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1987-1991
DATE OF BIRTH Friday, 31st December 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH Melbourne, Australia
DEBUT Saturday, 15th August 1987 in a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield Wednesday (Aged: 21)
CLUB CAREER 146 League apps, 11 goals
When Tony Dorigo, a £475, 000 signing from Aston Villa in the summer of 1987, stepped out in a
Chelsea shirt for the first time, it was immediately apparent that The Blues had finally found a
player of true class to fill a left-back position which had been the club's Achilles heel for over a
decade. A strong-tackling defender despite his slight frame, it was when he was marauding
forward stylishly with the ball at his feet that he really caught the eye. The Melbourne-born player
made his debut at home to Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the 1987/88 season and
was a prominent figure as Chelsea opened the First Division campaign impressively, reaching
second spot at the end of September. As The Blues' title challenge metamorphosed into a
relegation battle, Dorigo was one of the few players whose performances remained strong and he
featured in all but one of Chelsea's games that year. At the end of the season he was voted Player
of the Year by the supporters but his personal triumph was scant consolation as Chelsea were
relegated via the play-offs, Dorigo's second relegation in successive seasons. Tony asked for,
and was refused, a transfer immediately after the final match of the season. A groin injury kept
him out of the first five games as The Blues made a stuttering start to the new campaign but once
he returned to the side he was quick to register his first goal for the club, a sweet strike in a 2-0
victory over Walsall. He scored six goals in 1988/89, the pick of which came at Manchester City in
March when he raced the length of the pitch with the ball at his feet before rounding the keeper
to score the winner in what appeared at the time to be a title-decider. Despite another impressive
season, in which he made 46 appearances, Dorigo remained unsettled until April when, with
promotion assured, he finally agreed to honour his four-year contract. Tony Dorigo was quick to
make his mark on Chelsea's return to the top flight, scoring the season's first goal at Stamford
Bridge with a clever free-kick in a 1-1 draw with QPR. A regular understudy to the impressive
Stuart Pearce, Dorigo's consistent form finally earned him his first England cap in December 1989
when he featured as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Yugoslavia at Wembley. He returned to
Wembley later in the season for the Full Members Cup Final against Middlesbrough and was the
match-winner with another of the well-flighted free-kicks which were swiftly becoming his
trademark. Tony was a member of the England squad that travelled to Italy for the 1990 World Cup
and made his first starting appearance for his adopted country in the 3rd Place Play-Off against
the home nation, creating England's goal in a 2-1 defeat. Chelsea strengthened their squad
considerably in the summer of 1990 with the recruitment of Andy Townsend and Dennis Wise and
embarked on a run to the League Cup semi-final. Unfortunately the league form suffered as a
result and as the season wore on it became obvious that the increasingly impassioned pleas from
manager Bobby Campbell and the Stamford Bridge faithful for Dorigo to sign a new contract were
falling on deaf ears. He gave everybody a taste of what they would be missing when he rifled
home a powerful shot in The Blues' 3-2 victory over Manchester United in March. Dorigo's
Chelsea career finished in a rather unfortunate manner. With nothing left to play for, Campbell
decided to blood the youngsters and Tony was dropped in favour of 19 year-old Frank Sinclair. He
was recalled for the match at Nottingham Forest in late-April and was asked to play on the
left-wing to cover Sinclair against the pacy Crosby and Charles on Forest's right. Sinclair was torn
apart as Chelsea slumped to an embarrassing 7-0 defeat amid accusations that Dorigo had
deliberately left the youngster exposed. It was under these somewhat sad conditions that
Chelsea's best left-back of the last thirty years signed for Leeds that summer for a fee of £1.3
million.
DATE OF BIRTH Friday, 31st December 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH Melbourne, Australia
DEBUT Saturday, 15th August 1987 in a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield Wednesday (Aged: 21)
CLUB CAREER 146 League apps, 11 goals
When Tony Dorigo, a £475, 000 signing from Aston Villa in the summer of 1987, stepped out in a
Chelsea shirt for the first time, it was immediately apparent that The Blues had finally found a
player of true class to fill a left-back position which had been the club's Achilles heel for over a
decade. A strong-tackling defender despite his slight frame, it was when he was marauding
forward stylishly with the ball at his feet that he really caught the eye. The Melbourne-born player
made his debut at home to Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the 1987/88 season and
was a prominent figure as Chelsea opened the First Division campaign impressively, reaching
second spot at the end of September. As The Blues' title challenge metamorphosed into a
relegation battle, Dorigo was one of the few players whose performances remained strong and he
featured in all but one of Chelsea's games that year. At the end of the season he was voted Player
of the Year by the supporters but his personal triumph was scant consolation as Chelsea were
relegated via the play-offs, Dorigo's second relegation in successive seasons. Tony asked for,
and was refused, a transfer immediately after the final match of the season. A groin injury kept
him out of the first five games as The Blues made a stuttering start to the new campaign but once
he returned to the side he was quick to register his first goal for the club, a sweet strike in a 2-0
victory over Walsall. He scored six goals in 1988/89, the pick of which came at Manchester City in
March when he raced the length of the pitch with the ball at his feet before rounding the keeper
to score the winner in what appeared at the time to be a title-decider. Despite another impressive
season, in which he made 46 appearances, Dorigo remained unsettled until April when, with
promotion assured, he finally agreed to honour his four-year contract. Tony Dorigo was quick to
make his mark on Chelsea's return to the top flight, scoring the season's first goal at Stamford
Bridge with a clever free-kick in a 1-1 draw with QPR. A regular understudy to the impressive
Stuart Pearce, Dorigo's consistent form finally earned him his first England cap in December 1989
when he featured as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Yugoslavia at Wembley. He returned to
Wembley later in the season for the Full Members Cup Final against Middlesbrough and was the
match-winner with another of the well-flighted free-kicks which were swiftly becoming his
trademark. Tony was a member of the England squad that travelled to Italy for the 1990 World Cup
and made his first starting appearance for his adopted country in the 3rd Place Play-Off against
the home nation, creating England's goal in a 2-1 defeat. Chelsea strengthened their squad
considerably in the summer of 1990 with the recruitment of Andy Townsend and Dennis Wise and
embarked on a run to the League Cup semi-final. Unfortunately the league form suffered as a
result and as the season wore on it became obvious that the increasingly impassioned pleas from
manager Bobby Campbell and the Stamford Bridge faithful for Dorigo to sign a new contract were
falling on deaf ears. He gave everybody a taste of what they would be missing when he rifled
home a powerful shot in The Blues' 3-2 victory over Manchester United in March. Dorigo's
Chelsea career finished in a rather unfortunate manner. With nothing left to play for, Campbell
decided to blood the youngsters and Tony was dropped in favour of 19 year-old Frank Sinclair. He
was recalled for the match at Nottingham Forest in late-April and was asked to play on the
left-wing to cover Sinclair against the pacy Crosby and Charles on Forest's right. Sinclair was torn
apart as Chelsea slumped to an embarrassing 7-0 defeat amid accusations that Dorigo had
deliberately left the youngster exposed. It was under these somewhat sad conditions that
Chelsea's best left-back of the last thirty years signed for Leeds that summer for a fee of £1.3
million.
| Other Chelsea Left Backs |
| TONY DORIGO |