West London Derby is a unique four-way rivalry between Chelsea, Fulham, Brentford, and Queen Parks. However, my subject for the day is the iconic and dramatic Chelsea vs Fulham rivalry—a rivalry that is rarely talked about but is definitely one of the most electrifying in nature.
Know Your Rivals
Chelsea vs Fulham is one of the four-way derby rivalry of West London. Two other rival teams include Brentford and Queen Parks. However, our point of concern is the Chelsea vs Fulham.
Unlike the Hotspur vs. Chelsea or the Chelsea vs. Arsenal rivalry, the West London Derby is not the biggest. However, it is undoubtedly eventful and historic. The primary reason behind such deep-seated rivalry could be a myriad of things.
But first, it is my onus to familiarise the fans with the primary pieces of the puzzle. Here is a detailed rundown of the primary components of the Chelsea vs Fulham rivalry. Here we go!
Chelsea Football Club
Chelsea Football Club is one of the most prominent english football clubs of all time. The club is based in Fulham, London. The Stamford Bridge is Chelsea’s home ground. The club primarily competes in the Premier League.
The club was initially founded by an English businessman named Gus Mears. Gus Mears came into the possession and ownership rights of the Stamford stadium. As a result, he approached the Fulham FC for leasing rights. However, Fulham FC rejected this offer. Sources suggest that this initiated a rivalry between Chelsea and Fulham.
Chelsea is a prominent English football club. It has made a massive name in the community. Chelsea is the only club that has won the Champions League and the Club World Cup. Therefore, its fans popularly consider Chelsea FC to be the best.
Fulham Football Club
Fulham Football Club is the next piece of the puzzle of the Chelsea vs Fulham story. As the name suggests, the team is based in Fulham, Greater London. Fulham Football Club, or FFC, also competes in the Premier League. Therefore, they have been known to compete with some of the best English teams in recent times.
Fulham is one of the oldest English football clubs. The team was initially founded back in 1879. Therefore, the team has been playing for around 150 years. Even though Fulham has been around for a while, things have not been in their favor for a while.
However, Fulham has one of the most loyal fanbases of all time. As a result, Chelsea vs Fulham, along with Brentford and Queen Parks, is one of the most talked about rivalries of all time. These four constitute the West London Derby.
Deep Dive Into The Rivalry
A rivalry manifests in multiple days. It takes months and years for a professional difference to turn into a rivalry. As a result, it is essential to know all the chapters that led to such a rivalry.
This section is all about studying the rivalry between Chelsea and Fulham. I have gone through historical records and have come upon some specific incidents that led to such deep rivalry.
But first, I want to talk about the location of the two clubs. As per sources, the two clubs are located just 2.2 kilometers away from each other. As a result, it is understandable what set off the Chelsea vs Fulham rivalry.
With that out of the way, here are some of the significant chapters of the Chelsea vs. Fulham rivalry.
The Rejected Offer
One of the most significant and most prominent aspects of Chelsea vs Fulham is that they have spent most of their time in separate divisions. Yet, this is one of the biggest and most prominent rivalries of all time.
Sources suggest that this rivalry began in 1904 and is deeply ingrained in the formation of the Chelsea club. Gus Mears founded Chelsea. Mears was an English businessman and a sports enthusiast.
Gus somehow happened upon the ownership rights of the Stamford Bridge. As a result, he approached the Fulham FC for a lease contract. However, Fulham FC rejected the agreement. This compelled Gus to start his own team called the Chelsea Football Club.
Apparently, there was a dispute between the two parties regarding rent. This sowed the seeds for a long and tiring rivalry between the two teams.
Initial Matches
The first-ever match between the two teams took place on December 3, 1910. This was a second-division match and was played in front of a sizeable crowd of 35,000. The game was supposed to happen at Stamford Bridge, but it was eventually moved from Stamford to Craven Cottage. Fulham managed to win the match with a 1-0 scorecard.
The rivalry peaked during the inter-war years. Matches during this era were always the most hyped-up and popular. Every Chelsea vs. Fulham match used to be attended by a vast number of people. However, the teams drifted apart during the 60s.
Chelsea spent most of its time during the 60s, 70s, and 90s as one of the most successful clubs in its division. However, this was not the case for Fulham. Fulham mostly spent its days as a lower-division club.
Reduced Match-Ups
The rivalry shifted as Club Divisions separated the two teams. Chelsea was enjoying heights of success, while Fulham FC was somehow managing to stay in the business. As a result, Chelsea fanboys started concentrating on other rivalries.
This also enabled Fulham to develop other rivalries like Brentford and QPR. This was a dry spell for the rivalry. Matches dwindled down, and this affected the Chelsea vs Fulhgam Rivalry to a great extent.
However, this was also a time for resentment. The clubs were segregated because of Club divisions, but the location of the clubs remained unchanged. As a result, Fulham fans harbored heavy resentment against their ‘more successful’ neighbors.
Victory After 27 Years
Fulham fans were resentful of Chelsea’s success. As a result, Fulham fans were waiting for that one shot. March 19, 2006, was that one shot. Chelsea vs Fulham was again happening after 27 years. As a result, fans of both teams were waiting with bated breath.
Fulham managed to beat Chelsea with a 1-0 scorecard. This resulted in a landslide reaction from the crowd. Fans of both teams went crazy and were only looking for good payback. Tensions became so high that authorities had to intervene.
March 19, 2006, was one of the biggest wins for Fulham Football Club and its fans. It proved to them that FFC was still in the game and would be there for a long time.
Chelsea vs Fulham Stats
| Competition | Played | Chelsea wins | Draws | Fulham wins | Chelsea goals | Fulham goals |
| League | 78 | 47 | 23 | 8 | 127 | 64 |
| FA Cup | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
| League Cup | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Total | 88 | 51 | 27 | 10 | 138 | 73 |
Recent Statistics
| Venue | Date | Competition | Chelsea | Fulham |
| Stamford Bridge | 13 January 2024 | Premier League | 1 | 0 |
| Craven Cottage | 2 October 2023 | Premier League | 2 | 0 |
The Closing Thought
In the end, Chelsea vs Fulham might not be as big as other rivalries. However, both teams have gone through hell and come back. As a result, both teams deserve equal respect from the fans. Keep following our page for more such sports-related content.
