1. Chelsea were founded on 14 March 1905 at The Rising Sun pub (now The Butcher's Hook) on Fulham Road.
2. They reached their first FA Cup final in 1915, but lost to
Sheffield United.
3. Former England centre-forward Ted Drake became manager in 1952 and proceeded to modernise the club, starting by removing the club's
Chelsea pensioner crest.
4. The 1960s saw the emergence of a talented young Chelsea side under manager Tommy Docherty. They challenged for honours throughout the decade, and endured several near-misses.
5. Chelsea won the FA Cup in 1970, after a replay against
Leeds, and lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup the following season.
6. In June 2003, Ken Bates sold Chelsea to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for £140 million, completing what was then the biggest-ever sale of an English football club.
7. Chelsea have always worn blue shirts, although they initially adopted a lighter shade than the current version.
8. Chelsea's highest appearance-maker is ex-captain Ron Harris, who played in 795 first-class games for the club between 1961 and 1980.
9. With 116 caps (74 while at the club), Marcel Desailly of France is Chelsea's most capped international player.
10. Chelsea’s average home gate for the 2008–09 season was 41,588, the sixth highest in the Premier League.
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