Why Are Chelsea Called the Blues?
Chelsea are called the Blues because blue has been the club’s defining shirt color since its earliest seasons. The nickname refers to the team’s visual identity, rather than to a particular result, player or style of soccer. There is a small historical twist, however: Chelsea’s first blue was much paler than the royal blue familiar to supporters today, and the club was originally widely known by another nickname, the Pensioners. Chelsea’s own account of its founding places the club’s creation on March 10, 1905, in the Rising Sun pub opposite Stamford Bridge. The pub is now called the Butcher’s Hook. Even the club’s name involved a choice: Kensington FC, London United and Stamford Bridge FC were among the alternatives discussed. Chelsea became the name, while the colors and nicknames developed into separate parts of the new club’s identity. The original shirts were Eton blue. According to the club’s historical explanation, this color came from the horse-racing silks of Lord Cadogan, ...
