| 1983–84 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Ken Bates | ||
| Manager | John Neal | ||
| Stadium | Stamford Bridge | ||
| Second Division | 1st | ||
| FA Cup | Third round | ||
| Milk Cup | Third round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League:Kerry Dixon (28) All:Kerry Dixon (34) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 35,147 vsSheffield Wednesday(21 January 1984) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 9,704 vsGillingham(13 September 1983) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 21,127 | ||
| Biggest win | 6–1 vSwansea City(6 December 1983) | ||
| Biggest defeat | 0–2 vLeicester City(25 October 1983) | ||
The1983–84 season wasChelsea Football Club's 70th competitive season. After five years in theSecond Division, Chelsea won promotion to theFirst Division as champions, losing only four of their 42 league matches and pippingSheffield Wednesday to the title on goal difference.
ManagerJohn Neal revamped his squad after narrowly avoiding relegation to theThird Division the previous season. New signings included goalkeeperEddie Niedzwiecki, centre-backJoe McLaughlin, midfielderNigel Spackman, wingerPat Nevin, and strikerKerry Dixon.
Neal also added experience in the form of veteran utility playerJohn Hollins, who rejoined the club on a free transfer fromArsenal. Hollins had made 473 league appearances for Chelsea between 1963 and 1975 before moving toQueens Park Rangers. He retired as a player at the end of the 1983-84 season but stayed on as a coach and eventually succeeded Neal as manager in 1985.
Chelsea opened the season with a resounding 5–0 home win overDerby County. Dixon scored twice and followed up with the winner in a midweek Milk Cup tie atGillingham, both goals in victory atBrighton and four in the return leg against Gillingham. He continued to score prolifically, ending the season as the Second Division's leading scorer with 28 goals, 34 in all competitions.
By the end of November, Chelsea lay in 2nd place behindSheffield Wednesday, having lost only one of their opening 17 league matches - 2–1 atHillsborough. After losing twice at home in December and atMiddlesbrough in the first match of the New Year, they closed out the season with a 17 match unbeaten run. This included a remarkable draw atCardiff in which Chelsea scored three times in the last six minutes after trailing 3–0 at half-time. Promotion was sealed by a 5–0 win overLeeds at the end of April.
With two matches of the season remaining, Chelsea trailed Sheffield Wednesday by two points, albeit with a significantly better goal difference. When Wednesday were held to a goalless draw byManchester City in their penultimate fixture, Chelsea took advantage by beatingBarnsley 3–1 to move into pole position and clinched the title with a 1–0 win atGrimsby.
| Pos. | Name | League | League Cup | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| GK |  Steve Francis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GK |  Eddie Niedzwiecki | 42 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| DF | Micky Droy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DF | Keith Dublin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | John Hollins | 29 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| DF | Chris Hutchings | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| DF | Joey Jones | 34 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
| DF |  Joe McLaughlin | 41 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| DF | Colin Pates | 42 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| MF | John Bumstead | 30(1) | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34(1) | 7 |
| MF | Alan Hudson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | Dale Jasper | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | Keith Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | Colin Lee | 25(8) | 3 | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29(9) | 3 |
| MF | Tony McAndrew | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 4 |
| MF | Nigel Spackman | 40 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 3 |
| MF | Mickey Thomas | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
| FW | Paul Canoville | 17(3) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22(3) | 7 |
| FW | Kerry Dixon | 42 | 28 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 34 |
| FW | Derek Johnstone | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 |
| FW | Pat Nevin | 38 | 14 | 3(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42(1) | 14 |
| FW | Peter Rhoades-Brown | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| FW | Duncan Shearer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | David Speedie | 32(5) | 13 | 2(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35(6) | 13 |
| FW | Clive Walker | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea(C, P) | 42 | 25 | 13 | 4 | 90 | 40 | +50 | 88 | Promotion to theFirst Division |
| 2 | Sheffield Wednesday(P) | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 72 | 34 | +38 | 88 | |
| 3 | Newcastle United(P) | 42 | 24 | 8 | 10 | 85 | 53 | +32 | 80 | |
| 4 | Manchester City | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 66 | 48 | +18 | 70 | |
| 5 | Grimsby Town | 42 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 70 |
| 27 August 19831 | Chelsea | 5–0 | Derby County | London |
Spackman 4'Walker 52'Hutchings 54'Dixon 63',68' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 17,388 |
| 3 September 19832 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–2 | Chelsea | Hove |
| Young 76' | Dixon 26' (pen.),81' | Stadium:Goldstone Ground Attendance: 20,874 |
| 7 September 19833 | Blackburn Rovers | 0–0 | Chelsea | Blackburn |
| Stadium:Ewood Park Attendance: 5,873 |
| 10 September 19834 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Cambridge United | London |
| Bumstead 20' Walker 76' | Goldsmith 2' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 14,425 |
| 17 September 19835 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2–1 | Chelsea | Sheffield |
| Lyons 47' Megson 84' | Walker 2' | Stadium:Hillsborough Attendance: 20,596 |
| 24 September 19836 | Chelsea | 0–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 15,822 |
| 1 October 19837 | Huddersfield Town | 2–3 | Chelsea | Huddersfield |
| Stanton 74' Lillis 84' | Dixon 12',50' Canoville 56' | Stadium:Leeds Road Attendance: 13,280 |
| 8 October 19838 | Fulham | 3–5 | Chelsea | London |
| Davies 17',22',76' | Dixon 9',86' Jones 45'Nevin 49'Lee 59' | Stadium:Craven Cottage Attendance: 24,787 |
| 15 October 19839 | Chelsea | 2–0 | Cardiff City | London |
| Nevin 17' Lee 63' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 15,459 |
| 22 October 198310 | Carlisle United | 0–0 | Chelsea | Carlisle |
| Stadium:Brunton Park Attendance: 6,774 |
| 29 October 198311 | Chelsea | 3–2 | Charlton Athletic | London |
| Speedie 24',32' Dixon 78' | Robinson 71' Moore 75' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 17,789 |
| 5 November 198312 | Oldham Athletic | 1–1 | Chelsea | Oldham |
| Palmer 64' | Bumstead 75' | Stadium:Boundary Park Attendance: 5,807 |
| 12 November 198313 | Chelsea | 4–0 | Newcastle United | London |
| Spackman 8' Rhoades-Brown 36'Speedie 46',67' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 30,628 |
| 15 November 198314 | Charlton Athletic | 1–1 | Chelsea | London |
| Harris 52' | Nevin 62' | Stadium:The Valley Attendance: 14,393 |
| 19 November 198315 | Chelsea | 2–2 | Crystal Palace | London |
| Hollins 37' Speedie 63' | Locke 10' Evans 24' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 19,060 |
| 22 November 198316 | Swansea City | 1–3 | Chelsea | Swansea |
| Pascoe 33' | Bumstead 7' Nevin 21'Dixon 42' | Stadium:Vetch Field Attendance: 7,848 |
| 26 November 198317 | Leeds United | 1–1 | Chelsea | Leeds |
| McCluskey 46' | Dixon 58' | Stadium:Elland Road Attendance: 20,680 |
| 3 December 198318 | Chelsea | 0–1 | Manchester City | London |
| Tolmie 44' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 29,142 |
| 6 December 198319 | Chelsea | 6–1 | Swansea City | London |
| Canoville 8',40',84' Nevin 24'Dixon 50'Bumstead 81' | Walsh 57' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 12,389 |
| 17 December 198321 | Chelsea | 2–3 | Grimsby Town | London |
| Dixon 26' (pen.) Bumstead 60' | Waters 65' Emson 75'Ford 77' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 13,151 |
| 26 December 198322 | Shrewsbury Town | 2–4 | Chelsea | Shrewsbury |
| Brown 44' MacLaren 75' | Dixon 64' (pen.) Speedie 71'Bumstead 81',84' | Stadium:Gay Meadow Attendance: 7,582 |
| 27 December 198323 | Chelsea | 2–2 | Portsmouth | London |
| Canoville 6' Dixon 39' | Hateley 4' Dillon 11' (pen.) | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 25,409 |
| 31 December 198324 | Chelsea | 1–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | London |
| Speedie 77' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 18,542 |
| 2 January 198425 | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Chelsea | Middlesbrough |
| Hamilton 39' Currie 87' | McAndrew 55' | Stadium:Ayresome Park Attendance: 11,579 |
| 14 January 198426 | Derby County | 1–2 | Chelsea | Derby |
| Plummer 87' | Cherry 5' (o.g.) McAndrew 76' (pen.) | Stadium:Baseball Ground Attendance: 16,727 |
| 21 January 198427 | Chelsea | 3–2 | Sheffield Wednesday | London |
| Thomas 16',40' Nevin 80' | Smith 82' Bannister 85' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 35,147 |
| 4 February 198428 | Chelsea | 3–1 | Huddersfield Town | London |
| Dixon 20',44' Speedie 62' | Doyle 55' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 17,922 |
| 11 February 198429 | Cambridge United | 0–1 | Chelsea | Cambridge |
| McAndrew 6' | Stadium:Abbey Stadium Attendance: 10,602 |
| 25 February 198430 | Chelsea | 0–0 | Carlisle United | London |
| Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 16,543 |
| 3 March 198431 | Chelsea | 3–0 | Oldham Athletic | London |
| Speedie 19' Dixon 71'McAndrew 75' (pen.) | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 12,736 |
| 10 March 198432 | Newcastle United | 1–1 | Chelsea | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| McDermott 70' | Speedie 52' | Stadium:St James' Park Attendance: 36,506 |
| 16 March 198433 | Chelsea | 2–1 | Blackburn Rovers | London |
| Nevin 39' Speedie 45' | Garner 70' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 18,905 |
| 31 March 198434 | Cardiff City | 3–3 | Chelsea | Cardiff |
| Gibbins 18' Owen 22' (pen.)Vaughan 25' | Dixon 84' Lee 85'Spackman 90' (pen.) | Stadium:Ninian Park Attendance: 11,060 |
| 7 April 198435 | Chelsea | 4–0 | Fulham | London |
| Dixon 1',38' Speedie 18'Nevin 67' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 31,947 |
| 14 April 198436 | Crystal Palace | 0–1 | Chelsea | London |
| Nevin 83' | Stadium:Selhurst Park Attendance: 20,540 |
| 21 April 198437 | Chelsea | 3–0 | Shrewsbury Town | London |
| Dixon 6',87' Nevin 32' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 17,295 |
| 24 April 198438 | Portsmouth | 2–2 | Chelsea | Portsmouth |
| Biley 62' Dillon 71' | Thomas 5' Nevin 56' (pen.) | Stadium:Fratton Park Attendance: 19,267 |
| 28 April 198439 | Chelsea | 5–0 | Leeds United | London |
| Thomas 6' Dixon 18',23',52'Canoville 89' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 33,447 |
| 4 May 198440 | Manchester City | 0–2 | Chelsea | Manchester |
| Nevin 65' Dixon 70' | Stadium:Maine Road Attendance: 21,713 |
| 7 May 198441 | Chelsea | 3–1 | Barnsley | London |
| Speedie 37' Nevin 77',89' | Geddis 60' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 29,541 |
| 12 May 198442 | Grimsby Town | 0–1 | Chelsea | Cleethorpes |
| Dixon 41' | Stadium:Blundell Park Attendance: 13,995 |
| 30 August 19831st Round 1st Leg | Gillingham | 1–2 | Chelsea | Gillingham |
| Shaw 14' | Walker 38' Dixon 57' | Stadium:Priestfield Attendance: 8,633 |
| 13 September 19831st Round 2nd Leg | Chelsea | 4–0 | Gillingham | London |
| Dixon 40',44',54',84' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 9,704 |
| 5 October 19832nd Round 1st Leg | Leicester City | 0–2 | Chelsea | Leicester |
| Dixon 23' Canoville 44' | Stadium:Filbert Street Attendance: 7,825 |
| 25 October 19832nd Round 2nd Leg | Chelsea | 0–2 (a.e.t.) (4–3p) | Leicester City | London |
| A. Smith 26' English 83' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 15,646 |
| 9 November 19833rd Round | Chelsea | 0–1 | West Bromwich Albion | London |
| Thompson 70' | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 22,932 |
| 7 January 19843rd Round | Blackburn Rovers | 1–0 | Chelsea | Blackburn |
| Brotherston 3' | Stadium:Ewood Park Attendance: 10,944 |
