Chelsea Football Club

Club: Chelsea FC
Formed: 1905
Nickname: Blues
Colours: All blue
Stadium: Stamford Bridge (42,440)
Address: Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS
Website: www.chelseafc.co.uk

Chelsea have always done things differently. Their beginnings were certainly unusual; the club had a ground before they were formed, and were elected to the Football League without even playing a match.

Success, though, wasn't so easy to obtain and 1955's league title was the club's first major honour. 1970 witnessed more silverware in the form of the FA Cup and the European Cup-Winners Cup followed a year later. But the 'golden era' was short-lived and by 1975 the 'twilight years' had begun with the club struggling both on and off the pitch.

It wasn't until the arrival of Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli at the end of the 1990s that Chelsea's fortunes were reversed and new acquisitions for the Stamford Bridge trophy room were acquired. Yet despite Vialli and Gullit's flamboyance and glamour, it is the roubles of new owner Roman Abramovich which are more likely to achieve what Chelsea fans crave most: the club's first Premiership title.

Fact: Chelsea Football Club was formed in 1905 by the owners of the Stamford Bridge Athletic Ground, Gus and John Mears

Fact: Stamford Bridge was originally offered to Fulham to play there but they declined the chance and so Chelsea took the chance instead.