When you think of huge rivalries in English football, you may not instantly think of Chelsea vs Tottenham. However, when it comes to what constitutes a good match – how close the teams are, how long they’ve been playing each other, any scandals, and, most importantly, how frequently they win – this London encounter has become one of the most intense. Actually, while Tottenham fans traditionally regard Arsenal as their main adversary, a survey indicated that Tottenham is Chelsea fans’ number one enemy. Both clubs have been better at times in the past, but they are now fairly evenly matched.
The Chelsea vs Tottenham rivalry
There are a couple of times and seasons you could look at to see how this rivalry started, but one that really stands out is the end of the 1974-75 season. Chelsea and Tottenham were both near the bottom of the league and really needed to win to stay in the top division. They played each other at White Hart Lane with so much pressure on both teams. The game was really intense and caused a lot of bad feelings between the two clubs. It’s a big part of their history.
Nobody can talk about this match without mentioning the trouble in the crowd. The fights between fans spilled onto the field, making an already tense game turn violent. The incidents from that match are still remembered today and add to the ongoing bad feelings between the two sets of supporters. The players from both teams also got physical sometimes, but let’s face it, this was English football in the 1970s. Leeds United, the champions at the time, showed that even champions can play rough. With both teams fighting to avoid relegation, you could expect some rough play.
Chelsea vs Spurs in 1975
Not a phone in sight. Just people living in the moment. pic.twitter.com/DGFbM83opH
— Dirty Footballer 👊 (@DirtyFootbaIIer) March 3, 2024
The match itself was messy, frantic, and not very skillful, but it was still exciting. In the end, the home team won this tough match. They scored two goals in the second half: the first was a close-range shot by Steve Perryman, and the second was a long shot by Alfie Conn. This gave Spurs the win they needed and boosted their confidence. Tottenham ended the season well and avoided being relegated by just one point. On the other hand, Chelsea couldn’t improve their situation and got relegated along with Luton Town and Carlisle United. After this match, Spurs and Chelsea didn’t play each other much until 1984, but the rivalry between them was already strong.
