The Chelsea FanCast looks back, season by season, to 50 Years of Chelsea history from 1970 to the present day.
Stamford Chidge is joined by Jonathan Kydd and Tim Rolls, author of ‘Stamford Bridge is Falling Down’ to look back at the 1972-73 season.
The 1972-73 season was to be a disappointing season and in hindsight the beginning of the end of the ‘Kings of the Kings Road’ team, FA Cup winners just two seasons before.
Inconsistent form and inconsistent team selections; a lack of goals and an alarming slump in form (1 win in 10 was the worst run under Dave Sexton at that point) culminated in Chelsea finishing in 12th position, their worst finish since 1962.
Chelsea was also bedevilled by many injuries – Bonetti, Hudson, Osgood, Baldwin, Dempsey, Droy all spent time out injured and Sexton used 28 players throughout the season. To make matters worse, star player Alan Hudson put in a transfer request and there were rumours that Peter Osgood, the ‘King of Stamford Bridge’ might follow suit. Sexton’s mood darkened further with the shenanigans of the afternoon drinking club of Hutchinson, Osgood, Cooke, Hudson and Baldwin.
All of this was set against the backdrop of the East Stand being demolished to make way for the ambitious new stadium development.
Thrown in for good measure were a 4-0 thumping of rivals Leeds United; Hollywood Goddess Raquel Welch making an appearance (in the stands not the pitch!); Ossie’s ‘goal of the season’ against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter final and Bobby Charlton’s final match for Man Utd in Chelsea’s final home game of the season.
Perhaps the defining moment of the season was the defeat to Norwich in the League Cup semi-final. Having lost the final the previous season, it was 4th time in 14 months Chelsea had lost a cup tie when favourites and this would be the last major semi for 12 years – was this the end for the Kings of the Kings Road?
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