Chelsea FC’s 50 Greatest Players Of All-Time
8. Ron “Chopper” Harris: 1961-80
If there ever is a ‘Mr Chelsea’ competition, this man would win it (sorry John Terry). Ron “Chopper” Harris had a 19-season career with the Blues as he was the ultimate Chelsea player.
With 795 total competitive appearances, Harris stands atop Chelsea’s all-time appearance list along with any derivative appearance list that goes with it. The club may have modern marketing campaigns that talk about bleeding blue, but Harris genuinely did.
A defender, he brought a presence to every game, no matter how old or young he was. While no-nonsense defenders typified his era, he was arguably beyond it. As tough as they come, Harris was an absolute rock for the Blues in the backline.
His tenure at Stamford Bridge saw the club win the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup. He was also relegated to the Second Division on three separate occasions.
With the length of his stint and his evident leadership qualities, it was no wonder that Harris captained the side, a role that he fulfilled for over a decade.
John Terry is probably the only other player who can be compared to Ron Harris and that is probably the biggest compliment that you could pay both men.
Next: #7