In a typically forthright and up front interview Kerry talks to Martin King & Stamford Chidge about his career at Chelsea; his relationship with Ken Bates; playing for England; his best goals and what it was like to hear 40,000 Chelsea supporters chanting “One Kerry Dixon” at Wembley when he was playing for Luton!
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With 193 goals to his name, Kerry Dixon is Chelsea’s third highest goal scorer of all time, behind only Bobby Tambling and Frank Lampard. Over nine seasons between 1983 and 1992, Kerry became one of the best loved players ever to appear for Chelsea.
Following near relegation to the Third Division Kerry joined from Reading for £175,000 as John Neal sought to rebuild the team, Kerry scored 34 goals in his first season as Chelsea claimed the Second Division title.
Scoring an iconic goal against Arsenal at Highbury in Chelsea’s first match back in the top flight, Kerry scored 36 goals to win the Golden Boot and took his Chelsea tally to 70 in just 101 games, earning a call up to the England squad in the process.
Kerry was given a start against West Germany and responded by creating a goal for Bryan Robson before scoring two of his own as England beat the Germans for the first time in over a decade
A serious muscle injury in January 1986 hampered both Kerry and Chelsea’s tilt at winning the title and a mere two years later, Chelsea found themselves back in Division two. Although player unrest nearly led to Kerry’s departure, Chelsea and Kerry bounced back with Kerry scoring 25 league goals as he won the Second Division title for the second time. Kerry went on to score 26 goals on Chelsea’s return to Division One as we finished fifth, our highest position since 1970.
In March 1992, Kerry’s 193rd, and final, goal in a Chelsea shirt was a a spectacular shot from the edge of the box to beat Norwich City. That summer he was sold for £575, 000 to Southampton
But that wasn’t quite the final moment in the love affair between Chelsea and Kerry Dixon. When Chelsea faced Luton Town and Wembley for the 1994 FA Cup semi-final, lining up at centre-forward for Luton that day was a certain Kerry Dixon. At the end of the match that Chelsea won 2-0, Chelsea supporters massed broke off from their celebrations to pay a final tribute to one of the club’s favourite sons, 40, 000 voices rightly proclaiming that there really was ‘only one Kerry Dixon’. A fitting tribute to a true Chelsea legend.
With 193 goals in total to his name, Dixon is Chelsea’s third highest goal scorer of all time, behind only Bobby Tambling and Frank Lampard. He is also eighth in the club’s all-time appearances list. His two Second Division championship medals being his only honours with the club.
Kerry Dixon Chelsea Statistics
Appearances 420
Games Won 187
Win Percentage 44.52%
Goals Scored 193
Penalties Scored 6
Matches as Captain 0
Matches Started 413
Substitute Appearances 7
Substituted 19
Bookings 5
Sendings Off 0
Straight Red Cards 0
Kerry Dixon Goals Per Season
Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
1983/84 28 0 6 0 0 34
1984/85 24 4 8 0 0 36
1985/86 14 0 5 0 4 23
1986/87 10 0 1 0 1 12
1987/88 11 1 0 0 2 14
1988/89 25 0 1 0 2 28
1989/90 20 2 0 0 3 25
1990/91 10 1 4 0 0 15
1991/92 5 0 0 0 1 6
Total: 147 8 25 0 13 193
Kerry Dixon Playing Career Chelsea Milestones
Debut
Saturday, 27th August 1983 Chelsea 5-0 Derby County
100th Appearance
Saturday, 11th May 1985 Stoke City 0-1 Chelsea
200th Appearance
Monday, 31st August 1987 Manchester United 3-1 Chelsea
300th Appearance
Tuesday, 28th November 1989 Bournemouth 2-3 Chelsea
400th Appearance
Thursday, 26th December 1991 Notts County 2-0 Chelsea
Last Appearance
Saturday, 2nd May 1992 Everton 2-1 Chelsea
