Chelsea (Eng)

Location: London, England
Year Founded: 1905
Nickname: The Blues
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Capacity: 42420
First Division/Premier League:
Winners (3): 1954–55, 2004–05, 2005–06
Second Division/Championship:
Winners (2): 1983–84, 1988–89
FA Cup:
Winners (4):1970, 1997, 2000, 2007
League Cup:
Winners (4): 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
Winners (2): 1971, 1998
European Super Cup:
Winners (1): 1998
FA Charity Shield and Community Shield:
Winners (3): 1955, 2000, 2005
Full Members Cup:
Winners (2): 1986, 1990




  

squad Information:

staff:
Frank Arnesen
Steve Clarke
Avram Grant
Jose Mourinho

Goalkeepers:
Petr Cech
Carlo Cudicini
Hilario
Magnus Hedman

Defenders:
Paulo Ferreira
Juliano Belletti
Glen Johnson
Wayne Bridge
Ashley Cole
Ricardo Carvalho
John Terry
Alex
Tal Ben Haim
Sam Hutchinson

Midfielders:
Claude Makelele
Mickael Essien
Lassana Diarra
James Simmonds
Frank Lampard
Michael Ballack
John Obi Mikel
Steve Sidwell
Anthony Grant
Joe Cole
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Florent Malouda
Jacob Mellis

Forwards: 
Andriy Shevchenko
Didier Drogba
Salomon Kalou
Claudio Pizarro
Scott Sinclair




                                                                    
                                                   Team History

      Even if trophy success proved elusive in the first 50 years, the club had been set up for the big time from the moment Henry Augustus Mears had a change of heart one Sunday morning in the autumn of 1904.
       Of all the decisions that have shaped the history of Chelsea FC, there can none more crucial than the one this Edwardian businessman made that particular day.
       Gus Mears was an enthusiast for a sport that had taken northern Britain by storm but had yet to take off in the capital in quite the same way. London at the turn of the century failed to provide a single team to the Football League First Division.
        Mears had spotted the potential for a football club to play at an old athletics ground at Stamford Bridge, an open piece of land in west London. It was a ground he planned to massively redevelop.
         But unforeseen problems had followed, as did a lucrative offer for the land. Mears was on the verge of selling up and abandoning his sporting dream.
        Colleague Frederick Parker, an enthusiastic supporter of the football stadium project attempted to dissuade him but on the fateful Sunday morning, Parker was told he was wasting his time.
            As the two walked on, without warning Mears' dog bit Parker, drawing blood and causing great pain, but only an amused reaction from Parker.
            "You took that bite damn well," Mears announced before telling his accomplice he would now trust his judgement over others. "Meet me here at nine tomorrow and we'll get busy," he said. Stamford Bridge was alive once more.
             Not that Chelsea FC was in the original plan. The finest sports stadium in London seemed a little out of place on the edge of well-heeled and arty Chelsea but as history shows, Mears had chosen well. The proximity to the vibrant centre of town made it perfect as a new venue for football.
           Due to financial disagreement, nearby Fulham Football Club, already in existence declined an offer to abandon the less grand Craven Cottage and move in. So in contrast to the history of so many clubs, Mears decided to build a team for a stadium, rather than the other way round.
           On March 14th 1905, a meeting convened opposite the stadium in a pub now called The Butcher's Hook. One item on the agenda was a name for the new club. Stamford Bridge FC, Kensington FC and intriguingly, London FC were all rejected. Chelsea FC was what it was to be - and the story had begun.
        John Tait Robertson, a Scottish international was the first player/manager and a squad of respected players was signed, providing a league could be found to compete in.
        The Southern League was the natural choice for our location but they were unwelcoming to these upstarts. Undaunted, Chelsea simply set our sights higher and went straight for the northern-dominated Football League.
        On May 29th 1905, the Football League AGM dramatically elected us to the Second Division. Parker again proved persuasive as we became the first club ever to make the League without having kicked a ball.