Five times Premier League champions, over the years Chelsea have proved their mettle against all comers both domestic and overseas. Despite how well known the club is, there are some fascinating facts about the club that most fans still don’t know.
A Businessman Bought the Club for £1
In 1982, Ken Bates, bought Chelsea football club for just £1. At the time, the club was drowning in financial debt and Bates bailed them out, so to speak. He bought the club with a debt of around £1.5 million and paid the paltry amount of £1 to secure ownership. This deal emerged as a ray of hope and helped the club to survive.
Longest Unbeaten Home Record
The longest unbeaten run in the Premier League is the kind of record that will be hard to break in the future. Chelsea’s home record is to remain unbeatable in 86 league matches. This inspiring triumph of an unbeaten run of 86 league matches began in 2004 and lasted until Liverpool defeated them in 2008. (Knowing form and predictions are particularly useful if you like placing football bets on Midnite).
First Clubs to Secure Numbered Kits
Chelsea was the first team to don numbered kits along with Arsenal in 1928. At that time the numbered uniform was unheard of. The Blues wore their numbered kits for the first time against Swansea City. Since then, wearing numbers became a tradition and led the way for names to also be added to the backs of shirts much later on.
First English Club to Win All European Titles
Chelsea FC has won Premier League five times but they were also the first to win all four European trophies. In club football, European success is hard to achieve given the level of competition (no matter the generation). Chelsea is the first English club to win UEFA Champions League, European Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA Europa League. The team is also the first to win all four trophies twice.
Stamford Bridge is not Owned by Chelsea
This is quite surprising, but fascinating to know that Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s home, is not owned by the club but by a non-profit. Chelsea Pitch Owners PLC holds the naming rights and freehold on the ground which is predominantly fan led. The organization was founded in 1992 by the owner Ken Bates and leases the stadium to the club.
Quick Facts
- Chelsea and Arsenal are the first teams in the history of football to wear numbered jerseys in 1928.
- Chelsea was the first ever team to not having even a single British player in their starting line-up against Southampton in the year 1999.
- Among many managers, David Calderhead was the one to manage the club for the longest time – 26 years and has managed the team in 966 matches.
- Frank Lampard is the top goal scorer with a record of netting 211 goals in total.
- The official logo or the crest of Chelsea football club has changed five times.
- Chelsea is the first ever club to hold both Europa League and Premier League titles.
- Chelsea is the first and the only club to appoint three player managers for three consecutive times. These managers are Gianluca Vialli, Ruud Gullit, and Glenn Hoddle.
- The only club to bag all three UEFA trophies – Europa League, the Champion’s League, and Cup Winner’s Cup.
- Chelsea Football Club was founded in 1905 after Stamford Bridge athletics stadium is acquired by Gus Mears in 1904 with the aim to turn it into a football stadium.
As a fan learning these facts about Chelsea will stand you in good whether you are in a pub quiz, a heated debate with friends or even for betting purposes to inform your next punt. We hope you found them useful.
