The history of Chelsea Football Club is littered with teams who got close but underachieved. The periods of John Neal and Claudio Ranieri were two notable eras which never quite delivered on their promise.
One of the most underrated managers in Chelsea history, was without doubt the late Tommy Docherty. Born in 1928, the Scotsman first joined Chelsea from Arsenal as a player-coach in the summer of 1961. Ted Drake, who’d won Chelsea’s first league title six years earlier, was still manager, but it soon became clear he was coming to the end.
When Drake was sacked in September 1961, Docherty, aged just 33, succeeded him as manager. Chelsea were already well on their way to relegation and with an ageing side minus their goal machine Jimmy Greaves, who had been sold to AC Milan earlier in the year, even Docherty’s appointment wasn’t enough to save them.
Tommy Docherty was a unique character. Highly knowledgeable about football and an excellent coach, he had an abrasive, stubborn character, which often upset people. He was never afraid to speak his mind or get tough with his players. This was a trait which often helped him, but would, like other Chelsea managers after him, ultimately be his downfall. More of that later.
After relegation, Docherty conducted overhaul not just of the team, but the club as a whole. The scouting system was overhauled, and he also introduced new tactical and coaching practices from the rest of Europe. Most notably of all, he changed Chelsea’s kit. Chelsea’s kit until then had been royal blue tops, white shorts and blue or black socks. Docherty changed this, to royal blue shorts and white socks to go with the royal blue top – a change which has largely stayed in place to this day.
Much like now, Chelsea had a thriving academy, and in the absence of big money to spend, with second division football, Docherty decided to give the academy players a go. 10 players were sold or given away, and there were only four signings, the most significant of which was Eddie McCreadie, who became a legendary left back for the Blues. The likes of Terry Venables (who was captain), Peter Bonnetti, Bobby Tambling, Bert Murray, John Hollins, Ron Harris and Ken Shilletto, came into the side and established themselves as first team regulars. During a TV documentary made about Chelsea at the time, Docherty was seen to refer to his team as “my little diamonds”, and the name stuck. Docherty’s Diamonds were born.
Chelsea were promoted at the first attempt, finishing 2nd in the old second division (now the Championship), on goal average. They finished 5th in their first season back in the top flight, playing a stylish, attractive style of football which hadn’t been seen at the Bridge before. Docherty used a high pressing, quick passing system, and he was one of the first managers to use overlapping full backs.
Docherty had laid solid foundations, and now set about building on these, to create a side capable of winning trophies.
The next season, 1964/65, with the likes of George Graham added to the squad, Chelsea set the early pace and made a serious challenge for the league title. As the season reached it’s climax, they were in a title race with Manchester United and Leeds United, and all three teams were in the FA Cup semi finals.
Earlier in this season, there had a been a notable moment in Chelsea history. In December 1964, after 30 goals in 20 reserve games, the 17 year old Peter Osgood made his first team debut for the Blues, in a League Cup game. He scored both goals in a league cup game against Workington, before going back to the reserves. But his time was coming.
Chelsea went on to win the League Cup, beating Leicester City 3-2 over a two-legged final. But a potential domestic treble was on, Chelsea were still on course in the league and FA Cup.
But as seems to have become a pattern with Chelsea since, cracks were appearing behind the scenes. Docherty was beginning to fall out with some of the players, Venables in particular, and this contributed to two successive defeats, away to title rivals Manchester United, and then in the FA Cup semi finals, games Chelsea were favourites for at the time. However, despite going out of the cup, Chelsea were top of the league with four games to go.
However, just before a crucial away game to Burnley, eight key players, including Venables, Graham, Bridges and Hollins, were sent home by Docherty for breaching curfew, and suspended by Docherty for the rest of the season. It was a massive story at the time. Now playing a team full of reserves and inexperienced players, Chelsea lost the game 6-2 and never recovered. They proceeded to lose their next game 2-0 to Liverpool, which nigh on ended their title chances, and Chelsea ended up finishing 3rd. A chance to win the league had gone.
The next season Chelsea again had a good season. Peter Osgood became a full member of the first team squad, aged 18, and scored 11 goals in 48 appearances. Chelsea finished 5th in the league, but the season was more notable for two cup runs.
This was the year Chelsea played their first European football, in the Inter City Fairs Cup (the equivalent of the Europa League) where they progressed all the way to the semi finals, a run which included getting past AC Milan by the toss of a coin (no penalty shoot outs then).
Chelsea played Barcelona in the semi finals, the first of many European encounters with the Catalans, winning the first leg 2-0. After losing the second leg 2-0, the toss of a coin decided that the replay would be played at the Nou Camp, where Chelsea lost 5-0. For the second season running Chelsea made the FA Cup semi finals, playing again at Villa Park. However, the team ended up losing to Liverpool 2-0.
Yet again, Chelsea had come so close under Docherty, without taking that final step. Nevertheless, Docherty had successfully rebuilt the Chelsea side, building a young, vibrant team full of energy, playing stylish, attacking football. They had won the league cup, reached three semi finals, including a European semi final, and made a serious title challenge. The average age of the team was 21, and a bright future looked assured.
However, the divisions behind the scenes led to a partial break up of that team. Docherty had fallen out with some key players, and unlike today, the club backed the manager. Venables was sold to Spurs, and, Graham, Bridges and Murray were also sold. It seemed crazy at the time, and in hindsight, heartbreaking.
However it wasn’t all bad news. Charlie Cooke was signed from Dundee, and Tommy Bladwin also arrived that summer. Docherty reshaped his attack around Osgood and Cooke, and initially this paid off. Chelsea were top of the league in October 1966, unbeaten after 10 games, during which time Osgood had scored six goals. A title challenge looked on.
But then, Osgood broke his leg in a League Cup tie at Blackpool, through a horror tackle by Emlyn Hughes. Chelsea immediately signed Tony Hatley to replace him, but momentum was lost and Osgood, out for the season, proved to be irreplaceable and despite Bobby Tambling scoring 28 goals, Chelsea finished a disappointing 9th.
Despite this, Chelsea reached their third successive FA Cup semi final. Having lost their previous two, expectations weren’t high. But this time it would prove to be different. Chelsea beat Leeds to reach the FA Cup final, where they would play a Spurs side containing two Chelsea academy products in Jimmy Greaves and Terry Venables, in what became known as the ‘Cockney Cup Final’.
But Chelsea didn’t turn up. They lost 2-1, and Ron Harris would reflect later:
“They didn’t play well but we were absolutely diabolical”.
This defeat was the beginning of the end of Tommy Docherty. It seemed like he’d taken Chelsea as far as he could. That summer the Scot was suspended for 28 days by the Football Association over an altercation with a referee during a club trip to Bermuda. This essentially sealed his fate. Chelsea won only two of the first 10 league games in the 1967-68 season, and Docherty resigned.
He left behind a squad which included future legends – Peter Osgood, Peter Bonetti, Ron Harris, Eddie McCreadie, Bobby Tambling, John Hollins, and Charlie Cooke were players he either developed or signed, and under his successor Dave Sexton would win the FA Cup in 1970 and Cup Winners Cup in 1971.
There are many what ifs in Chelsea history, but one wonders without the big fallout between Docherty and his players, the club may well have gone on to win the league that season. If they had stayed, and Osgood remained injury free, could have, given the talent and age of the squad, had a side which dominated for several seasons and won more than even Sexton managed.
The legacy Docherty left was a style of play which defined Chelsea in that era, a squad ready to win trophies, and some great memories of some fantastic football. During his tenure Chelsea became a fashionable side, full of charisma, and style which reflected the character of the man.
Docherty himself would go on to manage both Scotland and Manchester United amongst others, but in his later years, would continue to say that Chelsea team was the best side he developed.
Docherty died on the 31st Decemer 2020 aged 92. At the time Frank Lampard was Chelsea manager, a manager who had done a similar job in many ways, rebuilding an ageing Chelsea side around a core of talented academy players. Like Lampard, Docherty deserves huge credit for integrating and developing a bunch of academy prospects and building the core of a great side.
Docherty’s Diamonds may only have won the league cup, but it should unquestionably be remembered as one of Chelsea’s best sides.
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Written by The Score (@TheScore01)
Edited by Tom Coley (@tomcoley49)
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