Photo Courtesy: Abhusan Gautam

When I first started to support Chelsea Football Club, we were already 3 times Premier League winners; 2 times under Jose Mourinho and another under Carlo Ancelotti. Chelsea was already a huge club back then. But, I didn’t follow the team for its glory. I being a huge England fan always liked John Terry and Frank Lampard. So the decision to dedicate my life to following Chelsea Football club was quite easy. On top of that, my brother is a very passionate Blue himself, so he made it easier for me.

I fondly recall that day, when I first watched my first Chelsea match. It was back in 2011, Fernando Torres’ first game in Chelsea colors. The cable reception was poor, and I could barely see anything. I just knew a couple of footballers back then, JT26 and FL8 being a few of them. I watched the full game, thinking it as any other game of football, but I felt something. Something inside me felt at home when I watched the game. I was anxious when Liverpool had the ball, excited when we controlled the play. Chelsea might not have won that game, thanks to Raul Meireles’ goal at around 66 min (I don’t remember the time perfectly), but they won over me. After that, I followed CFC’s each and every game. I never played much football before, but I wanted to learn the beauty of the game to understand this awesome feeling I had experienced on the first day. To put things short, I learnt to play football because of Chelsea.

A year passed as a CFC fan and I didn’t miss a single game, whether it be either at 6 pm or 4 am in the morning. Every game would be watched with equal hope, equal support and equal enthusiasm. The living room would be silent the entire game, and would suddenly explode as we scored. I can’t remember the number of times, me and my brother got into trouble for shouting out so loud that the neighbors complained about it the next day. I watched all the documentaries on one of the greatest clubs of footballing world, Jose’s Title winning seasons, Lampard’s premier league winning goal against Bolton, Didier Drogba’s moments of magic, Awe-striking saves by Petr Cech, 8-0 thumping of Aston Villa, I knew it all. Some days we’d lose and I’d get depressed for the week, most of the time we’d win, and I’d be the most excited boy in High School. Life was full of happiness and disappointments, all thanks to this wonderful game.

 And then the Champions League happened. On 19th May, 2012, Chelsea was facing Bayern Munich in Bayern Munich’s own stadium, Alliance Arena. The game would decide who would be the best team in Europe. It was incredibly hard to get there; we were hanging by the thread as we reached to the finals. Many times, we were almost kicked out and most of the times we were always the underdogs. It was an incredibly scary moment for all Chelsea Fans. Especially for me, as I had a very important exam next day (HSEB 11’s Board examination). My brother had gone to a pub to watch the Finals. But I wasn’t alone, I had my faith, and trust and belief with me. I knew it would not be an easy game. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if we’d win the game in 90 minutes. When Muller scored in the 81’, I cried. For the next 8 minutes, I prayed to gods, hoping they would do something to change the situation. An Atheist put his faith in god, something that only the purest passion could introduce. And then the miracle happened, Didier Drogba’s scored from the corner kick. We went on to win the game in penalties.

 Being a Chelsea Fan, I learnt how to deal with disappointments, heartbreaks, anxiety and anger. Many players come and leave and many managers had to part their way before their time, but the Club keeps going on. I was disappointment at my the-then favorite player Juan Mata’s departure to another Premier League Club, it broke my heart. But the Club goes on. The Special One; Jose Mourinho came back to Stamford Bridge, and won us the Premier League for the fourth Time, 3rd under his belt. And today, he has been sacked by the club for the disappointing season it has been. But still, the club will go on. Chelsea is a club that is deeply rooted in my hearts, and ill follow the club, even if we get relegated to Championships. Because we are...

Carefree, wherever we maybe,

We are the famous CFC,

And we don’t care who ever you maybe,

Cause we are the famous CFC.

PS: Jose Mourinho, you are and will always be the Special One. Good luck to you were ever you go and any club will be blessed to have you. Thanks for everything. Adios.