Ahead of Chelsea’s semi-final showdown against Southampton on Sunday, let’s look at a rather unusual FA Cup connection between the two clubs. It runs deeper than you might imagine. And it involves the legend of Chelsea legends.
But first, we have two current players, Oriol Romeu and Ryan Bertrand, who currently ply their trade as Saints. Romeu was starting to earn a lot of playing time as a defensive midfielder under Roberto di Matteo when, in December of 2012, three weeks after the manager was sacked and replaced by Rafa Benitez, he wrecked his knee and never played for the Blues again. Still, he was on the squad when Chelsea won the 2011-12 FA Cup, 2-1 over Liverpool.
Soton fullback Ryan Bertrand was a trailblazer for what has turned into an all-too familiar path for oft-loaned Chelsea youth — he left club for more playing time elsewhere. He, too, was on the 2012 FA Cup-winning squad, but was left off both the team and the bench for the final.
Going back more than a decade earlier, in the late 1990s current Southampton manager Mark Hughes had been a major force in propelling Chelsea back to the forefront of English football again. The feisty striker formed a dynamic strike partnership with Gianfranco Zola and in 1997 he started in and won the FA Cup, 2-0 over Middlesborough.
Fine players all. But not Chelsea legends, not like this next man.
Peter Osgood, the King of Stamford Bridge, the man who scored 150 goals in 380 matches (now fifth on Chelsea’s all-time list), arguably the most famous Chelsea player of all time, played in two FA Cup Finals in his career.
The first was the grueling 1970 FA Cup Final pitting Chelsea against against Leeds United. This is the one that went to a replay at Old Trafford where, trailing 1-0 with time running out, Osgood stretched out to head home the goal that saved the match for Chelsea. When David Webb scored in extra time, Chelsea had won their first-ever FA Cup. That moment in history became his favorite goal.
“I suppose the diving header I scored in the ‘70 Cup Final, to be honest. It was a good goal, it got us back into the game and we went on to win it.”
-Peter Osgood; source; The Guardian
Osgood played played in one more FA Cup Final in his career. For Southampton.
It was in 1976 and approaching the tail-end of his career. The Saints were a second division club and were given little chance at Wembley against mighty Manchester United. But they walked away with a tight 1-0 win to give Ossie a second Cup for his collection. It’s hard to believe this, but Osgood actually took the trophy home with him that night, flashing it to people on the motorway.
When asked, he couldn’t say which of the two Cup wins he preferred.
“The Chelsea win was special because the club hadn’t won anything for so long. The only sour point was that we didn’t win it at Wembley, we had to go to Old Trafford to win it.
“So to get another bite at the cherry with Southampton in ‘76 was possibly even better, especially because we actually won it at Wembley.”
-Peter Osgood; source; The Guardian
On Sunday, Chelsea will play an FA Cup semi-final for the 23rd time in club history, facing Southampton at this stage for the first time ever. Regardless of who wins, they’ll get a chance to repeat Osgood’s Cup final heroics.