YEARS 1993 - 1994
THE PREMIERSHIP
MARK WORRALL
WORDS BY
For Chelsea supporters of a that would eventually lead to Mr
Abramovich-era represent
certain age, the trophy-laden Bates, the latter
fell foul of old Capt
, in January 1993,
ain Birdseye
Abramovich buying Chelsea Football
time. Every time John goes up to lif
s payback gained the dubious distinction of Club from Mr Bates.
the this-that-or-other cup, opposing
t being the first manager to be sacked
fans jealously enquire where we
by a Premier League Club.
were when we were not quite as
The Blues had been tipped to do son at S
Secondly
good as we are today … though less
well during the inaugural season of no-one knew it at the time, would be
tamford Bridge, though sadly
, the final game of the sea-
politely. It makes me smile.
the new competition, but by the end
of the Christmas period they were
the last played in front of the old
Shed End.
During my formative years as a
hovering above the relegation
places. Enough was enough for The appointment of Hoddle as play
the crumbling old Shed
Blues supporter, I’d take my place on Bates. Former Southend United er-manager was a welcome shot-in-
-
look on in angst as Chelsea huf
Terrace and manager the-arm for Blues fans tired of the
and puffed and toiled in vain to
fed David W
, Stamford Bridge legend
achieve any modicum of success, a
t
ebb, who was selling moun-
Out went 4-4-2 and in came the mid
inflexibility of Chelsea’s style of play.
mediocre Second Division side with
with the t
ain bikes at the time, was entrusted
field diamond.
-
as many problems off the field as on it.
top-flight st
ask of preserving Chelsea’
atus something he duly
s
did and, as the season drew to a
the squad that Hoddle had inherited
The only trouble was
wasn’t exactly geared up for playing
Relegation to the old
close, many Blues fans scratched the enterprising ‘sexy’
had been on the agenda, but the
Third Division their heads in wonderment at what his heart set on … that would come
football he had
unlikely combination of an out
might lie ahead. slightly later with the signing of Ruud
Chairman in Ken Bates, and a mild-
spoken Gullit.
mannered manager in Johnny Neal,
The answer was Glenn Hoddle and,
turned the Clubs fortunes around.
as it transpired, 1993/94 was to be a
defining season in the history of
Chelsea began the season with a
home fixture against nouveau-riche
In 1984, af
Chelsea Football Club. Blackburn Rovers, t
years, Chelsea returned to the top
ter an absence of five in a brand new Umbro strip that bore
aking to the field
flight … but not for long. In 1988, the happened on the field of play; the
Why? You might ask. Nothing magical computer comp
Blues dropped through the First
Division trapdoor and whilst the
Blues once more flirted maddeningly
Amiga logo which would feature on
any Commodore's
record-breaking season that followed
with relegation before finishing an
the club's shirt
culminated in the Club winning the
underwhelming 14th and, though the
1995. Significantly
s from 1993 until
Second Division title, there was, in
pilgrimage from S
season when squad numbers were
, this was the first
truth, very little to cheer about as
Wembley in the F
tamford Bridge to introduced and Glenn Hoddle came
Chairman Bates continued his battle
one, the final itself was desperately
A Cup was a sweet in at number 20.
to save the Bridge.
disappointing with Chelsea swept
away by a ramp
A
1989/90, back in the big time, the
United side on their way to a league
ant Manchester souls convened at the Bridge to see
crowd of over 29,000 expectant
Blues finished a credit
and cup double.
what the maestro could muster from
his
several
able 5th. But or so, they watched enraptured as a
troops and, for the first 20 minutes
beckoned. Managers came andwent.
seasons of mid-table mediocrity
Hollins, Campbell and Porterfield all
Firstly
The answer comes in two parts. delight
itself set of
, the appointment of Hoddle
f a chain reaction ofevents
ball ensued. New signing Gavin
ful display of possession foot-
Peacock and Dennis Wise instantly
Issue 2 - September 2009 - Page 4 - www.CFCnet.co.uk
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