8/16/2019 Chelsea - History - Old

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The club won promotion to the First Division in their second season, and yoyoedbetween the First and SecondDivisions in their early years. They reached the 1915 FA Cup Final, where they lost to Sheffield United at OldTrafford, and finished third in the First Division in 1920, the club's best league campaign to that point.[14] Chelseaattracted large crowds[15] and had a reputation for signing bignameplayers,[16] but success continued to elude theclub in the interwaryears.Former Arsenal and England centreforwardTed Drake became manager in 1952 and proceeded to modernise theclub. He removed the club's Chelsea pensioner crest, improved the youth setupand training regime, rebuilt theside with shrewd signings from the lower divisions and amateur leagues, and ledChelsea to their first major trophysuccess the League championship in 1954 55. The following season saw UEFA create the EuropeanChampions' Cup, but after objections from The Football League and the FA Chelsea were persuaded to withdrawfrom the competition before it started.[17] Chelsea failed to build on this success, and spent the remainder of the1950s in midtable.Drake was dismissed in 1961 and replaced by playercoach

Tommy Docherty.