Section » View from Gate 17
A RIOT OF MY OWN
For many who overindulge during the festive period, the hangover that follows presents an opportunity to reflect upon the past, make resolutions for the future, and contemplate the meaning of life in general. The older we get, the more we experience the mutability of time. Depending on our state of sobriety we feel it speed up or slow down, but mainly ...
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SEASONS BLEATINGS
Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way … oh what fun it is to sing when Chelsea win away hey. If only eh? ...
THE MAN WHO LOVED LIFE
My alarm clock-radio clicked on at 5.55am, the same as it always did. A couple of hours sleep hadn’t done me too many favours, I rubbed my eyes and lay in the darkness waiting for the 6am news bulletin whilst questioning the sanity of my trip to Burnden Park the previous evening to watch Premier League ...
FROM LA TO FULHAM BROADWAY
The referential term ‘legend’ is so hackneyed in modern vocabulary that the impact of its usage, particularly in football parlance, has become somewhat diluted. In order to emphasise the achievements of an individual we now find ourselves referring to them as a ‘genuine legend or ‘true ...
THE PREMIERSHIP YEARS 1993 / 1994
For Chelsea supporters of a certain age, the trophy-laden Abramovich-era represents payback time. Every time John goes up to lift the this-that-or-other cup, opposing fans jealously enquire where we were when we were not quite as good as we are today … though less politely. It makes me smile. During ...
TERRACE FASHION: WHAT NOT TO WEAR
In an exclusive extract from Mark Worrall’s most recent publication ‘One Man Went To Mow’ Mark Worrall takes a wry look at terrace clobber and the contrasting fortunes of two clothing brands that have enjoyed ‘must-have’ status in recent years amongst the style conscious fans that ...
WE ALL FOLLOW THE CHELSEA?
We all follow the Chelsea … begins a popular Chelsea chant, but more and more these days I’m beginning to wonder if this assumptive terrace anthem is in fact correct. The football media circus may have re-pitched its tent 200 miles north of Stamford Bridge focussing its frenzied attentions ...
CRISIS… WHAT CRISIS?
Bleary eyed at Gatwick airport last Wednesday morning, I’d picked up a copy of the Times to read on the short flight to Bordeaux. With the credit crunch biting, and my travels across Europe watching the Blues this year having all but eroded my holiday entitlement, I’d elected to travel to ...
THE NEW YORK BLUES
When the opportunity presented itself to visit New York for free it was always going to be something too good to pass up on, even if it meant sacrificing a jaunt to the Eternal City to watch Chelsea in Champions League action against AS Roma. If I hadn’t already seen the Blues play in the Stadio ...
FANGS FOR THE MAMMARIES
Argh the credit crunch. With banks falling like autumn leaves and financial uncertainty in the air for many honest hardworking Blues fans, the cost involved in following our beloved football club in Europe can be punitive or indeed a barrier. The Champions League tie CFR Cluj was an excellent opportunity ...
SMALL CLUB IN FULHAM?
Football, isn’t it just the greatest soap opera on the planet? Glorious unpredictability is one thing us Blues fans are born into. Whether you are a seasoned old-school stager from back-in-the-day when we really were sh*t, or a new disciple of Abramovich era Chelsea, CFC still has the capacity ...
LAST ORDERS AT TONES BAR
The unwelcome impact of the global credit crunch has been felt by many people in many different ways. Scarcely a day passes without more depressing news about the economy assaulting our senses from every angle. Chelsea Football Club, bankrolled by Roman Abramovich, remains unaffected. They say that money ...
THE CASE AGAINST PETER KENYON
As the Blues search for a reputable manager to replace ‘nearly man’ Avram Grant becomes mired in farce and subterfuge I’m left wondering exactly whom at Chelsea Football Club owner Mr Abramovich should hold accountable for this shabby state of affairs which has left many supporters feeling ...
