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Chelsea FA Final Cup Songs

Although the practise now seems to have ended, teams that reached major cup finals (mostly the FA Cup) used to release a song to mark the occasion. These songs were mostly cheesy pop songs which often featured the vocals of the first team squad and a video of them recording it.

Chelsea may have only reached four major finals between 1960 and 2000 but we had a fine record with our songs.

Two of our most famous songs ‘Blue is the Colour and ‘Blue Day’ were recorded and released in the run up to major finals and feature vocals from the teams of the era, today we are going to look at our Final songs.

Blue is The Colour (1972)

‘Blue is the colour’ was our song for the League Cup Final in 1972 and reached number 5 in the UK charts and became a club anthem.

Blue Day (1997)

Whilst ‘Blue Day’ sung by Chelsea fan Suggs and the players for the FA Cup Final in 1997 signified an era of hope amongst fans but could only reach number 22 in the charts.

No One Can Stop Us Now (1994)

These songs are popular still today, however you are unlikely to hear the 1994 song ‘No One Can Stop Us Now’ as it was naff and didn’t really catch on with the fans despite reaching number 23 in the UK charts.

I am proud of our songs (even our 1994 effort) and think its sad the tradition has died out, who knows maybe we can revive it this year?

Brief History of Chelsea FC – 1915 FA Cup Final

When you think of Chelsea and the FA Cup there has been plenty of success we are the holders and have not been beaten in the competition since March 2008.

However with all the success we have had in recent and not so recent times Chelsea have always enjoyed pain free FA Cup final experiences.
The first FA Cup final I went to was a bittersweet experience, having seen Chelsea defy the critics and get to the FA Cup final for the first time since 1970 courtesy of some inspired form from the likes of Gavin Peacock and Mark Stein only to lose 4-0 against Manchester United.

However to recount Chelsea’s first FA Cup final heartbreak you have to go back to the early stages of World War I and the 1914/1915 FA Cup final which proved to be the last before competitive football was disbanded due to the war.

On the way to the Final Chelsea defeated Swindon, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Everton but despite beating strong opponents entered the game as underdogs given a poor league performance that season.

The Chelsea team that day featured no substitutes and no players that would stand out to all but the most passionate Chelsea historian. It was a team that comprised of eight Englishmen and three Scots including Jack Harrow and Bobby McNeil who have the distinction of making over 300 appearances for the Blues.

One of the stories of the Chelsea build up however was the role of England international Vivian Woodward who had enlisted in the Army and had played few games but was given special leave to play in the place of an injured Bob Thomson.

However before the game Thomson recovered but Woodward insisted that Thompson should play as he had earned the right as Woodward had not played in any of the previous rounds. This meant that in the days before substitutes Woodward was consigned to be a spectator.

Chelsea’s opponents that day were Sheffield United but the location was Old Trafford and not a London venue to ensure that movement around wartime London was not disrupted. With the country on a war footing the final was dubbed the ‘Khaki Cup Final’ due to the number of servicemen watching in uniform.

The game itself was a tight affair with the final score (3-0) not reflecting the closeness of the match however two late United goals means that the history books show a decisive final victory for Sheffield United and that Chelsea’s first FA Cup final ended in agony.

Unfortunately it is unlikely that anyone in attendance that day is alive today and it would take over half a century for the Blues to repeat this feat.  However as those who have been around the block a few times will remember that day was worth the wait.

Chelsea FC A Brief History – 1994 FA Cup Run

In 1994 Chelsea reached the FA Cup final for the first time in twenty four years as Glen Hoddle led Chelsea all the way to Wembley.

This was a cup run of old acquaintances as Glen Hoddle faced his brother Carl on the field in 1993 and Chelsea were forced to see off Blue’s legend Kerry Dixon as he spearheaded the Luton line in the Semi-Finals.

This long overdue cup run developed as Chelsea overcame Barnet, Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford United, Wolves and Luton to reach the final of the competition for the first time since 1970.

Third Round

In the third round Chelsea were drawn away to lower league Barnet, however under police advice and the behest of the Underhill club the tie was switched to Stamford Bridge. When the first match ended 0-0 the replay was also played at Stamford Bridge in which Chelsea ran out easy winners.

Barnet  0 Chelsea 0  – Attendance 23,200 (Stamford Bridge)

Chelsea 4 Barnet 0 – Attendance 16,209

Scorers – Burley, Peacock, Stein, Shipperley

Fourth Round

Chelsea drew Sheffield Wednesday in the next round and after a 1-1 home draw Chelsea then went to Hillsborough and secured an excellent 3-1 victory secured with goals from Craig Burley, Gavin Peacock and John Spencer.

Chelsea 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1 – Attendance 26,094

Scorer – Peacock

Sheffield Wednesday 1 Chelsea 3 – 26,144

Scorers – Burley, Peacock, Spencer

Fifth Round

Chelsea again faced lower league opposition as they were drawn away at Oxford United, the home side took the lead with a goal from Joey Beauchamp however Chelsea rallied with the heroes of the fourth round John Spencer and Gavin Peacock clinching victory again.

Oxford United 1 Chelsea 2 – Attendance 10,787

Scorers – Burley, Spencer

Sixth Round

Chelsea faced another team from a lower division in the quarter finals as Chelsea took on Wolves at Stamford Bridge in the first televised game of Chelsea’s cup run.

It took a solitary Gavin Peacock goal to secure a trip to Wembley against Luton

Chelsea v Wolves – Attendance 29,340

Semi Finals

The semi finals were held at Wembley in a move that was as controversial then as it has been in recent years.

This was the author’s first trip to Wembley to watch Chelsea with around 30,000 Chelsea fans watching Chelsea try and secure their first FA Cup final in a generation.

The game itself was relatively comfortable with Gavin Peacock providing the goals to secure a two goal victory and end the dreams of surprise package Luton Town from the equivalent of today’s Championship.

The most poignant memory of this would be Kerry Dixon and the reaction of the Chelsea fans to him facing the club which regards him as a legend.

The Chelsea fans chanted his name when the teams were announced, again when he came onto the pitch and then finally he got a standing ovation as he was substituted.

Chelsea 2 Luton 0 – Attendance 59,589

Scorer – Peacock x 2

FA CUP FINAL

Chelsea were in the FA Cup Final for the first time that many fans could remember, fans queued for hours to secure one of 18,000 tickets that were made available to Chelsea fans in the time before allocations to fans were split equally between sets of supporters.

Aged just 8 at the time of the game, I can still vividly remember the single “No One Can Stop Us Now” that Chelsea released which reached number 22 in the music charts.

I remember as we drove into the car park at Wembley in our car decked out in Chelsea flags stopped with my Dad excited beyond belief, walking in front of us on his way to the television studio was none other than his childhood hero Peter Osgood. The windows were frantically rolled down as he bellowed at his hero, who despite the rain obliged and came over and shook our hands.

This however was the bright point of the day, on the walk up Wembley way, I was knocked off my feet by a drunken man rushing towards the stadium without a second look, my Dad swears to this day that the culprit was Manchester United legend George Best, however I cannot say for certain.

The weather for the final reflected the end result of the match, grey, miserable and full of rain, despite having a share of the play Chelsea were beaten 4-0 in a game that did not reflect the final score.

In the first half Gavin Peacock hit the bar and in the second half it was the referee that assisted Manchester United with two more than generous penalty decisions that gifted Eric Cantona a brace. Even the emergence of Glen Hoddle from the bench at 2-0 failed to inspire Chelsea to an unlikely comeback and Chelsea’s day ended in despair.

This however did not deter the Chelsea fans who were deafening throughout the match and even once it became clear that the match could not be won.

It still sends shivers down my spine when the final whistle went and the whole Chelsea end was chanting “Chelsea are Back, Chelsea are Back” in one of the most demoralising and electrifying memories of watching Chelsea. This was at the same time interspersed with chants reminding David Elleray the referee how disliked he was for his poor refereeing.

Chelsea 0 Manchester United 4 – Attendance – 79,000

Chelsea may not have won the trophy that day, but although the Chelsea fans chanting may not have believed how far the club would go from this platform, Chelsea were indeed back.

Chelsea v Barcelona Preview – Facts, History, Tactics

Here we are again. A new Chelsea manager comes in at the beginning of the season, tries to change too much with dubious decisions, and gets sacked. An interim boss is appointed and results in the league improve, the Blues reach the FA Cup final against a Merseyside club by beating London rivals in the semi-final. And then there is Barcelona in the semi-final of the Champions League…..

Memories of 2009 are inevitable as the Spanish and European champions visit Stamford Bridge for the first leg on Wednesday with the tag of “best team in the world”. Indeed, some football watchers have claimed this team to be the best set of individuals ever to walk out on to a football pitch with the same kit on.

A Brief History:

But there is no question of awe or fear in the Chelsea set-up. There are still strong remnants of the side that beat the Catalans in the first knockout stage in 2004-05 with a 4-2 win in the second leg at the Bridge, a night that is etched in Chelsea folklore.

In fact, in the 8 times these teams have met during the last decade, Barca have beaten the Blues only twice, and on both occasions with 10 Chelsea men on the pitch. The semi-final tie in 2009 during Guus Hiddink’s temporary reign saw the Blues leading 1-0 after a goalless first leg.

Chelsea fans will not need reminding what happened next. Referee Tom Henning Ovrebo denied the Blues a minimum of 4 clear penalty shouts, and there was a sense of inevitability as Andres Iniesta pulled off a winner in extra time to emotionally scar the Chelsea players and fans for years to come.

The first time these two sides met in the Champions League was in 2000, when the managers of today, Roberto Di Matteo and Pep Guardiola, were direct opponents in midfield for the respective sides. Chelsea capitulated at the Nou Camp to lose in extra time after a wonderful 3-1 win in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

So, there is no lack of history associated with the battles between the two sides. One thing is for sure -  there is never a lack of drama.

Chelsea team news and tactics:

The Blues will go into this game with confidence as high as it has been all season, following a total domination of T*ttenham in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday, resulting in a 5-1 victory. The win would have given interim manager Roberto Di Matteo a lot of belief and also some food for thought regarding his team selection.

Another pleasing aspect of the weekend win was, of course, that Chelsea were able to ease off slightly in the last few minutes, with the manager able to rest some tired legs. It is important to note that that game finished less than 72 hours before the kickoff on Wednesday, so there is not much time for rest between games during this busy schedule.

The game saw defender David Luiz picking up an injury, with the Brazilian expected back not before two weeks from now. In his absence, it will be an early opportunity for Gary Cahill to show his pedigree as a world class centre-back. Branislav Ivanovic should return at right-back as his suspension is for domestic competition only.

Up front, the manager has a choice between Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres, with the former putting in a vintage performance at Wembley. However, Barca’s defenders may not be so easy to overpower, and the 34-year old may also be feeling the effects of the lack of rest.

In any case, the manager will probably prefer Torres for his constant pressing in high areas, and to exploit Barca’s potential weakness in wide positions. Ramires should keep his place at right-wing for the same reasons. Chelsea will also benefit from the shuttling nature of Ramires’s role. The Brazilian tends to adopt a central position when Chelsea lose the ball, but shuttles out to the wings to receive the ball when in possession.

The Brazilian’s immense stamina, not to forget good technical skill, means he can help stifle an opposition winger (like Gareth Bale) and keep the opposition full-back occupied (like Assou-Ekotto), while still being able to congest the midfield when the opposition are in possession. This will be a big help as Barca tend to focus their attacks on central positions just outside the box.

Another reason why he is a dream for any manager, especially in a game like this, is due to his discipline in implementing the manager’s instructions. This is one reason why Daniel Sturridge has failed to find favour in recent games under Di Matteo, with the striker-turned-winger preferring to stay up even when Chelsea lose the ball.

This was acceptable, and even encouraged, under Andre Villas-Boas’s high-pressing approach, but Di Matteo’s 4-2-3-1 calls for more tactical awareness from his wingers. On the opposite flank, the choice is between Florent Malouda, goalscorer at Wembley, and Salomon Kalou, who has been a regular under the interim manager.

A major source of delight for the manager in recent games must have come from the adjustment of Frank Lampard to a more disciplined role as one of the double pivots in midfield. His excellent combination with Juan Mata was a latent reason for the superb performance at the weekend. Di Matteo will hope the pair can pull off an encore.

The important message that the manager will send to his players is to remain focused for 90 minutes on the night. The Catalans are adept at exploiting even the tiniest gaps in their opposition, so it will have to be a near-perfect performance over two legs, individually and collectively.

The likes of Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi et al are all deadly when given time and space on the ball, so the Chelsea team will have to work as a unit to close down the Catalans. However, this does not mean a full-pressing approach will work, as it is likely this strategy will be picked off.

A lot of teams successful against Barca have tended to allow their attackers possession of the ball, but in less dangerous areas of the pitch, the famous example being Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan two years ago. Chelsea’s two banks of four in defence and midfield are well-set-up to implement this strategy.

Where Barca can be hurt is on the counter, again something this Chelsea side is set up to do under Di Matteo. Guardiola usually sets up his team such that the players have varying roles when in possession of the ball, and when not. This can lead to some instability in their shape immediately after they lose possession, particularly in their own defensive half.

The opponents:

The Spaniards come to the Bridge having lost just two games this season. They came through to the semi-finals by beating AC Milan in the quarter-finals and Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round. They are on an astonishing run of 14 victories in all domestic competition.

Their form has seen them go within 4 points of rivals Real Madrid in the race for the Spanish Primera Liga. Interestingly, the El Clasico between those teams is this weekend, while Chelsea have a similar high-profile encounter with Arsenal at the Emirates.

For Barcelona, this is their fifth straight semi-final as they look to become the first team since AC Milan in 1990 to win back-to-back European Cups. In 4 previous two-legged encounters against Chelsea, Barcelona have progressed on 3 occasions.

With the probable return of defender Gerard Pique from injury, it is likely manager Pep Guardiola will revert to a 4-3-3 system after recent experiments with three at the back. However, right back Dani Alves tends to push so high that he often does end up with a 3-man defence.

Up front, the world’s best player Lionel Messi continues to set and break records for goals and assists in all competitions. However, he has no goals to show from his appearances against the Blues. Former Arsenal midfielder Fabregas has adopted a more advanced position since moving to Catalonia, often dovetailing with the little Argentinian.

Most of their attackers, including Iniesta, Pedro and Alexis Sanchez tend to prefer coming in to the middle from wide positions. This often results in a mass of Barcelona shirts camping around the opposition ‘D’ for large parts of the game.  Young Isaac Cuenca, fresh from the production line at the La Masia academy, is an option to stretch the play to the flanks.

In the middle of the park, they have Sergio Busquets, equally known for his tactical nous and strong defending as he is for his propensity to go down dramatically at the slightest touch in a bid to get an opponent booked or sent off. Alongside him, Spanish midfielder Xavi controls the game from a deep position in midfield with high-accuracy quick passing.

Chelsea have Ashley Cole, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles one booking away from a one-match suspension, and must guard against committing unnecessary fouls as there is no doubt the Barcelona players will attempt to get them booked. Javier Mascherano and captain Carles Puyol are in similar positions for the visitors.

Closing notes:

It has been a fantastic start to a crucial week for the Blues as we play three important games in different competitions. One of them is out of the way, with a resounding win sending us on the way back to Wembley for the FA Cup Final in May.

Interim manager Roberto Di Matteo has a perfect record in cup competitions, while Chelsea have a perfect record at home this season in the Champions League. However, there is no bigger test in present-day football than the task of stifling the Catalan giants.

But unlike most other sides, Chelsea have a core of players who know what it is like to go past Barcelona on the big stage. These are the players who can step it up on the big occasion, and should be able to guide the young talents alongside them.

If there is one team that is set up to take on the little giants from Catalonia, it is Chelsea.

CAREFREE and Come on the Chels!

I can be found on Twitter @Celeryphile.

Chelsea FC First Game Stories – Yasuko From Japan

Every fan remembers the first time they go to watch their team play live and in the flesh. For some people this trip involves a trip on the underground or a long drive, for others such as Yasuko Sekine this involves a 12,000 mile round trip plane journey.

This vivid memory cares not for the occasion and includes the minutest details that would normally just fade into the background. From the stadium to the opposition and the bantering atmosphere of the fans, no detail can be classed as too small to remember.

Yasuko in traditional Japanese dress, however I am assured she also enjoys wearing a Chelsea shirt

Yasuko’s story is no different, like wives and girlfriends of football fans around the world, not only did Yasuko gain a friend and companion when she met her boyfriend Bob, she gained a football team, a passion and an obsession.

Over the next couple of years Bob waxed lyrical about the football club he supported back in England and how important it was to him, encouraging her to share his passion.

Yasuko was quickly swayed by his enthusiasm, watching the game on television with her boyfriend, which due to the time zone involved keeping some strange hours.

At Christmas last year Bob took Yasuko back to meet his family for Christmas, her first trip to England. Immediately he saw his opportunity to take Yasuko to a game, after calling in a few favours he was able to secure two tickets for the Premier League’s Boxing Day lunch time kick off.

The game may not have been the most glamorous game of the season with Chelsea playing away to Birmingham; however this mattered not, especially as the tickets were in the Chelsea end.

Here is Yasuko telling the story of her first Chelsea game.

Yasuko’s Story

From when I was a school kid myself, I’ve always loved the beautiful game of football. Both playing and watching that is. However, I’ve watched the Premiership on TV with my boyfriend for a while, but always wondered how it would compare to the Japanese league games that I’ve watched.

So when I heard from my boyfriend that on our Christmas trip England we were going to go to a Chelsea game, I almost couldn’t believe it. I get so emotional watching the games on TV in Japan, I wondered if I could even handle a real game! Time after time, I’d heard from Bob (my boyfriend) that the atmosphere was so great, you could never fully understand until you’d seen a game for real.

On arrival to England, the first thing that hit me was the obsession of the game. Every kid wanted to tell you their life-long picked out team, every shop window was full of team kits. This was not Japan anymore!

So as the finale to our Xmas England trip, we took a car up to Birmingham for the 2009 Boxing Day game Birmingham City Vs Chelsea F.C. On entering the stadium, we went to find our seats early and were really surprised that it was pretty empty right up until kick off.

However, this gave me a chance to see my favorite player, Peter Cech, about 20 meters from me warming up before game on an almost empty pitch. People close to me shouted his name and I was really surprised when he waved to them.

Seeing Chelsea player’s wave to their fans gave me a real sense of how close they were to their fans and this felt great.

Even throughout the game, players would take the time to acknowledge the supporters. It made me fall more in love with the blues right away!

I was really surprised however about how separate the fans were kept for the opposing teams. In Japan, you can freely walk between the different sections wearing opposition shirts and not worry about any trouble, but I was a little nervous to be honest.

I saw several people from both sides doing aggressive wrist shaking actions (that Bob surprisingly explained to me were signs of masturbation) to each other and didn’t really want to go anywhere away from my fellow Chelsea followers at that point.

Another fun thing was the bookies inside the stadium. I’d never put a bet on before and, after a short consultation with Bob, I decided to take John Terry as first goal scorer at 20/1. Obviously we cheered a little extra for him when he was close to the goal and got really excited whenever he went up for a header.

Of course I was impressed most of all by the singing. I had no idea (from my TV based supporting prior to the game) of the amount and persistence of songs from the Chelsea fans.

Among ‘Care Free’, ‘Blue Flag’, ’10 Men went to mow’ and other my favorite had to be the ‘bouncy song’. I’m not sure exactly what was happening, but after everyone singing “We’re all going to bounce in a minute”, I was suddenly jumping up and down like a crazy woman with my fellow fans for no apparent reason at all. It was a lot of fun.

Even though the game was a 0-0 boring draw, the game was a real eye-opener for me and one that made me go back to Tokyo and keep the blue flag flying high in the East. Next time, I hope to make it to Stamford Bridge and see them in action at home and maybe have time for some shopping in the MegaStore!

Do you have a Chelsea story you would like to share?

email Kristian_uk@hotmail.co.uk

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