For a long period of time, AFC Bournemouth played their games in the lower leagues of English football. As a result, they only faced Chelsea in either cup competitions or when the Blues themselves were playing in the lower levels of the English footballing pyramid. In fact, that is where the sides met for the … Read more
Brentford may be new to the big time, having first made it to the Premier League as recently as 2021/22, and having last played in the top flight before that way back in 1947. However, they are not short on history, and, founded in 1889, are fully 16 years older than the Blues. Given how … Read more
Chelsea were nine days into their existence as a Football League club when they first met Hull City. It was in the September of 1905, with both sides then members of the Second Division. It is one of the earliest fixtures in Chelsea’s history, predating the club’s first major trophy by exactly half a century … Read more
When you consider the modern history of both Chelsea and Leeds United, you would be forgiven for expressing a degree of surprise at the fact that the Yorkshire club began the rivalry with back-to-back wins against the West Londoners. You would likely be even more surprised to learn that they won the very first game … Read more
There are quite a few clubs in London, which means that local derbies are commonplace in the capital. That being said, there is an extent to which familiarity can breed contempt, which is how things often seem to be between Chelsea and Arsenal supporters. The match certainly doesn’t have the level of enmity that Arsenal … Read more
Just as with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and other London-based clubs, there isn’t really a massive rivalry in place between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion. Whilst the Seagulls absolutely hate playing Crystal Palace for some spurious reason and Chelsea fans see red when Spurs turn up to Stamford Bridge, the matches between the Blues and … Read more
Fulham are hardly known for the passion of their fans, and they are not often thought of as a particularly violent or troublesome group. As such, despite the extreme proximity between these two clubs, there is not much in the way of a rivalry. Historically, they have often found themselves in different divisions, with Fulham … Read more
Chelsea and Coventry City first met in the August of 1924, with both clubs then playing Second Division football. That is a good a reminder that Chelsea’s current standing amongst the game’s elite is a relatively modern development. The fixture spent much of the 20th century in the lower divisions before both clubs eventually established … Read more
Anyone who has ever watched any of the Sunderland ’Til I Die documentary will be more than aware of the north-east club’s various issues in recent years. The club was relegated out of the Premier League and then seemed to keep on dropping, spending four seasons in League One before enjoying a trip back up … Read more
There are many football teams in London and whilst fans of many of them may dislike Chelsea, or feel that the Blues are their rivals, such animosity is often one way. However, when it comes to Spurs, it is safe to say that the feelings are reciprocated. Both clubs were founder-members of the Premier League … Read more