Since the club's foundation

Since the club's foundation, Chelsea have had four main crests, though all underwent minor variations. Sony VAIO PCG-71112M Battery

In 1905, Chelsea adopted as their first crest the image of a Chelsea pensioner, which contributed to the "pensioner" nickname, and remained for the next half-century, though it never appeared on the shirts. As part of Ted Drake's modernisation of the club from 1952 onwards, Sony VAIO PCG-81111V Battery

he insisted that the pensioner badge be removed from the match day programme in order to change the club's image and that a new crest be adopted.^[55] As a stop-gap, a temporary emblem comprising simply the initials C.F.C. was adopted for one year. In 1953, Chelsea's crest was changed to an upright blue lion looking backwards and holding a staff, Sony VAIO PCG-81111V Battery

which was to endure for the next three decades. This crest was based on elements in the coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea^[56] with the "lion rampant regardant" taken from the arms of then club president Viscount Chelsea and the staff from the Abbots of Westminster, former Lords of the Manor of Chelsea. Sony VAIO PCG-81212M Battery

It also featured three red roses, to represent England, and two footballs. This was the first club badge to appear on shirts, since the policy of putting the crest on the shirts was only adopted in the early 1960s.^[55]

In 1986, with Ken Bates now owner of the club, Chelsea's crest was changed again as part of another attempt to modernise and to capitalise on new marketing opportunities. Sony VAIO PCG-81212V Battery

The new badge featured a more naturalistic non-heraldic lion, in white and not blue, standing over the C.F.C. initials. It lasted for the next 19 years, with some modifications such as the use of different colours, including red from 1987 to 1995, and yellow from 1995 until 1999, before the white returned.^[57] Sony VAIO PCG-51111M Battery

With the new ownership of Roman Abramovich, and the club's centenary approaching, combined with demands from fans for the popular 1950s badge to be restored, it was decided that the crest should be changed again in 2005. The new crest was officially adopted for the start of the 2005–06 season and marked a return to the older design, used from 1953–86, Sony VAIO VPCS13X9E/B battery

featuring a blue heraldic lion holding a staff. For the centenary season this was accompanied by the words '100 YEARS' and 'CENTENARY 2005–2006' on the top and bottom of the crest respectively.

Chelsea have always worn blue shirts, although they originally used the paler eton blue, Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B battery

which was taken from the racing colours of then club president, Earl Cadogan, and was worn with white shorts and dark blue or black socks.^[58] The light blue shirts were replaced by a royal blue version in around 1912.^[59] In the 1960s Chelsea manager Tommy Docherty changed the kit again, Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B battery

switching to blue shorts (which have remained ever since) and white socks, believing it made the club's colours more modern and distinctive, since no other major side used that combination; this kit was first worn during the 1964–65 season.^[60] Since then Chelsea have always worn white socks with their home kit apart from a short spell from 1985 to 1992, when blue socks were reintroduced. Sony VAIO VPCF13M8E/B battery

Chelsea's traditional away colours are all yellow or all white with blue trim, but, as with most teams, they have had some more unusual ones. The first away strip consisted of black and white stripes and for one game in the 1960s the team wore blue and black stripes, inspired byInter Milan's kit, again at Docherty's behest.^[61] Sony VAIO VPCF13Z0E/B battery

Other memorable away kits include a mint green strip in the 1980s, a red and white checked one in the early 90s and a graphite and tangerine edition in the mid-1990s.

Chelsea have the fifth highest average all-time attendance in English football^[7] and regularly attract over 40,000 fans to Stamford Bridge; Sony VAIO VPCM13M1E/L battery

they were the sixth best-supported Premier League team in the 2011–12 season, with an average gate of 41,478.^[8] Chelsea's traditional fanbase comes from all over the Greater London area including working-class parts such asHammersmith and Battersea, wealthier areas like Chelsea and Kensington, and from the home counties. Sony VAIO VPCM13M1E/W battery

There are also numerous official supporters clubs in the United Kingdom and all over the world.^[63] At matches, Chelsea fans sing chants such as"Carefree" (to the tune of Lord of the Dance, whose lyrics were probably written by supporter Mick Greenaway^[64][65]), "Ten Men Went to Mow", "We All Follow the Chelsea" (to the tune of Land of Hope and Glory), "Zigga Zagga", and the celebratory"Celery", Sony VAIO VPCF22M1E battery

with the latter often resulting in fans ritually throwing celery. The vegetable was banned inside Stamford Bridge after an incident involving Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas at the 2007 League Cup Final.^[66]

During the 1970s and 1980s in particular, Chelsea supporters were associated with football hooliganism. Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E/H battery

The club's "football firm", originally known as the Chelsea Shed Boys, and subsequently as the Chelsea Headhunters, were nationally notorious for violent acts involving hooligans from other teams, such as West Ham United's Inter City Firm and Millwall's Bushwackers, before, during and after matches.^[67] Sony VAIO VPCF13M0E/B battery

The increase of hooligan incidents in the 1980s led chairman Ken Bates to propose erecting an electric fence to deter them from invading the pitch, a proposal that the Greater London Council rejected.^[68] Since the 1990s there has been a marked decline in crowd trouble at matches, as a result of stricter policing, Sony VAIO VPCYB2M1E battery

CCTV in grounds and the advent of all-seater stadia.^[69] According to Home Office statistics, 126 Chelsea fans were arrested for football-related offences during the 2009–10 season, the third highest in the division, and 27 banning orders were issued, the fifth highest in the division. Sony VAIO VPCYB3V1E battery

Chelsea do not have a traditional rivalry on the scale of the Merseyside derby or the North London derby because their West London derbies with Fulham or Queens Park Rangers have not been as prominent over the years since the clubs have often been in different divisions. Sony VAIO VPCY11M1E battery

A 2004 survey by Planetfootball.com found that Chelsea fans consider their main rivalries to be with (in order): Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.^[71] Their rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur is said to have developed following the 1967 FA Cup Final, the first cup final held between two London clubs. Sony VAIO VPCS12L9E/B battery

Additionally, a strong rivalry with Leeds Uniteddates back to several heated and controversial matches in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the 1970 FA Cup Final.^[72] More recently a rivalry with Liverpool has grown following repeated clashes in cup competitions.

Chelsea's highest appearance-maker is ex-captain Ron Harris, who played in 795 first-class games for the club between 1961 and 1980.^[74] Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E/B battery

This record is unlikely to be broken in the near future; Chelsea's current highest appearance-maker is Frank Lampard with 561.^[75] The record for a Chelsea goalkeeper is held by Harris's contemporary, Peter Bonetti, who made 729 appearances (1959–79). With 91 caps (89 while at the club), Sony VAIO VPCYB3V1E/R Battery

Frank Lampard of England is Chelsea's most capped international player. Bobby Tambling is Chelsea's all-time top goalscorer, with 202 goals in 370 games (1959–70).^[74] Eight other players have also scored over 100 goals for Chelsea: George Hilsdon(1906–12), George Mills (1929–39), Roy Bentley (1948–56), Sony VAIO VPCF23P1E Battery

Jimmy Greaves (1957–61), Peter Osgood (1964–74 and 1978–79), Kerry Dixon(1983–92), Frank Lampard (2001–) and Didier Drogba (2004–12). Greaves holds the record for the most goals scored in one season (43 in 1960–61). Lampard is the top scorer currently at the club with 188.^[75] Sony VAIO VPCF23N1E Battery

Chelsea's biggest winning scoreline in a competitive match is 13–0, achieved against Jeunesse Hautcharage in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1971.^[76] The club's biggest top-flight win was an 8–0 victory against Wigan Athletic in 2010.^[77] Chelsea's biggest loss was an 8–1 reverse against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1953.^[78] Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/L Battery

Officially, Chelsea's highest home attendance is 82,905 for a First Division match against Arsenal on 12 October 1935. However, an estimated crowd of over 100,000 attended a friendly match against Soviet team Dynamo Moscow on 13 November 1945.The modernisation of Stamford Bridge during the 1990s and the introduction of all-seater stands mean that neither record will be broken for the foreseeable future. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/G battery

The current legal capacity of Stamford Bridge is 41,837.

Chelsea hold the English record for the highest ever points total for a league season (95), the fewest goals conceded during a league season (15), the highest number of Premier League victories in a season (29), Sony VAIO VPCF24M1E battery

the highest number of clean sheets overall in a Premier League season (25) (all set during the 2004–05 season),^[81]and the most consecutive clean sheets from the start of a league season (6, set during the 2005–06 season).^[82]The club's 21–0 aggregate victory over Jeunesse Hautcharage in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1971 remains a record in European competition.^[83] Sony VAIO PCG-51111M battery

Chelsea hold the record for the longest streak of unbeaten matches at home in the English top-flight, which lasted 86 matches from 20 March 2004 to 26 October 2008. They secured the record on 12 August 2007, beating the previous record of 63 matches unbeaten set by Liverpool between 1978 and 1980. Sony VAIO VPCF-11JOE battery

Chelsea's streak of eleven consecutive away league wins, set between 5 April 2008 and 6 December 2008, is also a record for the English top flight.^[86] Their £50m purchase of Fernando Torres in January 2011 is a British record transfer fee.^[87]

Chelsea, along with Arsenal, were the first club to play with shirt numbers, on 25 August 1928 in their match against Swansea Town.Sony VAIO VGN-AW110J/H Battery

They were the first English side to travel by aeroplane to a domestic away match, when they visited Newcastle United on 19 April 1957,^[89] and the first First Division side to play a match on a Sunday, when they faced Stoke City on 27 January 1974. On 26 December 1999, Chelsea became the first British side to field an entirely foreign starting line-up (no British or Irish players) in a Premier League match against Southampton.^[90] Sony VAIO VGN-AW11M/H Battery

On 19 May 2007, they became the first team to win the FA Cup at the new Wembley Stadium, having also been the last to win it at the old Wembley.^[91] At the end of the 2007–08 season, Chelsea became the highest ranked club under UEFA's five-year coefficient system, the first English club to do so in the 21st century.^[92] Sony VAIO VGN-AW11S/B Battery

On the final day of the 2009–10 season, Chelsea became the first team in Premier League history to score at least 100 goals in a single season.^[27] In 2012, Chelsea became the first London based club to win the UEFA Champions League, after beating Bayern Munich in the final. Sony VAIO VGN-AW11XU/Q Battery

Chelsea Football Club is owned by Chelsea FC plc, whose ultimate parent company is Fordstam Limited, which is controlled by Roman Abramovich.^[93] Previously, Ken Bates had owned a controlling stake in Chelsea since 1982, when he bought it from Brian Mears, whose family had owned the club since founding it in 1905. Sony VAIO VGN-AW11Z/B Battery

The club was floated on the AIM stock exchange in March 1996.^[94] In July 2003 Abramovich purchased Bates' 29.5% stake in Chelsea Village plc and over the following weeks bought out most of the remaining 12,000 shareholders at 35 pence per share, completing a £140 million takeover. Sony VAIO VGN-AW120J/H Battery

Other shareholders at the time of the takeover included theMatthew Harding estate (21%), BSkyB (9.9%) and various anonymous offshore trusts.^[95] After passing the 90% share threshold, Abramovich took the club back into private hands, delisting it from the AIM on 22 August 2003.^[96] Sony VAIO VGN-AW150Y/H Battery

Chelsea has been described as a global brand; a 2012 report by Brand Finance ranked Chelsea fifth and valued the club's brand value at US $398 million – an increase of 27% from the previous year, also valuing it at US $10 million more than the sixth best brand, London rivals Arsenal – and gave the brand a strength rating of AA (very strong). Sony VAIO VGN-AW160J/Q Battery

In 2012, Forbes magazine ranked Chelsea was seventh in their list of the ten most valuable football clubs in the world, valuing the club's brand at £473 million ($761 million).^[9][10]Chelsea are currently ranked sixth in the Deloitte Football Money League^[99] with an annual commercial revenue of £225.6 million.^[100] Sony VAIO VGN-AW170Y/Q Battery

Chelsea are additionally funded by Abramovich via interest free soft loans channelled through his holding company Fordstam Limited. The loans stood at £709 million in December 2009, when they were all converted to equity by Abramovich, leaving the club itself debt free,^[101][102] although the debt remains with Fordstam.^[103] Sony VAIO VGN-AW180Y/Q Battery

Since 2008 the club has had no external debt.^[104]

Chelsea's kit has been manufactured by Adidas since 2006, which is contracted to supply the club's kit from 2006 to 2018. The partnership was extended in October 2010 in a deal worth £160 million over eight years.^[105] Sony VAIO VGN-AW190JAH Battery

Previously, the kit was manufactured by Umbro (1968–81), Le Coq Sportif (1981–86), The Chelsea Collection (1986–87) and Umbro again (1987–2006). Chelsea's first shirt sponsor was Gulf Air, agreed during the 1983–84 season. The club were then sponsored by Grange Farms, Bai Lin Tea and Simod before a long-term deal was signed with Commodore International in 1989; Sony VAIO VGN-AW190NAB Battery