Publisher's Synopsis
Nearly every football supporter recalls aspects of their first ever match, seared forever in their memory banks. This book contains the first-game memories of over 200 Chelsea supporters. The earliest dates back to 1951, the latest is from 2019.
Some memories are utterly hilarious, others deeply moving. Memories of a time gone by, of family and friends no longer with us. Of a vastly different Stamford Bridge, of a totally different atmosphere and crowd make-up. Mixed aromas of fried onions, horses and cigarette smoke. Packed tube trains and buses. Waiting outside the pub with a bottle of pop while dad drank inside. Streets rammed with spectators. Hot dogs, peanuts, rosettes and programmes. Paying at (or crawling under) the turnstiles. The first sight of the pitch. Packed (or not so packed) terracing. Songs, noise and language. The players - from Bentley, Greaves and Tambling to Drogba, Hazard and Kirby. The matches - from a 13-0 victory to a 1-7 defeat. Glorious comebacks. Abject surrenders. Tedious draws. The journey home. Irreplaceable memories. The memories collected in this unique book tell what watching Chelsea was like for impressionable youngsters, covering a period of nearly 70 years. Net proceeds from sales will be split between Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank and Barons Court Homeless Project, the charities supported by the annual Great Stamford Bridge Sleepout organised by Chelsea Supporters Trust.
