Season: 1956–57
Football League First Division
League
Two years after the title, Ted Drake’s Chelsea settled into mid-table — and said goodbye to the captain who had led them there.
- Division
- Football League First Division (Tier 1)
- Manager
- Ted Drake
- Top scorer (league)
- Johnny McNichol (10)
- Top scorer (all comps)
- Johnny McNichol (11)
- Avg. league attendance
- 31,732
Cups & Europe
- FA Cup
- Fourth round
- League Cup
- —
- Europe
- —
- Other
- Southern Floodlit Challenge Cup: Round 1 (lost to Luton Town 2–4, 26 Sep 1956)
Notes
Two years after the title, Ted Drake’s Chelsea settled into mid-table — and said goodbye to the captain who had led them there. Roy Bentley was transferred to Fulham on 21 September 1956; by then the side had already taken only three points from six league games. They finished 13th of 22 in the First Division with 39 points from 13 wins, 13 draws and 16 defeats (73–73), level on points and goal average with Birmingham City (Rothmans places Birmingham 12th). Home form was 7–8–6 (43–36); away 6–5–10 (30–37). Johnny McNichol led the scoring with 10 league goals and 11 in all competitions (one in the FA Cup). Jim Lewis and Ron Tindall had 9 league goals each, Les Stubbs 7, Peter Brabrook, Tony Nicholas and Derek Saunders 6 apiece. The FA Cup brought a 2–0 win at Leyton Orient in the third round, then a heavy 0–4 exit at Tottenham in the fourth. In the Southern Floodlit Challenge Cup Chelsea went out in the first round, 2–4 at Luton Town on 26 September. The season still had its nights. On 20 February Chelsea won 4–3 at White Hart Lane; on 22 April they hit Newcastle United for six at the Bridge (6–2), the biggest league win of the year. Heaviest defeats were 0–4 at Sheffield Wednesday on the second weekend and 0–4 at Tottenham in the Cup. Stamford Bridge staged its first floodlit match on 19 March 1957, a 2–0 friendly win over Sparta. Home league gates averaged 31,732 (high 55,788 vs Tottenham on 6 October; low 13,647 vs Bolton Wanderers on 23 February).
Kits
Under reviewWhite shirts appeared as occasional cup/third options in the late 1950s.
Illustration from hex colours (not official kit photography).
On this day (related years)
History
Eras, trophies, and great matches in the History section.
Explore history →Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chelsea_F.C._seasons
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956%E2%80%9357_Chelsea_F.C._season
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956%E2%80%9357_Football_League
- https://www.fchd.info/CHELSEA.HTM
- https://www.fchd.info/lghist/fl1957.htm
- https://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Summaries/1956.htm
- https://bounder.friardale.co.uk/Results/1956.htm
- http://free-elements.com/England/Goals/CheL/CheL1956.html
- http://www.mychelseafc.com/chelsea_news/previous_results/56results.htm
- https://www.englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk/stats/Report/gate/a1956-57.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Challenge_Cup
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_McNichol
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Bentley
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Drake
- https://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Chelsea/Chelsea.htm
- https://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Chelsea/Chelsea-change-kits.html