For over forty years, no one could usurp Bobby Tambling and his 202 goals for Chelsea. A humble, likable man whose only desire was to play the game he loved; this quiet legend went unspoken and somewhat uncelebrated until 2013 when Frank Lampard broke his long-standing record. And yet, in his own right, this was as fine a player as any to ever have worn Chelsea blue.
Making of the quiet legend
Even as you trawl Chelsea’s official website for a customary ode to “former key players,” the offering for Bobby Tambling does the job but it appears to miss the verve, the celebration, and the suave of an Osgood, a Harris, or a Bonetti. Perhaps due to the fact that he was as humble and quick to deflect praise as he was good at football, it just feels remiss for someone whose heart has beaten to the tune of the Chelsea drum for the better part of six decades.
Whether he likes it or not, though, Bobby Tambling is deserving of as much, if not more, adulation as any other Chelsea player in the club’s 115-year history. Starting his career in the youth setup at the age of 15, Tambling made his debut just two years later in 1959 against West Ham, managing to net the winner in the game too!
Largely playing second fiddle to legendary Chelsea, Tottenham, and England forward Jimmy Greaves for the first few years, Tambling got his chance to become the club’s main source of goals after Greaves departed for AC Milan in 1961. And the main source he was, finishing as the Blues’ top scorer in five consecutive seasons in the 1960s. As the club navigated a transition from division one to division two and back to division one between 1961 and 1963, Tambling’s goals were a constant outlet of reprieve for a club aspirant of major honours.
Donning the number eight that his successor to the goalscoring throne would make his own, Tambling was an adept, skillful forward whose major asset was his instinct which led to the perfect timing of his runs into and inside the box which, when coupled with deadly finishing ability, resulted in 202 goals in 370 appearances for his club.
He held his position from his debut in 1959 until his departure for Crystal Palace in 1970, sadly not part of his beloved Chelsea’s famous FA Cup triumph that year. His only trophy with the Blues was in the 1965 League Cup final in which he scored the opening goal in the first of two legs. In a rebuilding period for the club in the early 60s where they suffered relegation to the second division and the departure of many key players, Tambling was made captain and tasked with leading a young side back to where they belong. Consistently excellent, that’s exactly what he managed as Chelsea cemented themselves among England’s elite and started on a path towards cup triumphs at home and in Europe at the turn of the ‘70s.
The main man
Perhaps not as prolific as his predecessor Jimmy Greaves nor his celebrated teammate Peter Osgood, Tambling’s place among the pantheon of Chelsea greats is undisputed. For many years, he availed himself in a hospitable capacity in his later years and charmed guests with his stories and his love for the club. Every time adulation was sent his way, he quickly deflected instead wishing to praise the teammates who fed him the ball or the fans.
If Peter Osgood had the tenacity and the talent, Ron Harris the longevity and toughness, Peter Bonetti the agility and guile, Bobby Tambling had the humility, the killer instinct for goals, and the innate heartbeat of Chelsea Football Club. That his record stood for four decades is a testament to the brilliance of the man and ensures that no matter who usurps it, even his now good friend Frank Lampard, his legacy as a true Chelsea legend is sacrosanct.
Sources:
Chelsea FC: https://www.chelseafc.com/en/about-chelsea/history/former-players/bobby-tambling
Chelsea FC: https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2018/9/23/my-blue-days–bobby-tambling
Skillen, Charlie, MailOnline: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2323464/A-look-Bobby-Tambling-Frank-Lampard-Chelseas-record-scorer.html
Smith, Alan, Football London: https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/chelsea-greatest-forward-frank-lampard-17091721
Smith, Ben, BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/22570411
Transfermarkt: https://www.transfermarkt.com/bobby-tambling/profil/spieler/176758
Written by Dan Hill
Edited by Jai Mcintosh