Chelsea FC’s 110th Anniversary: A Brief History Part One

Early History

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Their initial plans to join the Southern League (which was then a football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, ‘South Central’ and Midlands of England and South Wales) was rejected due to objections by Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur. As a result, they applied to join the Football League and were accepted into the Division Two on 29th May 1905.

They hired John Tait Robertson, a 28-year old Scottish international half-back, as the club’s first player-manager. He, along with Parker, oversaw the recruitment of several established players from other teams which included goalkeeper William ‘Fatty’ Foulke from Sheffield United), forwards Jimmy Windridge, Bob McRoberts (both from Small Heath) and Frank Pearson (from Manchester City) to name a few. Chelsea FC’s played their first game at the Stamford Bridge in a 4-0 friendly win against Liverpool, thus beginning the club’s early years of wealth, popularity, ambition and glamour.

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