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Where It All Began
Before the terraces

Where It All Began

Before the terraces, before the away days. A ball, a few marbles and the lads from the flats. That's where it all began for most of us.

We've Got No History
1982 · Second Division

We've Got No History

They say we've got no history. This is 1982: Second Division, no money, no glory, and we were still there every week.

North Stand 1982
Early 80s · The North Stand

North Stand 1982

Early 80s football. Skinheads, bombers and braces, and a copper on every gate. Segregation only, as the sign says.

Grimsby '84
12 May 1984 · Blundell Park

Grimsby '84

12 May 1984, Blundell Park. Last day of the season, and Chelsea needed a result at Grimsby to be champions. There were battles in every part of the ground. It was a day. Kerry Dixon scored, 1-0, and we went back to the First Division as Second Division champions. Standing only, as it says on the ticket.

Full Members Final 1986
23 March 1986 · Wembley

Full Members Final 1986

Sunday 23 March 1986, Wembley. Chelsea 5, Man City 4. David Speedie got a hat-trick, Colin Lee got the other two, and we were 5-1 up before City nearly nicked it at the end.

Rimini 1990
Italia 90 · Rimini and Bologna

Rimini 1990

Italia 90. Rimini was where thousands of us stayed for England v Belgium in Bologna. It got lively, to say the least. On the night, David Platt volleyed it in the last minute of extra time and we were through.

Bruges 1995
28 February 1995 · Olympiastadion

Bruges 1995

28 February 1995, Olympiastadion, Bruges. Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final, our first proper European run in 23 years. We lost 1-0 on the night, and the football was the easy part. It's in my book, Kicking the Habit, in a chapter I called The Great Escape. What you see on this shirt is how it was. Back at the Bridge, Stein and Furlong turned it round: 2-0, and we were through.

Zaragoza 1995
6 April 1995 · La Romareda

Zaragoza 1995

Thursday 6 April 1995, La Romareda. Cup Winners' Cup semi-final, a Category A game. We lost 3-0 out there. Back at the Bridge we won 3-1, and went out 4-3 on aggregate. So close.

Roma 1997
11 October 1997 · Stadio Olimpico

Roma 1997

11 October 1997, the Olimpico. Italy 0, England 0, and we were going to France 98. I never saw a ball kicked in the first half, we was in their end! Within 10 minutes of being in a bar we was having running battles. We took the piss.