The 1905–06 season was Chelsea Football Club's first competitive season and first year in existence. Newly elected to the Football League, Chelsea competed in the Second Division. Under the guidance of young player-manager Jacky Robertson, Chelsea finished third in the division earning 53 points (under the two points for a win system), missing out on promotion after a late run of bad form. The Pensioners also suffered from bad luck in the FA Cup, a scheduling conflict forcing them to play a mostly amateur reserve side against non-league Crystal Palace, losing 7–1 in the Third Qualifying Round.
Formation and pre-season buildup
Chelsea Football Club were founded on 10 March 1905 although the club's early existence was hindered with problems. Since there was already a team named Fulham F.C. in the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham, a name for the club had to be decided. After London F.C., Kensington F.C. and Stamford Bridge F.C. were rejected, the name of the adjacent borough, the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea, was settled on.
Blue shirts were adopted for the team by the club's founder and first chairman, Gus Mears, along with white shorts and dark blue socks. Further problems arose when the team were denied entry to the Southern League following objections from Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, so admission to the Football League was applied for. Their candidacy was endorsed at the Football League annual general meeting on 29 May 1905. Scottish international John Robertson was hired as the club's first player-manager, a half-back who would go on to score Chelsea's first competitive goal in a 1–0 win against Blackpool. After this, the club recruited many established players from other teams, including 22 stone goalkeeper William "Fatty" Foulke previously of Sheffield United, and forward Jimmy Windridge who came from Small Heath.
Chelsea were one of four new teams to join the Football League, the other three being Hull City, Leeds City and Clapton Orient.
Month by month review
September Chelsea's first ever league campaign began on 2 September with a trip to Cheshire to face Lancashire Combination champions Stockport County at Edgeley Park. The match was a tight affair against a side with previous experience in the second tier, with County having an Ashton Schofield penalty saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Bill Foulke only for George Dodd to put the ball in from the rebound with half an hour to play to give the hosts two points. For their following match on 9 September, The Pensioners once again travelled up north, this time to Lancashire to play Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, gaining their first two points of the season in another close encounter through a late winner from player-manager Jacky Roberston in the 80th minute, who gained the distinction of being Chelsea's first ever league goalscorer. Furthermore, Foulke kept his first clean sheet of the season, registering the club's first ever in the league. Two days later, Chelsea played their first ever home league match against newly elected Hull City, with the Blues romping to a 5–1 win. David Copeland grabbed a first half brace through goals in the 15th and 40th minutes, in the second half, Jimmy Windridge added a quick-fire double in the 55th and 58th minutes to give the Blues four, with the Tigers then gaining a consolation through Peter Howe before Windridge scored his third, registering Chelsea's first ever league hat-trick. Furthermore, Foulke kept up his heroics with a save from Hull's player-manager Ambrose Langley's penalty, his second in three matches.
On 16 September Chelsea made their way to the West Riding of Yorkshire where they drew 1–1 with Bradford City, who had only switched codes from rugby league two years prior. Played at Valley Parade in front of a large crowd of 17,000, the Blues fell behind to a Wally Smith goal after 62 minutes, but saved a point through a late equaliser from Bob McRoberts in the 85th minute. On 23 September, Chelsea earned their third win of the league campaign against 2-time FA Cup winners, recent Second Division champions and former First Division side West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge, the 1–0 victory coming courtesy of another McRoberts goal in the 25th minute. Chelsea ended the month with another victory on 30 September, this time in Leicestershire at Filbert Street against Leicester Fosse. The winner coming via Jimmy Robertson in the 10th minute. Playing 6 games and winning 4 of them, Chelsea ended the month with 9 points and in 3rd place, showing very promising form and exhibiting clear potential to mount a strong promotion push in their début season.
October On 7 October Chelsea began their first cup campaign with a 6-1 drubbing of the 1st Grenadier Guards' football team in an FA Cup First Qualifying Round match at Stamford Bridge, Francis O'Hara opened the scoring after 2 minutes, registering the club's first-ever cup goal, with Jimmy Robertson adding a second shortly after. O'Hara promptly got his second, giving the Blues a 3–0 lead after only 15 minutes. Martin Moran made it 4-0 before Pte. Stanley gave the soldiers a consolation in the 50th minute, however Jimmy Windridge later scored a brace give to Chelsea a wider winning margin. Chelsea maintained their strong league form in Northern Lincolnshire with a convincing 4–1 defeat of Lincoln City at Sincil Bank on 14 October, Windridge opened the scoring in the 30th minute, followed by a Frank Pearson goal two minutes later. McRoberts later added a third and Pearson added a fourth to complete a brace, with William Watson managing a consolation goal for the Imps in the 85th minute. However their seven match unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end on 21 October with the visit of Chesterfield Town to Stamford Bridge, the winner coming from Joe Ball in the 55th minute for a 1–0 win over the Blues.
In the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, the Blues travelled to the south of the capital to play fellow Londoners Southern United of the Southern League Division Two at Brown's Ground in Nunhead, Camberwell. The Pensioners won the derby 1-0 courtesy of a Tommy McDermott goal. Furthermore, defender Bob Mackie kept a clean sheet whilst deputising for Foulke, registering the club's first ever in the FA Cup Two days later, Chelsea suffered their second consecutive league defeat at the hands of Burslem Port Vale at the Athletic Ground in Staffordshire, the Valiants went two goals up via George Price and Harry Croxton in the 9th and 51st minutes respectively. The Blues later pulled a goal back through Pearson, however Robert Carter re-established Burslem's two goal advantage before Moran halved their lead once more with five minutes left, however Chelsea could not find an equaliser. Chelsea ended October having won two cup games and progressing to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, however a dip in league form saw them to drop to 6th place, denting their promotion hopes.
November On 4 November Chelsea bounced back from those two league defeats by trouncing Barnsley 6–0 at Stamford Bridge. Pearson opened the scoring in the 25th minute, with Copeland and McDermott adding another two goals in quick succession in the 26th and 32nd minutes respectively, thus giving the Pensioners a 3–0 lead, with all three goals coming within a 7-minute period. Later on McRoberts scored a penalty 5 minutes from half-time to make it 4, Pearson got his second and Chelsea's fifth in the 75th minute, and McDermott also got a brace, adding a 6th in the 90th minute. On 11 November, the Blues travelled to Clapton, Hackney to face newly elected Londoners Clapton Orient at Millfields Road, once again Chelsea registered a comfortable victory, beating Orient 3–0, Pearson opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, with Copeland adding a second in the 60th minute and Pearson completing his brace in the 75th minute to wrap up the scoring, giving the Blues their first derby win in the league. Additionally, Foulke kept his 5th clean sheet of the league campaign, with Chelsea's newly assembled defence finding their feet.
Chelsea registered their third consecutive league win against former First Division side and Second Division champions several years prior, Burnley at Stamford Bridge on 18 November, the narrow 1–0 victory courtesy of a McRoberts goal in the 70th minute. However, due to a scheduling conflict, Chelsea crashed out of the FA Cup in the Third Qualifying Round after they were forced to play Southern League Division Two side Crystal Palace in another cup derby at the FA Cup Final venue, the Crystal Palace Park in Penge, Kent just outside of London on the same day as the league match with Burnley, with Jacky Robertson prioritising the league match, he fielded a mostly amateur reserve side in the cup, losing 7–1. Wilf Innerd opened the scoring for Palace, getting an early brace, followed by two goals from Mart Watkins, whose second was a penalty, to make it 4. Archie Needham and Dick Harker then added a 5th and 6th respectively, with Watkins completing his hat-trick to make it 7. Chelsea did at least manage a late consolation goal through O'Hara. To add to the Pensioners' humiliation, to this day, this defeat is the largest win a non-league side has ever registered against league opposition in the FA Cup. Chelsea wrapped up the month with a 0–0 draw against newly elected Leeds City at Elland Road on 25 November. Despite Chelsea's unfortunate FA Cup exit, the Blues went undefeated in the league in November, winning 3 and drawing 1 without conceding a goal, taking them back up to 3rd place and back into contention for promotion.
December Chelsea kept up their good form with a 3–0 defeat of Burton United at Stamford Bridge on 2 December, Jimmy Robertson getting the first goal in the 20th minute with McDermott and Moran adding a second and third respectively. On 9 December, Chelsea narrowly defeated Grimsby Town 2–0 at Stamford Bridge, with two late goals coming from Tom McDermott and Jack Kirwan in the 80th and 85th minutes respectively, with Bob McRoberts also having a penalty saved. On 16 December, Chelsea won once again, this time at The Northolme beating Gainsborough Trinity 2–0, Jimmy Robertson scoring the first goal in the 20th minute with Hall later netting an own goal. Foulke once again kept a clean sheet, his 10th of the season after only 16 league games.
On 23 December, the Pensioners began a hectic festive period with 3 games in 4 days, the first 2 against promotion rivals. They drew 0–0 with Bristol City at Stamford Bridge, and two days later on Christmas Day, drew with Manchester United at Bank Street by the same scoreline. On Boxing Day, Chelsea travelled to North Road to play Glossop, winning 4–2. The scorers that day were McRoberts, who opened the scoring after 15 minutes for the Blues, with Kirwan following up to make it 2–0. However, Cuffe halved Chelsea's lead 5 minutes before half-time. Kirwan scored his second, completing a brace in the 65th minute to make it 3-1 before Cameron reduced their lead to one goal once more. Jacky Robertson finally sealed the win with the match's 6th goal to make it 4–2. Those two goals by Glossop were the first time the Pensioners conceded in 9 matches. Chelsea ended 1905 on a high with a 4–2 win at Stamford Bridge against Stockport County on 30 December, despite falling behind to a Pass goal after a quarter of an hour. Jimmy Robertson scored two goals in succession to give Chelsea the lead before Waters equalised 3 minutes after half-time. Despite this setback Robertson scored once more to complete his hat-trick with Pearson adding a 4th to complete the scoring. Thus Chelsea ended a second successive month undefeated in the league, their run now stretching to 11 matches. With 30 points and in 3rd place, Chelsea maintained a serious promotion push.
January