By Rick Glanvill
April 1951. Chelsea are bottom, needing to win the last four games to stay up.
Incredibly, they win the first three – can they complete the miracle?
Oh, hold on – who arranged this 5-day friendly trip … during the actual week leading up the crucial last match?
And it’s at Copenhagen (KB) – because it was arranged with our former player Nils Middelboe who is their President.
Great. So Chelsea beat the Danes 2-0 but it’s a tiring trip and the players arrive on the Saturday dead on their feet for the vital last game of the season.
Nevertheless, they somehow muster a stunning performance to beat Bolton 4-0.
Everyone is trying mental arithmetic as the Blues are level on 32 points with Sheffield Wednesday and Everton – two of the three will drop.
By having 0.044 better goal average (goals for divided by goals against), Chelsea survive.
A trip to the Danish capital is always a pleasure, whenever it comes.
Top photo: Chelsea's team 1951
Chelsea's official historian, is a distinguished writer, author and researcher who has earned recognition for his work in diverse fields including social history, genealogy, music and football.
He has penned official biographies for the club, encouraging supporters to take an interest in Chelsea's history and culture.