 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1994-1998
The main memories from our first European campaign I have were the Viktoria Zizkov match at home, Austria Vienna away
and the Bruges match at home.
The late David Rocastle scored a magnificent chip against Zizkov at home and Dennis Wise smashed a superb left foot
shot to gun the opposition down 4-2. The press afterwards cheekily asked Wisey if he had meant to do it - he was irate
and I remember him asking the press if they would question whether he meant to score if he were a Manchester United
player!
Being too young to travel to Europe on my own, and with my school studies taking precedence over any Chelsea game, I
had to resort to listening to the Austria Vienna match on Capital Gold. In my eyes Jonathan Pearce was a legendary
commentator who despite having roots in Bristol always backed London teams. John Spencer ran the length of the pitch to
score. I screamed and jumped around on my own in my room as Pearce went mental. My mum thought I had hurt myself
and had never seen me celebrate a Chelsea goal like this before. We secured a 1-1 draw and the vital away goal to send
us through to the next round.
We lost in the next round to Bruges away. The home match was something special. Looking back at that team I have no
idea how we managed to get even this far into the tournament. The key was that Hoddle had instilled a great team spirit in
the side. Furlong and Stein were upfront and both scored. Paul Furlong scored one of the best goals I have ever seen
when he charged down the keeper and scored a goal off his arse. I had never seen Chelsea fans scream that long and
that vociferously for a long time. Stamford Bridge was rocking.
We were knocked out by a superior Real Zaragoza side in the next round, losing 4-3 on aggregate. We lost 3-0 away won
3-1 at home. Had we won, we would have met Arsenal in the final. But typical Chelsea - always falling short at the final
hurdle.
Sandwiched in between was a nice trip to Millwall in the New Den in the FA Cup. I had never seen so many rucks at a
match, and it was even worse back at Stamford Bridge after they beat us on penalties. It was my first experience of seeing
us play against them, and let's just say I would prefer not to draw them in the cup again!
Our league form was average over this season with us finishing in mid table position. We were playing good, passing
football but with little to show for it. The team had no world class players and we needed to build. And how we built!
The Summer of 1995 was one of the most exciting times as a Chelsea fan. Whereas before we could only get excited with
signings of the like of Furlong and Minto, this season was unbelievable. I will never forget reading the news on teletext one
morning, seeing we had signed Mark Hughes from Manchester United. Even better, he was a Chelsea fan as a boy! Then,
and even more unbelievably, we had secured the signing of Ruud Gullit! What a culture shock it must have been to turn
up at the terrible Harlington training ground to see what facilities they were faced with compared to what they were used to!
Gullit was magnificent. Just as Hoddle before him, he always seemed to have time on the ball. Either players were in awe
of his stature and felt embarrassed to try and tackle him, or he was simply world class at using space on the pitch. Hughes
was a grafter. Good at holding the ball up, and dishing it out in case any meathead defenders decided to give it the bigun.
We began the season indifferently. We managed a 3-1 win at Upton Park, despite Julian Dicks receiving a red card for
stamping on John Spencer's head (voted 49th in West Ham's 100 greatest moments!) It was a pleasure to watch the link
up play between Gullit, Peacock et al.
We were now becoming a more consistent side in the cup, but lost in the FA Cup semis to Manchester United where Craig
Burley made that infamous backpass which some Chelsea fans unfairly seem to resent him for still.
That year we thumped Boro 5-0 at home, but were too inconsistent and yet again ended up a mid table side. At the end of
the season Hoddle left to become England manager. Cue chants from Chelsea fans at the end of season match against
Blackburn "You can shove George Graham up your arse!" followed by chants for Gullit. Fan power had decided for once
and Gullit was the new manager for the next season.
If the Summer of 1995 had been an exciting time for transfers, that of 1996 surpassed it. We bought a clutch of world
class players including Vialli, Di Matteo and Lebeouf. The new stadium was taking shape. We started the season solidly,
and in his first game Vialli hit the post at Southampton away with a bicycle kick. In the very next game Di Matteo scored the
only goal of the game to defeat a good Boro side. The celebrations are now famous, with Di Matteo lying sideways on the
floor with his finger in the air and having his fellow players join him by his side. Then we beat Coventry and Vialli scored
his first goal. The celebrations that ensued were phenomenal. To have such a legend score his first goal was priceless.
We also drew 1-1 against Forest at home where the much ridiculed Jason "Pineapple Head" Lee scored a
magnificent/fluky last minute goal to equalise. This after David Baddiel, a Chelsea fan, had been one of the main
protagonists of that pineapple chant on Fantasy Football League. Lee had got his own back!
One of the best games I have seen and look back on with affection was the Arsenal away game that season. Chelsea
were 2-1 up at half time. Then Arsenal fought back to take the lead 3-2. Cue the usual condescending banter from the
cocky Arsenal fans that sit in the Clock End. Just as it seemed that our unbeaten run was coming to an end, up popped
Wisey to score and send the Chelsea fans loopy. It was great to shut those Arsenal fans up who are always so arrogant
when they are winning successful but quiet when things don't go their way!
We were brought back down to earth at Liverpool. It was an annihilation. 5-1 and Andy Myers scored an own goal. That
was a long journey back down to London and was the last time I went to see a game up there until 2005.
Soon came one of the saddest moments in Chelsea's history. I was in the Midlands for a week as part of a gap year job
and despite having a ticket for the Bolton game in the league cup at Burnden Park, could not make the game. After the
game, which we lost 2-1, Matthew Harding was killed in a helicopter crash. He was a genuine Chelsea fan and I feel
embarrassed at some of the negative comments Ken Bates made about him after his death. He put a lot of his money into
Chelsea and Chelsea shares, the latter of which his wife sold off. It was difficult not to hold tears back at the Chelsea
Spurs match where a wreath was laid in his honour near the North Stand where he sat so many times. That area of the
ground has now been named after him, and aptly those sitting in the Matthew Harding Lower stand are among our most
vociferous and loyal fans. We won the game 3-1 and David Lee scored a penalty. He also had his leg broken and never
fully recovered. Another Chelsea player who fans lovingly remember as our very own "Rodders", and comparable to
Robert Huth nowadays in his style of play.
I went to virtually every game that season. I had finished my A Levels and had taken a gap year to earn money so that I
would not be stuck for cash at University.
Then came perhaps the pivotal moment in Chelsea's history. Gullit had somehow managed to secure the signing of a little
known player called Gianfranco Zola. His first game in Chelsea colours was against Blackburn at home. I had never seen
a player with so much skill on the ball. It was obvious he was a class above the rest. An absolute gent and respected by all
football fans as being a true sportsman. He scored a brace at Villa Park. The away end seemed so far away from our fans
that it took us several seconds to know whether he had really scored or not!
Then came arguably the greatest ever Chelsea game. It reflected the grit, determination and quality of the side. Chelsea
were playing Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup. The attendance was limited to just 28,000 as The Shed end had a
wooden hoarding up where seats were going to be erected over the coming years. 2-0 down at half-time, and it should
have been 4-0.
During the break a Chelsea old boy was paraded around the pitch. Cue chants of "Bring him on!" in jest. Chelsea fans
could always find a sense of humour even when we were losing! At half time Hughes was brought on for Minto. Within five
minutes of the break Hughes scored a magnificent goal to make it 2-1. Chelsea were
attacking with prowess and had transformed completely from the team that
had capitulated in the first half. Within 10 minutes we had equalised. I had
taped the match on the BBC and Capital Gold on the spur of the moment.
Listening to Jonathan Pearce's commentary still brings a tear to my eye.
"Zola. ZOLA. ZOLAAAAA!!! Liverpool have been bowled over!!!". Cue
mayhem in the stands. Even in the East Upper where I had a season ticket
that year. Then the most unbelievable surprise in the world. Chelsea went
3-2 up with a goal from Vialli. Joyous celebrations from the fans. The old
man behind me's false teeth flew out and landed in front of me. I lost my
watch. Chelsea scored a fourth and the Liverpool fans cried. Even when
we were 4-2 up I felt that we could have scored more. It was a good omen
and set us in good stead for the rest of the season.
There were many magnificent games that season. Paul Hughes scored on his debut against Derby at home. I went to the
Baseball ground the last season it existed when we lost 3-2. We annihilated Sunderland 6-2 as well. This was tempered by
an awful game at Coventry City away. Chelsea had decided to play in their home kit at Highfield Road. However, as the
colours clashed we were forced to play in Coventry's away kit at the time! We went 1-0 with a bizarre Paul Hughes goal.
Few Chelsea fans celebrated as we didn't even realise it had gone in! Coventry scored three in the second half and we
lost 3-1. Perhaps one of the more strange matches I have been to. In November we made another crucial signing. Dan
Petrescu joined from Sheffield Wednesday. A superb right back who linked up well with our attack. At the time of writing,
he has become manager of Wisla Krakow in Poland. And yes, he did look like Fox Mulder!
It was our cup run that year that really got the pulses racing. On the way to the final we played Leicester away. Having
been 2-0 to the good we managed to let it slip and City fought back to make it 2-2. I remember the City fans to our left,
who mostly looked 14 years of age, throwing everything from burgers to coins at us during the game. These missiles
would simply hit the net in between the fans and bounce back onto them! At the replay at Stamford Bridge we won with a
dubious penalty. I felt no sympathy for the opposition whatsoever. We reached the semis and beat a Wimbledon side in
decline 3-0. It was a travesty that more fans could not watch this game. The Dons only filled half of their sector at
Highbury. I had my car stolen the night before but this more than made up for it. We were in the final against an already
relegated Boro side. I went with my Dad and had barely sat down when Di Matteo scored the fastest ever goal in a cup
final. Cue absolute lunacy in the Chelsea end. When I had calmed down having flattened several fans around me, I realise
I had managed to jump 2 rows away from my seat. Some metal badges I had fastened to my Chelsea shirt had fallen off.
Newton added a second and we were rarely troubled. When the final whistle went Chelsea fans stayed in the stadium for a
good forty five minutes afterwards. We knew what it meant to us, and the players did too. The three year itch was over.
Just as in 1970, when Chelsea won the Cup Final having lost in 1967, so we had won three years after that painful game
against Manchester United. And we were in the Cup Winners Cup again. I had never been so drunk in my life after the
game, and proudly wore my Chelsea top as I went out to celebrate with friends after the game.
Over the Summer we signed Tore Andre Flo for a bargain £300,000. He became another Chelsea legend and scored
many crucial, memorable goals for us.
Typical Chelsea though. When the next season began we lost to Coventry City away on the opening day. It was the first
time I really heard opposition fans start to give Chelsea a bit of stick because of the lack of English talent we had.
Coventry fans sang "England" to us. Chelsea fans replied with "You're the pride of Pakistan!" in retaliation. I went up to
Barnsley to see us annihilate them 6-0 with Vialli scoring four. Some Barnsley fans decided to give my car a kicking as I
drove out of the vicinity of the ground. Thank God it was a crappy Citroen and not anything more plush!
In the league we were improving but still were naive in defence. The Cup Winners Cup seemed to have taken a lot out of
our players. Among the highlights in the league was a sublime hat-trick by Zola at home to Derby. Even better was the 6-1
raping of Spurs at White Hart Lane with Flo scoring a hat trick. With this being my first year at university my away trips
were limited, and this was one I had missed out on.
One of the more amusing games that season was the two legged affair with Tromso. We lost 3-2 away on a snowed under
pitch. I watched the home return leg in my student halls of residence. I offered to drink a large vodka for every goal we
scored. Unfortunately for me, we won 7-1 and I had to consume half a bottle of the clear stuff. Needless to say, i could not
remember a single thing about the game as I woke up on the floor of my room the next morning.
One of the harder games to watch was the home game in the FA Cup against Manchester United. They were 5-0 up with
25 minutes to play and Chelsea had been given a great lesson against a truly classy team. Chelsea clawed it back to 3-5,
and nearly scored a fourth with a Di Matteo shot just shaving the post. What a come back that would have been!
We had to now place all our efforts into the Cup Winners Cup and the League Cup.
Then came another important moment in the history of Chelsea. Gullit procrastinated over his contract negotiations. Ken
Bates, not wanting the season to end managerless as occurred with Hoddle, decided to replace him in the middle of the
season with Vialli. There were some rumours of dressing room unrest at Gullit's style of management. It seemed he
wanted to spend as little time at the training ground as he possibly could. And what a superb decision that was! Chelsea
had just played Arsenal at Highbury and had lost 2-1 when a fairer scoreline would have been 5-1 to the Gunners. Vialli's
first game in charge was the return leg at Stamford Bridge. Luca shared a bottle of champagne with the players before the
game, and they came out to produce one of their best performances to date. A 3-1 win and another Cup Final. Against
Boro again! Another game at he dilapidated Wembley and it was only in extra time that Chelsea won. Our second trophy
in two seasons!
The season ended on another high. We beat Vicenza at home mainly due to a world class performance and goal from
Sparky, meaning we had got through to the Cup Winners' Cup final. Being a student, there was no way I could have
afforded to go to Stuttgart. Instead I watched it in the halls at university again and saw Zola score the all important goal
against VFB Stuttgart having just come on half a minute earlier. We had won our first European Cup for 27 years, and
what a deserving person to score the vital goal! How I wish I had been there. One of two finals I had missed in my lifetime
due to my studies.
Chelsea had now hit the big time and had become a well known force in world football not only for the trophies we had
won, but also because of our attacking style of play.
and the Bruges match at home.
The late David Rocastle scored a magnificent chip against Zizkov at home and Dennis Wise smashed a superb left foot
shot to gun the opposition down 4-2. The press afterwards cheekily asked Wisey if he had meant to do it - he was irate
and I remember him asking the press if they would question whether he meant to score if he were a Manchester United
player!
Being too young to travel to Europe on my own, and with my school studies taking precedence over any Chelsea game, I
had to resort to listening to the Austria Vienna match on Capital Gold. In my eyes Jonathan Pearce was a legendary
commentator who despite having roots in Bristol always backed London teams. John Spencer ran the length of the pitch to
score. I screamed and jumped around on my own in my room as Pearce went mental. My mum thought I had hurt myself
and had never seen me celebrate a Chelsea goal like this before. We secured a 1-1 draw and the vital away goal to send
us through to the next round.
We lost in the next round to Bruges away. The home match was something special. Looking back at that team I have no
idea how we managed to get even this far into the tournament. The key was that Hoddle had instilled a great team spirit in
the side. Furlong and Stein were upfront and both scored. Paul Furlong scored one of the best goals I have ever seen
when he charged down the keeper and scored a goal off his arse. I had never seen Chelsea fans scream that long and
that vociferously for a long time. Stamford Bridge was rocking.
We were knocked out by a superior Real Zaragoza side in the next round, losing 4-3 on aggregate. We lost 3-0 away won
3-1 at home. Had we won, we would have met Arsenal in the final. But typical Chelsea - always falling short at the final
hurdle.
Sandwiched in between was a nice trip to Millwall in the New Den in the FA Cup. I had never seen so many rucks at a
match, and it was even worse back at Stamford Bridge after they beat us on penalties. It was my first experience of seeing
us play against them, and let's just say I would prefer not to draw them in the cup again!
Our league form was average over this season with us finishing in mid table position. We were playing good, passing
football but with little to show for it. The team had no world class players and we needed to build. And how we built!
The Summer of 1995 was one of the most exciting times as a Chelsea fan. Whereas before we could only get excited with
signings of the like of Furlong and Minto, this season was unbelievable. I will never forget reading the news on teletext one
morning, seeing we had signed Mark Hughes from Manchester United. Even better, he was a Chelsea fan as a boy! Then,
and even more unbelievably, we had secured the signing of Ruud Gullit! What a culture shock it must have been to turn
up at the terrible Harlington training ground to see what facilities they were faced with compared to what they were used to!
Gullit was magnificent. Just as Hoddle before him, he always seemed to have time on the ball. Either players were in awe
of his stature and felt embarrassed to try and tackle him, or he was simply world class at using space on the pitch. Hughes
was a grafter. Good at holding the ball up, and dishing it out in case any meathead defenders decided to give it the bigun.
We began the season indifferently. We managed a 3-1 win at Upton Park, despite Julian Dicks receiving a red card for
stamping on John Spencer's head (voted 49th in West Ham's 100 greatest moments!) It was a pleasure to watch the link
up play between Gullit, Peacock et al.
We were now becoming a more consistent side in the cup, but lost in the FA Cup semis to Manchester United where Craig
Burley made that infamous backpass which some Chelsea fans unfairly seem to resent him for still.
That year we thumped Boro 5-0 at home, but were too inconsistent and yet again ended up a mid table side. At the end of
the season Hoddle left to become England manager. Cue chants from Chelsea fans at the end of season match against
Blackburn "You can shove George Graham up your arse!" followed by chants for Gullit. Fan power had decided for once
and Gullit was the new manager for the next season.
If the Summer of 1995 had been an exciting time for transfers, that of 1996 surpassed it. We bought a clutch of world
class players including Vialli, Di Matteo and Lebeouf. The new stadium was taking shape. We started the season solidly,
and in his first game Vialli hit the post at Southampton away with a bicycle kick. In the very next game Di Matteo scored the
only goal of the game to defeat a good Boro side. The celebrations are now famous, with Di Matteo lying sideways on the
floor with his finger in the air and having his fellow players join him by his side. Then we beat Coventry and Vialli scored
his first goal. The celebrations that ensued were phenomenal. To have such a legend score his first goal was priceless.
We also drew 1-1 against Forest at home where the much ridiculed Jason "Pineapple Head" Lee scored a
magnificent/fluky last minute goal to equalise. This after David Baddiel, a Chelsea fan, had been one of the main
protagonists of that pineapple chant on Fantasy Football League. Lee had got his own back!
One of the best games I have seen and look back on with affection was the Arsenal away game that season. Chelsea
were 2-1 up at half time. Then Arsenal fought back to take the lead 3-2. Cue the usual condescending banter from the
cocky Arsenal fans that sit in the Clock End. Just as it seemed that our unbeaten run was coming to an end, up popped
Wisey to score and send the Chelsea fans loopy. It was great to shut those Arsenal fans up who are always so arrogant
when they are winning successful but quiet when things don't go their way!
We were brought back down to earth at Liverpool. It was an annihilation. 5-1 and Andy Myers scored an own goal. That
was a long journey back down to London and was the last time I went to see a game up there until 2005.
Soon came one of the saddest moments in Chelsea's history. I was in the Midlands for a week as part of a gap year job
and despite having a ticket for the Bolton game in the league cup at Burnden Park, could not make the game. After the
game, which we lost 2-1, Matthew Harding was killed in a helicopter crash. He was a genuine Chelsea fan and I feel
embarrassed at some of the negative comments Ken Bates made about him after his death. He put a lot of his money into
Chelsea and Chelsea shares, the latter of which his wife sold off. It was difficult not to hold tears back at the Chelsea
Spurs match where a wreath was laid in his honour near the North Stand where he sat so many times. That area of the
ground has now been named after him, and aptly those sitting in the Matthew Harding Lower stand are among our most
vociferous and loyal fans. We won the game 3-1 and David Lee scored a penalty. He also had his leg broken and never
fully recovered. Another Chelsea player who fans lovingly remember as our very own "Rodders", and comparable to
Robert Huth nowadays in his style of play.
I went to virtually every game that season. I had finished my A Levels and had taken a gap year to earn money so that I
would not be stuck for cash at University.
Then came perhaps the pivotal moment in Chelsea's history. Gullit had somehow managed to secure the signing of a little
known player called Gianfranco Zola. His first game in Chelsea colours was against Blackburn at home. I had never seen
a player with so much skill on the ball. It was obvious he was a class above the rest. An absolute gent and respected by all
football fans as being a true sportsman. He scored a brace at Villa Park. The away end seemed so far away from our fans
that it took us several seconds to know whether he had really scored or not!
Then came arguably the greatest ever Chelsea game. It reflected the grit, determination and quality of the side. Chelsea
were playing Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup. The attendance was limited to just 28,000 as The Shed end had a
wooden hoarding up where seats were going to be erected over the coming years. 2-0 down at half-time, and it should
have been 4-0.
During the break a Chelsea old boy was paraded around the pitch. Cue chants of "Bring him on!" in jest. Chelsea fans
could always find a sense of humour even when we were losing! At half time Hughes was brought on for Minto. Within five
minutes of the break Hughes scored a magnificent goal to make it 2-1. Chelsea were
attacking with prowess and had transformed completely from the team that
had capitulated in the first half. Within 10 minutes we had equalised. I had
taped the match on the BBC and Capital Gold on the spur of the moment.
Listening to Jonathan Pearce's commentary still brings a tear to my eye.
"Zola. ZOLA. ZOLAAAAA!!! Liverpool have been bowled over!!!". Cue
mayhem in the stands. Even in the East Upper where I had a season ticket
that year. Then the most unbelievable surprise in the world. Chelsea went
3-2 up with a goal from Vialli. Joyous celebrations from the fans. The old
man behind me's false teeth flew out and landed in front of me. I lost my
watch. Chelsea scored a fourth and the Liverpool fans cried. Even when
we were 4-2 up I felt that we could have scored more. It was a good omen
and set us in good stead for the rest of the season.
There were many magnificent games that season. Paul Hughes scored on his debut against Derby at home. I went to the
Baseball ground the last season it existed when we lost 3-2. We annihilated Sunderland 6-2 as well. This was tempered by
an awful game at Coventry City away. Chelsea had decided to play in their home kit at Highfield Road. However, as the
colours clashed we were forced to play in Coventry's away kit at the time! We went 1-0 with a bizarre Paul Hughes goal.
Few Chelsea fans celebrated as we didn't even realise it had gone in! Coventry scored three in the second half and we
lost 3-1. Perhaps one of the more strange matches I have been to. In November we made another crucial signing. Dan
Petrescu joined from Sheffield Wednesday. A superb right back who linked up well with our attack. At the time of writing,
he has become manager of Wisla Krakow in Poland. And yes, he did look like Fox Mulder!
It was our cup run that year that really got the pulses racing. On the way to the final we played Leicester away. Having
been 2-0 to the good we managed to let it slip and City fought back to make it 2-2. I remember the City fans to our left,
who mostly looked 14 years of age, throwing everything from burgers to coins at us during the game. These missiles
would simply hit the net in between the fans and bounce back onto them! At the replay at Stamford Bridge we won with a
dubious penalty. I felt no sympathy for the opposition whatsoever. We reached the semis and beat a Wimbledon side in
decline 3-0. It was a travesty that more fans could not watch this game. The Dons only filled half of their sector at
Highbury. I had my car stolen the night before but this more than made up for it. We were in the final against an already
relegated Boro side. I went with my Dad and had barely sat down when Di Matteo scored the fastest ever goal in a cup
final. Cue absolute lunacy in the Chelsea end. When I had calmed down having flattened several fans around me, I realise
I had managed to jump 2 rows away from my seat. Some metal badges I had fastened to my Chelsea shirt had fallen off.
Newton added a second and we were rarely troubled. When the final whistle went Chelsea fans stayed in the stadium for a
good forty five minutes afterwards. We knew what it meant to us, and the players did too. The three year itch was over.
Just as in 1970, when Chelsea won the Cup Final having lost in 1967, so we had won three years after that painful game
against Manchester United. And we were in the Cup Winners Cup again. I had never been so drunk in my life after the
game, and proudly wore my Chelsea top as I went out to celebrate with friends after the game.
Over the Summer we signed Tore Andre Flo for a bargain £300,000. He became another Chelsea legend and scored
many crucial, memorable goals for us.
Typical Chelsea though. When the next season began we lost to Coventry City away on the opening day. It was the first
time I really heard opposition fans start to give Chelsea a bit of stick because of the lack of English talent we had.
Coventry fans sang "England" to us. Chelsea fans replied with "You're the pride of Pakistan!" in retaliation. I went up to
Barnsley to see us annihilate them 6-0 with Vialli scoring four. Some Barnsley fans decided to give my car a kicking as I
drove out of the vicinity of the ground. Thank God it was a crappy Citroen and not anything more plush!
In the league we were improving but still were naive in defence. The Cup Winners Cup seemed to have taken a lot out of
our players. Among the highlights in the league was a sublime hat-trick by Zola at home to Derby. Even better was the 6-1
raping of Spurs at White Hart Lane with Flo scoring a hat trick. With this being my first year at university my away trips
were limited, and this was one I had missed out on.
One of the more amusing games that season was the two legged affair with Tromso. We lost 3-2 away on a snowed under
pitch. I watched the home return leg in my student halls of residence. I offered to drink a large vodka for every goal we
scored. Unfortunately for me, we won 7-1 and I had to consume half a bottle of the clear stuff. Needless to say, i could not
remember a single thing about the game as I woke up on the floor of my room the next morning.
One of the harder games to watch was the home game in the FA Cup against Manchester United. They were 5-0 up with
25 minutes to play and Chelsea had been given a great lesson against a truly classy team. Chelsea clawed it back to 3-5,
and nearly scored a fourth with a Di Matteo shot just shaving the post. What a come back that would have been!
We had to now place all our efforts into the Cup Winners Cup and the League Cup.
Then came another important moment in the history of Chelsea. Gullit procrastinated over his contract negotiations. Ken
Bates, not wanting the season to end managerless as occurred with Hoddle, decided to replace him in the middle of the
season with Vialli. There were some rumours of dressing room unrest at Gullit's style of management. It seemed he
wanted to spend as little time at the training ground as he possibly could. And what a superb decision that was! Chelsea
had just played Arsenal at Highbury and had lost 2-1 when a fairer scoreline would have been 5-1 to the Gunners. Vialli's
first game in charge was the return leg at Stamford Bridge. Luca shared a bottle of champagne with the players before the
game, and they came out to produce one of their best performances to date. A 3-1 win and another Cup Final. Against
Boro again! Another game at he dilapidated Wembley and it was only in extra time that Chelsea won. Our second trophy
in two seasons!
The season ended on another high. We beat Vicenza at home mainly due to a world class performance and goal from
Sparky, meaning we had got through to the Cup Winners' Cup final. Being a student, there was no way I could have
afforded to go to Stuttgart. Instead I watched it in the halls at university again and saw Zola score the all important goal
against VFB Stuttgart having just come on half a minute earlier. We had won our first European Cup for 27 years, and
what a deserving person to score the vital goal! How I wish I had been there. One of two finals I had missed in my lifetime
due to my studies.
Chelsea had now hit the big time and had become a well known force in world football not only for the trophies we had
won, but also because of our attacking style of play.
