s first game of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season – although she was cheering on an opposition player! Eni’s brother, Sone, was making his top-flight debut for Hull City at Stamford Bridge and put in a decent showing, although the Tigers fell to a 2-0 defeat. And he wasn’t the only Aluko on the pitch, as Eni enjoyed a half-time walk to greet the fans along with former Blues centre-back Michael Duberry. “Wow, what an amazing day for the family,” said Eni. “It was great watching the game with all of the passionate supporters and really nice to meet Michael, too.”

Eniola Aluko with Michael Duberry at half-time

@chelseaLFC chelseafc.com/ladies

Q A

HELEN WARD D

Who is your best friend in football? Aadesh! @aadeshcfc

Helen Ward

I think my best friends in the game go back to my days with Watford, where I grew up and spent the longest amount of time. That includes Marie Hourihan, who has just signed for Chelsea, and a girl called Sally Wade, who is a massive fan of the Blues so she’ll love getting her name in the magazine! It’s been great being back with Marie as I’ve known her since I was about 15 and she lives near me as well so I’ve got a travelling buddy for my long trip around the M25 from Watford. Who would you like to play you in a movie? StephH @WomensFootieFan

I suppose someone like Jennifer Aniston. She’s funny, cool and attractive – she’ll do for me [laughs]!

Michael Owen

What has been the highlight of your career? Steven Magill @StevenMagill

Scoring in the FA Cup final against Birmingham last year is up there, but it would have meant even more had we won the game. It was a pretty good goal, too; I’m usually a two or three-yard tap-in player, so I was pleased with the way I brought it down, took the defender on and smashed it in. I saved my best for the cameras! I’d say that’s up there, and it probably would be No1 if it was the winning goal. But, when I look back on my career, I think making my Wales debut will be at the top. I scored, too, and that gave me the confidence that I could make it at that level. I qualify for Wales through my grandparents on my mum’s side – and they both represented Wales at different sports! My mum and dad both play sports, too, so it’s definitely a sporty family. My dad claims he was a good goalkeeper at school until Peter Shilton came and took his place! It’s a good claim to fame, though. But he went on to play rugby, hockey and cricket, and now he plays golf. He didn’t play any of them to a high level, but he tells me he could have done – if Shilton hadn’t taken his place! STAR QUESTION:

In n your opinion, what are the three most important things a striker needs to be successful at the highest level? Clodagh @ClodaD

Work hard for the team; have a bit of composure, both in the box and bringing others into play; and,

Jennifer Aniston

at the same time, be a little bit selfish. In a good way, of course [laughs]! If I could add a fourth, I’d say luck as well. I’m lucky to have players, for both club and country, who put it on a plate for me and make it difficult for me to miss! Who is your role model/idol? Adam @CarefreeAdam16

My role model was probably Michael Owen. He’s exactly the type of player I strive to be – pacey, likes to get in the box to score tap-ins and very composed in front of goal. This month’s star question wins a signed match-worn shirt by Helen Ward. Keep checking @ChelseaLFC to find out who will be taking part in next month’s Twitter Q&A and for your chance to win more great prizes.

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Behind the scenes Cobham visit a dream come true for brave youngsters In the first Community Day of the 2013/14 season, the Chelsea Foundation invited five seriously ill young fans to Cobham to meet their heroes. The regular events see the Foundation arrange a visit for a group of children and their carers to our training ground, starting the day by watching the Blues players being put through their paces by manager José Mourinho and his coaching staff. “It has been fabulous,” said Rad Novakovic, who was attending with his son Alexander. “The whole family supports Chelsea, and Alex loves Chelsea. Frank Lampard is his favourite player so he obviously wants to see him, but he also wants to see the other players as well. “It was lovely to come down, it’s a special day out for him. Chelsea have done a first-class job. It’s the first time we have been to Cobham and it’s been great. It really bonds everyone. There are other kids here who have been through – or are going through – a lot and it’s great to have been able to mix with them and their parents.” It wasn’t just watching the team in training that

FOUNDATION

made the young supporters’ days, though, as once they had finished on the pitch, the players made their way to the excited crowd to introduce themselves and have a chat with the fans. The visitors also took the opportunity to get autographs signed and have their photograph taken with their favourite Blues stars. Ian Hanson, who accompanied his niece Mia Powell to Cobham, added: “It has been excellent and really well organised. It’s been great to meet the players and great to see Mia’s face – she is still beaming! “For these kids that have gone through so much, I think it is a really nice way for the club to say thank you to the fans. I have also been a Chelsea fan my whole life, so this has been a great day for me as well.”

Left, top: One of the young visitors to Cobham gets a picture with our Brazilian star Oscar; while José Mourinho obliges an autograph hunter by signing his Chelsea shirt

Gary Cahill greets a couple of visitors to Cobham as they enjoy a day out at the training complex

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CO NT

S T EN

ONE OF US

MY BLUE DAY Darren Gormley had a Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day to remember during a romantic trip to Prague

Formula One reporter Natalie Pinkham would love nothing more than to see her beloved Blues race away with the title

MONTH AHEAD

Europe back on the agenda as Blues get ready for an actionpacked September

ONE OF US Natalie Pinkham with F1 driver Mark Webber at Stamford Bridge

NATALIE PINKHAM Sky Sports F1 reporter Natalie Pinkham is used to life in the fast lane, but still gets a big rush from watching her beloved Blues race to victory. We caught up with Natalie to ask her about her time in the Chelsea TV studios as well as getting the inside track on F1’s biggest stars You’re familiar to most of us for your F1 work, but a few eager Chelsea TV viewers may remember how it all began for you. You used to present Blues News, didn’t you? Yes, it was in 2004 and it was the first presenting I’d ever done. Don’t you dare try to find the clip, I will die! I was just filling in while someone was on holiday. I think I then got a job elsewhere – or perhaps they just never wanted me back [laughs]! I’d love to come back, though. Perhaps I could do a guest slot for one day? I was here when José first came here so it’s only right I return now that he’s back… Were you happy to see him return? I was, but not as happy as Tim Lovejoy! I was on Sunday Brunch [Channel 4 show] recently, which gave me a chance to have a catch-up with him about all things Chelsea, and he was so excited about the

start of the season – particularly about the return of a certain someone as manager… I don’t think I’ve ever seen, in any sport, such a positive response to a manager returning. I haven’t met a Chelsea fan who isn’t happy about it and the reception he received on the opening day was unbelievable. He deserves it and it’s great for the club and the fans. You spend a fair bit of time around F1 drivers for your job. Are any of them big football fans? There are a few who enjoy their football and other sports – Daniel Ricciardo loves his UFC, for example. Have you ever watched it? It’s brutal! We actually brought Mark Webber along to Stamford Bridge to do an interview because he loves his football, although he’s a Man United fan so we won’t talk about him too much!

Are any of them Chelsea supporters? I don’t think so, and I have kept my ear to the ground. The main Chelsea fan in F1 is Eddie Jordan. I’ll ask him if he wants to follow me in the club magazine – maybe I can show him a copy of this interview and gloat about it! The thing is, with all of his private jets and whatever, Eddie can just come and go to matches as he pleases, whereas I always seem to miss the games! That’s the thing with this job – you’re never, ever in the country. We know you are supposed to remain impartial in your job, but be honest with us – Sauber, with their links to Chelsea, are your team, aren’t they? Obviously [laughs]! I love their association with Chelsea. Anything that can combine sports is brilliant so to actually make that link, and bring a huge name like Chelsea into the paddock and pit lane, is really

THE MAIN CHELSEA FAN IN F1 IS EDDIE JORDAN… WITH ALL OF HIS PRIVATE JETS AND WHATEVER, EDDIE CAN JUST COME AND GO TO MATCHES AS HE PLEASES, WHEREAS I ALWAYS SEEM TO MISS THE GAMES!

positive. I love the way they’ve thought outside the box a little bit. And, of course, the technology in F1 can be relevant to a football club, too. It’s just a question of pushing the boundaries a little bit; the only limitation is your own imagination. When you last spoke to us, you revealed an obsession with goalkeepers. Is that still the case?

F1 stalwart and Blues fan Eddie Jordan

Interviewing Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo

Yeah, definitely. When it came to choosing my fantasy football team, Petr Cech was the first name on the teamsheet. I didn’t care that he was the most expensive keeper – I blew a fair chunk of my budget on him – I just had to pick him. Mind you, I also picked Juan Mata as my captain. He actually lives in my building. When I say my building, I don’t actually own it; we just live in the same one. I see him wandering about and I know his agent, who told me to invite him up for a drink – and, in fact, he’s told Juan that I’m going to! It’s all slightly odd, but perhaps I can make him a cup of tea and suggest he comes to watch a race. You’re right – that is slightly odd. But at least you’ve got fantasy football as a starting point...

Juan Mata is a neighbour of Natalie’s

When Sky Sports asked if any of the team wanted to enter their Fantasy Football League, myself and Crofty [David Croft, fellow presenter] were the only two who wanted to do it. Our team is even called “Football Matas”. So Juan

needs to deliver for me this season! Crofty is a massive football fan – he’s obsessed with West Ham United. He loves it and has taken Martin Brundle to a few matches so I’ve missed the boat there. Oh, and Johnny Herbert is a Chelsea fan. Other than that, the rest of the guys aren’t particularly interested. You spent a bit of time in America following LA Galaxy when David Beckham first went there. Have you seen who their latest big-name signing is? Go on. [Carlo Cudicini] Oh yes, I did know that! Carlo is the best looking man in football, isn’t he? Even ahead of David Beckham. I actually went to Cudicini’s unveiling at Chelsea. I was a student doing work experience for Sky and I was at the back, while loads of people were shouting and asking questions. It didn’t put me off – and it sort of prepared me for F1, although it’s one hundred times worse. The scrum… oh! You have to remain calm while some bloke puts his sweaty armpit in your face. And we follow the sun in F1, so it’s always ridiculously hot. Although you get the benefit of a year-round sun tan, albeit a bit of a builder’s tan. But it comes at the cost of an occasional sweaty armpit in the face!

Former keeper Carlo Cudicini is one of Natalie’s favourite Blues players of all time

FIVE MINUTE WALK FROM FULHAM BROADWAY

LITTLE ROY THURSDAY 19th SEPTEMBER

ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD WEDNESDAY 25th SEPTEMBER

LULU FRIDAY 4th OCTOBER

SOLD OUT

IMAGINATION featuring LEEE JOHN WEDNESDAY 23rd OCTOBER

GRANDMOTHERS OF INVENTION WEDNESDAY 6th NOVEMBER

NEVILLE STAPLE (OF THE SPECIALS) FRIDAY 8TH NOVEMBER

MACEO PARKER FRIDAY 15TH + SATURDAY 16TH NOVEMBER

STAMFORD BRIDGE

FULHAM ROAD

SW6 1HS

one of us i love drogba. i remember hosting a charity dinner for him and being really touched by how much of an effort he made… he does a hell of a lot for charity and for his country

firsts... game I can’t actually remember my first Chelsea game, but the first match I went to was Coventry versus Liverpool. I don’t even know why I was there, but I was completely intimidated by the fans! I also remember taking my dad to Man United against Real Madrid, which many people say was the game that got Roman Abramovich into football. It was epic!

hero Well, I think it’s got to be Cudicini. I was at his press conference and, as you know, I do love goalkeepers. And he was brilliant. I loved Gianfranco Zola as well – what a player and with such a lovely way about him.

favourites... player Well, I guess this settles my first hero because now I can go with Zola for this one! With Cech a close second, of course.

memory It’s got to be winning the Champions League. We went along to the victory parade the next day and had our friends’ kids on our shoulders, throwing celery!

goal Keeping with my last answer, let’s go for Didier Drogba’s equaliser and then the winning penalty. I love Drogba (below) and I know he got a lot of stick from opposition fans, but I remember hosting a charity dinner for him and being really touched by how much of an effort he made. He went to speak to, and thank, every single person who was there that night. I love him, as both a player and a person! He does a hell of a lot for charity and for his country.

either/or...

Blues legend Gianfranco Zola

silverstone or stamford bridge? Oh, don’t make me do it! If it was for work, I’d definitely go for Stamford Bridge because Silverstone is hard work. But as an F1 fan, there is nothing that compares to your home race – it’s for the whole of Great Britain, not just one club. Silverstone is just amazing – there’s something like 300,000 visitors on a race weekend. What a horrible choice you’ve given me…

Zola budd or gianfranco Zola?

Another famous sporting Zola… runner Zola Budd

Wow, you’ve not been very kind with these, have you? Zola Budd shaped my childhood because she ran without shoes and inspired me to be a runner. But I didn’t reach the dizzy heights that she did, so I’m going to say Gianfranco Zola!

Interview | Richard Godden

Players on the victory parade bus following our European triumph

MY BLUE DAY , c trip to Prague ti n a m ro a g n ri ’s Du yed a Valentine jo n e y le rm o G Darren nd with his girlfrie n o ti ra b le e c y Da 3 ague, 14.2.201 UEFA Europa Le 52 ,9 18 t: Stadion Letna, At

0 Sparta Prague Chelsea 1 Oscar

a, (4-3-3): ednar 84), Vach bs; Husbauer (B Sparta Prague 81) ejdik, Holek, Hy cny, Sv ejci (Pamic Vaclik; Zapoto weuke 75), Kr dlec, Lafata (K Ka ; (c) ky vs ejo Mat Lampard (c); -1): Chelsea (4-2-3 hill, Ivanovic, Bertrand; Ramires, Ca , s ta n 67); Torre Cech; Azpilicue arin (Benayou (Oscar 81), M Hazard, Mata

antic went on a rom I d an r ea B ie at Day 2013. I My girlfriend K for Valentine’s e u g ra P to ip e, at least by four-day tr was fully awar ie at K at th u ing we can assure yo later that even at th y, ar ru b osed Fe n Letna as opp midday on 14 io ad St ld o -c g freezin stle. would be at a rlooking the ca ve o l ea m e ic n like a to enjoying a ching Chelsea, at w e am g n ea d Viktoria My first Europ when we playe as w , n io at er en p in 1994. lot of my g p Winners’ Cu u C n ea p ro Eu , when Zizkov in the r an early goal te af -2 4 tie e om earance in with We won the h the keeper’s cl d te ec efl d g n box at the Paul Furlo of the penalty e g ed e th m o goal his backside fr I saw that first . d en d an St g in Matthew Hard : “It was his former club to g in d to rn tu re essing room an • Petr Cech on to the other dr l in al r go be to e em m m r pitch. I re strange fo her side of the and the ot ck e th ba be on to up warm was nice played here. It the games I’ve as great.” atmosphere w an tion to Europe d his introduc ye jo ing it en ak y m nl ue ai rt ag • Oscar ce t Sparta Pr ns ai ag r ne in w ga the inental mes football, with first eight cont ’s er ld fie id m e six goals in th e Atlantic. this side of th tna was the Stadion Le arta Prague at Sp though er al , ov ue in ag w Europa Le • The 1-0 e th in ch at m -ever EFA Cup, on Chelsea’s first ecessor, the U ed pr its in d te we had compe occasions. us io ev pr e re th

MY PHOTO ALBUM

Darren Gormley

Stand upper dle of the East id m e th in s ep from the st had to with my dad. rst time, I just fi e th r fo e u g if we So, while in Pra memory, even ’s ad d y m in round in 1994, visit Zizkov’s g leg there back ay aw e th y la p didn’t actually tions. the t UEFA’s regula kept behind so as it didn’t mee e er w e w e, gam as warming After the Sparta . John Terry w se er p is d ld fans u home fans co ns a little. Most fa e th ith w ed ract t there were down and inte by the exit, bu g n o -s g n si a g his exercise were havin ur seats. After o in ill st s u f o ple of about a dozen them to a cou e av g d an s p o to he took off tw s. n fa airs with very lucky made to the st e w e d si in t en When JT w edged closer. e to be let out tim e islav th as s er the oth ecially for Bran p es , g in g n si t more ng the road There was a lo r latest step alo u o g tin ra b le Ivanovic and ce . I had to fulfil to Amsterdam leave Prague, to e tim as w ame. A Before it ay before the g d e th e ad m g in a a promise I’d ho was workin w , n fa a se el h C pions scarf Slovakian-born European cham y m y u b to d mised to bar, wante of money. I pro t lo a e m g in wear and kept offer ill needed it to st I – e am g e r th me – come back afte ther one with o an e av h ’t n I did ple of beers in the stands, as ange for a cou ch ex in im h and gave it to instead.

MESSAGE BOARD Where fans show the Chelsea colours, wherever they may be

s Graeme Reeve Graeme Reeves certainly showed his commitment to following the Blues this summer. Eager to get his fix of football and unable to wait until the start of the 2013/14 season, Graeme and his mother Gill travelled all the way across the Atlantic to see our Under-21s in action on their pre-season trip to the USA. The Kent Blues supporters’ club members arrived in the States to see Chelsea take on Philadelphia Union at PPL Park, with Alex Kiwomya getting our goal in a 1-1 draw. As well as enjoying the action and getting a look at the Blues of the future, Graeme also got some great photos with the players and staff, including this one alongside the Kent Blues’ tour flag.

Daryll Hawes Happy 21st birthday to Daryll Hawes. The seasonticket holder is a constant inspiration to his friends and family, especially parents Colin and Lisa, for repeatedly proving anyone wrong who tells him his disability will prevent him from doing something. Despite being told at a young age that he would never walk or talk, Daryll defied expectations to do both and recently returned from a football tour of the USA, where he played matches in New York, New Jersey and Boston.

Reggie Brockwell Our Here to Play, Here to Stay tour of Asia gave Chelsea fans in the Far East a great chance to see their favourite stars in action as we visited Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. However, it wasn’t just the local supporters who were enjoying the football on show, as Reggie Brockwell took the opportunity to combine a holiday in Bangkok with seeing his beloved Blues in a faraway location. After enjoying the city’s sights, Reggie arrived at ats: gresee eepingto Goalk the Rajamangala Stadium Chelsea take on the and fellow ti net Bo Singha All-Stars in the Singha 80th er Anniversary Cup. opp land shot-st The perfect tripEng ended on a high thanks to Romelu Gordon Banks Lukaku’s goal, securing a 1-0 victory for the Blues along with the first trophy of 2013/14.

Theo Oulton and James Ware Chelsea supporters Theo Oulton and James Ware both study at Oxford University but travel to Stamford Bridge for every home game as seasonticket holders in the East Stand and Matthew Harding Stand respectively. After watching Chelsea’s victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou en route to winning the 2011/12 Champions League, the two fans decided to celebrate by redecorating the famous 500-year-old statue in their university’s pond. His new look certainly seems to suit him, although some of the visiting tourists did seem a little surprised.

Terry Whiting h a passionate With Terry Whiting being suc hbour was in no neig ndly frie his ter, Chelsea suppor n making the cake doubt which theme to go for whe y. to celebrate his 60th birthda was a big hit As you would expect, the design h, Devon. The out Plym ve nati y’s Terr at the party in er, though, wid n birthday boy’s grin soon got eve watching his be n soo ld when he found out he wou Lampard, k Fran and y Terr n favourite players Joh action at Stamford along with their team-mates, in match tickets and a Bridge, as his family gave him stadium tour as a present.

zeani Benjamin E We all know about the famous celebrations that went on long into the night in Munich and London after Chelsea lifted the Champions League trophy for the first time in 2012. But it wasn’t just at home and at the scene of our victory that the sound of joyous Blues fans could be heard, as this photograph shows. The city of Lagos in Nigeria was also buzzing with the news that Chelsea, and Super Eagles star John Mikel Obi, had claimed the continent’s top piece of silverware, prompting Benjamin Ezeani and his fellow Blues to take to the streets to start the party.

WANT TO APPEAR ON THESE PAGES? Email your Blue Day or Message Board entries, complete with pictures, to cfc.magazine@trinitymirror.com or post them to: Chelsea magazine, Third Floor, Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS

LEGENDS TOUR WITH KERRY DIXON

SAT 5TH OCTOBER

TICKETS ÂŁ60 Get behind the scenes with Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon, including the changing room, press room, tunnel and dug-outs.Your tour includes an audio guide, guide book and free photos with the Champions league and Europa League trophies, as well as opportunities to grab autographs and ask questions!

To book your tickets call 0871 984 1955 or email tours@chelseafc.com

CHELSEA QUIZ 5 CLUB CALL

Whose career took in spells with these clubs in this order:

Ajax

Chelsea

Birmingham

Rennes

Wigan Athletic

1 NAME GAME

Umm Salal

Can you name the Chelsea players in this picture?

2 MADE TO ORDER Put these midfielders in order of most Premier League appearances for Chelsea: Frank Lampard Arjen Robben Damien Duff Dennis Wise Claude Makelele

1 2 3

6 COUNTRY FILE 3 WHO AM I? I began my career at Plateau United before moving to Anderlecht, where I became the youngest-ever player to feature in the Champions League. I joined Chelsea in 1997. During my time at the Bridge I played over 200 times in seven years and won the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 2000. I was well known for my acrobatic goal celebrations. I left the Blues in 2005 to join Newcastle United, but at the end of an injury-prone stay, I moved to LA Galaxy to rejoin old Blues’ manager Ruud Gullit. However, I didn’t play a competitive game and announced my retirement in 2010, aged just 31.

Can you name the three Brazillians who have won Chelsea’s Goal of the Year award?

1 2 3

7 CONNECTION What did these four Blues each achieve on the international stage:

Ron Brebner, Albert Ferrer, Geremi, Dmitri Kharine

4 COMMON GROUND

What links Pierluigi Casiraghi and Juan Sebastian Veron?

8 NAME AND NUMBER Which two No10s have scored in an FA Cup final for Chelsea?

1 2 Answers on page 82

MONTH AHEAD FIXTURES & RESULTS 2013/14 Date Opposition August Sun 18 Hull City Wed 21 Aston Villa Mon 26 Manchester United Fri 30 Bayern Munich (UEFA Super Cup, 7.45pm) September Sat 14 Everton (5.30pm) Sky 17/18 UCL Group stage, matchday one Sat 21 Fulham (5.30pm) Sky 24/25 Capital One Cup third round Sat 28 Tottenham Hotspur (12.45pm) BT October 1/2 UCL Group stage, matchday two Sun 6 Norwich City (1.30pm) Sky Sat 19 Cardiff City 22/23 UCL Group stage, matchday three Sun 27 Manchester City (1.30pm) Sky 29/30 Capital One Cup fourth round November Sat 2 Newcastle United (12.45pm) BT 5/6 UCL Group stage, matchday four Sat 9 West Bromwich Albion Sun 24 West Ham United (1.30pm) Sky 26/27 UCL Group stage, matchday five December Sun 1 Southampton (4pm) Sky Wed 4 Sunderland (7.45pm) Sat 7 Stoke City 10/11 UCL Group stage, matchday six Sat 14 Crystal Palace 17/18 Capital One Cup quarter-final Sat 21 Arsenal Thu 26 Swansea City Sat 28 Liverpool January Wed 1 Southampton 4/5 FA Cup third round 7/8 Capital One Cup semi-final, first leg Sat 11 Hull City Sat 18 Manchester United 21/22 Capital One Cup semi-final, second leg 25/26 FA Cup fourth round Wed 29 West Ham United (7.45pm) February Sat 1 Manchester City Sat 8 Newcastle United Tue 11 West Bromwich Albion (7.45pm) 15/16 FA Cup fifth round 18/19 UCL round of 16, first leg Sat 22 Everton 25/26 UCL round of 16, first leg March Sat 1 Fulham Sun 2 Capital One Cup final Sat 8 Tottenham Hotspur 8/9 FA Cup quarter-final 11/12 UCL round of 16, second leg Sat 15 Aston Villa 18/19 UCL round of 16, second leg Sat 22 Arsenal Sat 29 Crystal Palace April 1/2 UCL quarter-final, first leg Sat 5 Stoke City 8/9 UCL quarter-final, second leg Sat 12 Swansea City 12/13 FA Cup semi-final Sat 19 Sunderland 22/23 UCL semi-final, first leg Sat 26 Liverpool 29/30 UCL semi-final, second leg May Sat 3 Norwich City Sun 11 Cardiff City (4pm) Sat 17 FA Cup final Sat 24 UCL final

Result H H A N

2-0 2-1 0-0 -

A H A

A H H -

A H A -

H A A H A H H

A A H H

A H A H -

A N H A H A

H A N H A -

H A N N

Fixtures correct at time of going to press and are subject to change. All games kick-off at 3pm unless stated. Chelsea score shown first. N - Neutral venue.

ON THE PITCH 14 SEPTEMBER | EVERTON (A) | PREMIER LEAGUE We were the only side to record a Premier League victory at the home of the Toffees in 2012/13

Tune in at 2pm for our first Wherever They May Be of the 2013/14 campaign. Jason Cundy will be joined by Tommy Langley and a man who knows a thing or two about both Chelsea and Everton, Graham Stuart. After an hour of build-up, our trio of Blues legends will talk you through all the action from Goodison.

17/18 SEPTEMBER | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHDAY ONE Memories of Munich will come flooding back when the famous anthem reverberates around Stamford Bridge for the first time this season.

As with all first-team matches, you will be able to watch a full re-run of our opening Champions League match of the 2013/14 campaign just a few hours after the final whistle has blown. The first repeat is screened at midnight, and you can catch the whole game again at 10am, 3pm and 8pm the following day.

21 SEPTEMBER | FULHAM (H) | PREMIER LEAGUE The Blues are defending a long unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge against the Cottagers; their last victory here was back in 1979.

Our first London derby of the season sees Fulham making the short trip to the home of the Blues. Prematch at the Bridge goes on-air at 2.30pm, there will be full commentary on the game and you can have your say on Extra-time at the Bridge, by calling the studio or tweeting your thoughts using #chelseatv.

24/25 SEPTEMBER | CAPITAL ONE CUP THIRD ROUND Chelsea will be bidding to win the League Cup for the first time since 2007 when we begin our campaign at the third-round stage of the competition.

Although the draw was still to be made at the time of going to press, whether we’re playing at home or away, Matchnight Live will keep you fully abreast of all the action from our first Capital One Cup tie of the campaign. Join Gigi Salmon joins Pat Nevin for all the build-up and post-match reaction.

28 SEPTEMBER | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (A) | PREMIER LEAGUE Juan Mata’s brace inspired us to a 4-2 victory at White Hart Lane last season, a game which also featured a stunning volley from Gary Cahill.

In the days leading up to our visit to White Hart Lane, you can relive some classic matches from the past against Spurs. The day before the game, watch José Mourinho’s press conference live online, then on television at 5pm, followed by regular repeats.

6 OCTOBER | NORWICH CITY (A) | PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea just about have the edge in the all-time head-to-head record between the sides in league football, leading by 13 wins to 12. There have also been 11 draws.

We’ll have live coverage of the Under-21s’ game against Manchester City from 11am. Then, at 1pm, tune in to Wherever They May Be for build-up to the first-team encounter at Carrow Road. Post-match reaction will be live from 3.30pm and, on Monday at 6.30pm, Weekend Review looks back on all the action.

@chelseafc chelseafc.com

OFF THE PITCH 19 SEPTEMBER | 1963 REUNION DINNER To celebrate 50 years since Chelsea returned to the First Division under Tommy Docherty, we are holding a dinner at Stamford Bridge which will be attended by the man himself and some of the club’s greatest-ever players. Tickets, which cost £45, also include a drinks reception, two-course sit-down dinner and three drinks vouchers. Visit www.chelseafc.com/specialevents to book your ticket or phone 0871 984 1955. If you’ve not checked out our feature on the triumphant 1962/63 season yet, turn to page 39 of this edition for the full lowdown on a memorable campaign.

Tommy Docherty

5 OCTOBER | KERRY DIXON LEGEND TOUR Former striker Kerry Dixon will be the latest Chelsea hero to take part in a Legend Tour when he guides supporters around Stamford Bridge on Saturday 5 October. Dixon remains the Blues’ third-highest scorer of all time with 193 goals in 420 appearances over the course of his nine-year Chelsea career. Fans will have the opportunity to get autographs and photos with both Dixon and our Champions League and Europa League trophies. The tour begins at 10.30am with tickets, including a signed picture of Dixon, available to buy for £60 by emailing tours@chelseafc.com or calling 0871 984 1955.

It’s a busy month ahead, with four unmissable acts heading to Stamford Bridge’s music venue, including Lulu’s first headline show in London for over a decade! Kicking things off on Thursday 12 September is Delilah, who is taking part in the latest of Mastercard’s series of Priceless Gigs, and then a week later Little Roy brings his album of Nirvana covers with a reggae twist to the stage. On Wednesday 25 September we open our doors to the Royal Southern Brotherhood, who are dragging their thrilling new brand of blues-rock and white-hot musicianship from the Southern States onto the world stage. But we’ve saved the best until last, as Lulu heads for west London on Friday 4 October to give you a unique opportunity to witness one of our greatest singers performing a selection of the most enduring songs of all time. This exclusive, one-off show is not to be missed!

Lulu

Little Roy

Check out Chelsea TV on 4 September for a special show marking 30 years of Kerry’s association with the Blues.

ALSO AL ON

IN SEPTEMBER

Pat Nevin will be extremely busy on Chelsea TV for all our midweek games, offering a complete viewing experience around the match. Not only will he provide insight on Matchnight Live before and after the game as well as providing live commentary once the action is under way, this season sees the introduction of his brand new analysis show. The morning after the night before, Pat will dissect the match and give an in-depth breakdown of the key moments – available exclusively online at www.chelseafc.com/chelseatv – this is a must watch.

BLUES BIRTHDAYS OSCAR 09/09/91 (22)

All Chelsea TV Sky subscribers receive free online access.

SEB COE

Lifelong Blues fan and Chairman of the British Olympic Association

@chelseafc chelseafc.com

Great to see the side full of grit and goals I am writing this month’s column shortly after our third Premier League game of the season saw us leave Old Trafford with a point. I watched the game from a sports café on holiday in Italy and I thought we put in a thoroughly professional performance. After back-to-back wins against Hull and Aston Villa, I had a feeling we would not lose against Manchester United – and to go there and hold them to a goalless draw is not to be sniffed at. You have to be solid at the back if you are going to compete for the title and we defended magnificently. I always think that the first few games are really insightful as to how the season could go and I feel the first three matches of this campaign outlined the different characteristics we can expect from the team this term. Unfortunately, owing to a combination of work commitments and a family holiday, I was unable to get along to the Bridge for either of our opening two matches. However, I was flying directly over Stamford Bridge with about 10 minutes to go of the Hull game, returning from the World Athletics Championships in Russia. The flight attendant must have caught me gazing out of the window when he told me he knew where I’d rather be! I watched the highlights of the game later that night and I think our performance was best summed up by the manager, who said he could hardly recall a Chelsea side he had

Marco van Ginkel has had a promising start to the season

ever coached playing as well as we did in the first 30 minutes of that game. The speed of passing and our movement both on and off the ball was breathtaking. I did watch the Aston Villa game live at the start of my family holiday and that was another positive performance, from a different point of view. I genuinely feel that Villa have the potential to be the most

improved team in the Premier League this season and we had to show some real grit to get all three points. So, we had the tantalisingly good football from the first half of the Hull game, combined with the ability to grind out a result against Aston Villa. Then, to hold United to a draw on their own turf – and let’s not forget it was David Moyes’ first home game in charge – resulted in a very productive start to the season for us. It was also good to see some of our new players in action as well as those who have returned from loan spells. Andre Schurrle is clearly a versatile player who will give us plenty of options and Kevin De Bruyne has been effective in midfield following a successful year in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen. The guy who gave me as much pleasure to watch as anybody else was Marco van Ginkel. He may only have come on as a late substitute in our opening two fixtures, but he looks very promising indeed. We certainly have a strong squad this term and I can’t wait to get back to the Bridge this month to cheer the team on.

IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT MEDALS TO OUR CHAMPIONS The World Athletics Championships took place in Russia last month and I’d like to take this opportunity to offer special congratulations to Christine Ohuruogu and Mo Farah, pictured right, after their golds. I got to present Mo with his medal following the 5,000 metres, which keeps up my good run of form when it comes to choosing awards ceremonies. At the start of championships, I am given the opportunity to select which event I will give medals out for and I always look for one where I think there’s a

good chance I’ll be handing a medal to a British winner. Going back to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, I presented gold to Kelly Holmes for both the 800 and 1,500 metres. I chose Christine for the 400 metres in Beijing in 2008; Jess Ennis in the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and again last year in the London Olympics. Before these championships, I sensed Mo would win the 10,000 metres, which came first, and I was keen to present him with his second gold of the championships. Some

might think it wasn’t the bravest punt in the world, given the form he has been in, but it was still great to be able to congratulate him on the podium. We actually had our most successful World Championships since 1993 in Stuttgart, winning the same number of golds and nearly getting as many athletes through to finals as we did 20 years ago. We also got tantalisingly close with lots of fourth and fifth places, so the challenge over the next three years on the road to Rio will be to convert some of those into podium places.

If you have got a question for Seb or would like him to discuss something in his column, email cfc.magazine@trinitymirror.com

ANSWERS

1. From left to right: Mike Fillery, Lee Frost, Clive Walker and Ian Britton. Picture taken in November 1979 after a 7-3 win at Leyton Orient in which Frost netted a hat-trick, 2. Frank Lampard (403), Dennis Wise (261), Claude Makelele (144), Damien Duff (81), Arjen Robben (67), 3. Celestine Babayaro, 4. Both former Blues played for Lazio, 5. Mario Melchiot, 6. Juliano Belletti (2008), Ramires (2011 & 12) and Oscar (2013), 7. Won Olympic gold medals, 8. Bobby Tambling (1967) and Ian Hutchinson (1970)

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OCTOBER ISSUE 110

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