toptop
Chelsea 3 - Sheffield Wednesday 0
(A version of this article
appeared in the 'Sunday Pictorial' on 24 April 1955) By Jack Peart
24 April 2005
After 50 inglorious years as football's laughing boys, Chelsea are League
champions. Their defeat of relegated Sheffield Wednesday assured them of their
first major honour in the Golden Jubilee year of the club. No wonder manager Ted
Drake bubbled over with pride and joy when I spoke to him after the game.
"This is the happiest day of my life," he said. "We have had a wonderful
response from every member of the staff. I've had my share of honours. That is
what makes me so happy for some older players."
Men like Johnny Harris, Roy Bentley and Ken Armstrong must have seen their
chance of winning anything big slipping away. "Now we have started it's up to
the youngsters to keep us at the top. Maybe we can win the Cup next year," Drake
said.
There's no doubt that Drake, a former Arsenal and England centre-forward, has
injected Chelsea with a never-say-die spirit. Yesterday's match that crowned
Drake's triumph in his third year as manager was, however, hardly worthy of the
occasion.
For the record, Eric Parsons scored a goal in each half and right-back Peter
Sillett showed how a penalty should be taken. Wednesday played without
goalkeeper McIntosh for most of the second half, conceded a penalty that should
never have been given and substitute keeper, left-back Curtis, gave away a gift
goal.
But no more of this game in which football struggled against the overpowering
atmosphere of grim excitement and nervous tension. These detached yet delirious
Chelsea fans wouldn't leave until Drake and his boys took their curtain calls in
front of the stand.
Well, they have waited a long time. There will be scenes like a theatre opening
night when they attend a civic reception at the Fulham Town Hall.
Chelsea (2-3-5): Thomson; Sillett, Willemse; Armstrong, Wicks, Saunders;
Parsons, McNichol, Bentley (capt), O'Connell, Blunstone.
Sheffield Wed (2-3-5): McIntosh; Martin, Curtis; McAnearney, McEvoy (capt), Jay;
Finney, Quixall, Froggatt, Sewell, Marriott.
Referee: W Ling (Stapleford).