Chelsea Wraps up Premiership Title with Win over Bolton

Chelsea Football Club wrapped up a the English Premiership Soccer Title Saturday with a solid 2-0 win over sixth place Bolton Wanderers. The last time Chelsea won the championship was 1955, so a great many Blues fans, who have had to listen to trash talk from supporters of Arsenal, Manchester United, and a while back, Liverpool and Tottenham, finally get their own back. Quite a way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the club's founding.

The match itself was not the best possible ending -- Manchester United is still to come, and winning the title against them would have been more Hollywood. On the other hand, finishing it off this week-end lets Chelsea focus on the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool tomorrow. After Liverpool, if Chelsea moves on, the final would offer the club the chance at their third title this season, having one the League Cup earlier.

Fans from other clubs have complained about all the money Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch and billionaire, has spent on acquiring talent. And to a degree this charge holds water. What is funny is when Manchester United supporters, whose side is every bit as guilty, are the people whining. Man U is the richest club in the UK, so apparently, money isn't everything.

There are a great many heroes at Stamford Bridge this year: Jose Mourinho as manager may be an egotistical jackass, but he's also been the man who got it done; Captain John Terry was voted Player of the Year by the other players in the Premiership; Frank Lampard and Peter Cech, Chelsea teammates, lost to Mr. Terry but having three nominees speaks to talent of the side -- purchased or not. And then, there is the the man who isn't even with Chelsea anymore, but who probably did more to put Chelsea where they are now than anyone -- former chairman Ken Bates.

Back in 1982, Chelsea was playing in the Second Division, losing money, and on the verge of imploding as a team and as a business proposition. Mr. Bates bought the club for a pound, and took on £1.5 million in debt. He sold the club to Mr. Abramovich, along with the Chelsea Village holding company that has property and such in the Stamford Bridge area, for £140 million. So, when the lads from up north complain about the rubles Chelski spent to get the title, remember that it all began with Mr. Bates and a single pound.


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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