SINGING THE BLUES

LOOKS BACK AT THE FIRST TIME CHELSEA BECAME CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND

- LIAM HARDING

THIS year marks the 70th anniversary since Ted Drake’s Ducklings secured the first major honour in Chelsea's history - the 1954-55 First Division title.

Drake, one of the most feared strikers of the 1930s for Arsenal and England, was handed what was described at the time as “the most thankless task in football” upon arriving at Stamford Bridge in 1952 from Third Division side Reading.

This was something that the Hampshire man - who famously scored a record-breaking seven goals in a league game for Arsenal at Aston Villa in 1935 - was determined to tackle head on, despite the fact that Chelsea had just about avoided relegation the previous season.

Drake declared: “I want to find out what has been wrong all this time, and shall not rest until I have put it right.”

Soon afterwards Drake boldly shared his vision with the Chelsea board, stating he could win the Londoners the league championship with-in three seasons. The new boss was a pioneer like no other seen at Stamford Bridge before.

He transformed the club’s insignia then based on the head of a Chelsea Pensioner to the rampant Lion which remains in place today.