From Pubs To The Champions League, Fall Build Up Blue London Clubs

Chelsea FC in 1905 (chelseafc.co)

JAKARTA - On March 10, 1905, Chelsea Football Club (Chelsea FC) was founded in a pub called 'The Rising Sun' on Fulham Road. A year earlier, a wealthy businessman named Henry Augustus Mears, or more commonly known as Gus Mears, bought the Stamford Bridge athletics complex and wanted to turn it into a football field. Mears offered land to Fulham FC, which was founded in 1879, but the club turned down the offer.

Undaunted, Mears then decided to form his own football club. Had debated over whether to name the football club Stamford Bridge FC, London FC, or Kensington FC but in the end it was decided to name Chelsea FC, a city adjacent to Fulham.

Chelsea was quickly idolized by the locals and established itself as the biggest club in the English capital. In the late 1910s, Chelsea became the first club in England with an average attendance of over 40,000. But in 1912, club founder Gus Mears died of kidney failure.

The number of attendees was very large making The Pensioners - nicknamed Chelsea at that time - become one of the richest clubs in England and can afford famous players. Chelsea is also home to the first non-English player in the Football League, Nils Middelboe, who joined Chelsea in 1913.

But the first five decades of the club's existence were not very fruitful. The team continued to move between Division 1 and Division 2. It was only in the second decade of Chelsea's existence that they managed to reach the FA Cup final for the first time.

Up and Down Chelsea FC

Chelsea entered the league for the first time in 1955. However, this unexpected success was not enough to change their fortunes and the club returned to a state of mediocrity.

Launching Football History, Tuesday, March 10, in the mid-60s Chelsea managed to reach the peak of popularity with many famous players becoming regular guests at Stamford Bridge. For the first time in history, clubs were seen as true opponents. After securing their first League Cup in 1965, two other championships were won, namely the FA Cup in 1970 and the Winner's Cup in 1971.

However, the trophy is their last trophy for a while. Chelsea are experiencing financial difficulties due to the rebuilding of Stamford Bridge and the growing hooliganism of the club's fans, Chelsea are in a dangerous position.

Over the following decades, Chelsea's match results were not much of a priority as club officials focused on fighting to avoid bankruptcy. The Mears family's ownership of Chelsea FC was cut short when the club was sold for £ 1 to new owner Ken Bates in 1982.

The club did not return to the spotlight until finally in 1996, appointing Ruud Gullit as coach. With a renowned Dutch coach and a team led by Italian internationals Gianluca Vialli and Gianfranco Zola, Chelsea is once again one of the most attractive clubs in English football.

Although the club did not go far in the Premier League during this period, they enjoyed several successes such as two FA Cup victories in 1997 and 2000, as well as a 1998 League Cup win. Apart from that, they also won their second Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 by beating Stuttgart 1. -0 in the final.

Chelsea in this period was a team that was very dominated by foreign players. A match in 1999 marked a new era in Premier League football. When Chelsea played Southampton, no English players played. The players are Ed De Goey (Netherlands), Albert Ferrer (Spain), Frank Lebouef (France), Emerson Thome (Brazil), Dan Petrescu (Romania), Celestine Babayaro (Nigeria), Gus Poyet (Uruguay), Didier Deschamps (France). ), Roberto Di Matteo (Italy), Gabriele Ambrosetti (Italy), and Tore Andre Flo (Norway).

The Russian billionaire becomes the new owner of the club

In 2003, Chelsea changed forever when the club was sold to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The new owners immediately led Chelsea into an era of financial stability, paid off most of the club's debt and spent an unprecedented amount of money to bring in a star player to his team.

Under controversial Portuguese coach José Mourinho, Chelsea won successive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, as well as two League Cups in 2005 and 2007 and the FA Cup in 2007.

Even after Mourinho left the club due to a falling out with Abramovich, Chelsea continued to have a dominant force in English football. The Blues - nicknamed Chelsea - won one league title, two FA Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League in six years. Shortly after Mourinho's return in 2013, Chelsea won another League Cup which was their fifth league title. After a period of weak performance, Chelsea sacked José Mourinho in 2015.