Summer Issue: July 2013

NOTES FROM THE CHAIRWOMAN

Beth Wild
Hello Chelsea in America!!! ! How can I start this any other way then to say . . . HES BACK, OUR SPECIAL ONE IS BACK AND HE HAS CLAIMED HE IS ONE OF US!!! I wont go into the lengthy description of all that has gone through my head this day, but I will just let you know I am still smiling . . . and I feel 7 years younger. ! On to business, what a SPRING . . . the spring trip, see an account from one of the Spring Trippers, and then the post season tour with so many old and new faces in St. Louis and NYC, see articles from some of them in the newsletter, and now the upcoming pre-season tour. I AM EXHAUSTED!!! And it isnt over yet!! ! So quick reminders: ! 1)!!!!!!Last weekend in July hope to see many of you in Vegas Baby!!! Information is on the website, so please join us, get your reservation in, come play in the tournament and come get to know two past players, David Lee and Graham Stewart, and renew your acquaintance with Spy. And of course come have a great time with the rest of us. 2)!!!!!!Who is going to either Indy, NYC or Miami??? And of course a sneak peak at the new team, and joining in a chorus of Jose Mourinho or ten. It should be fun. 3)!!!!!!So if you cant make Vegas and if you cant make one of the tour spots, what can you do? LOTS! ! Here is a summer list of Chelsea and CIA things to do: 1)!!!!!!Have you renewed your membership in CIA? 2)!!!!!!Have you decided and gotten your True Blue membership and if you do it before the 1st!of August get that very important 5 loyalty points, and of course ChelseaTV 3)!!!!!!If you have decided to not get True Blue have you signed up as an Affiliate and helped your chapter with their numbers to Chelsea, its easy and its free. And if you have done it last year, or the year before you dont need to redo it. Once you have done it, its done.http://theblues.chelseafc.com/ affiliatedmember 4)!!!!!!Have you looked into the Supporters Trust and signed up for that? Information is available on our website and at!www.chelseasupporterstrust.com 5)!!!!!!Have you investigated what it means to be a Pitch Holder, and if you feel it is right for you, signed up? Information is on the Chelsea website, under the club menu you will find Chelsea Pitch Owners. Consider it. 6)!!!!!!Have you been to our website, read the blogs and other stuff? 7)!!!!!!Have you listened to the podcast? Or thought about participating once the season starts? 8)!!!!!!Have you chatted to people on the bulletin board, a great place for an in depth conversation on all things Chelsea, discuss Joses return, the transfer window, or player issues. The board is a great place for long conversations as they dont get lost. 9)!!!!!!Have you chatted and checked out our facebook page, or the one for your chapter and interacted with other members? 10)!!!Have you been following us on twitter? Or following the podcast, or your chapter? 11)!!!Have you thought about organizing an event in your local area with other

Notes from the Chairwoman Regional Club Updates The Special One Returns Tales from St. Louis, New York City and London Super Frank - Chelsea's Top Scorer!

members just to get together and have fun. Go to a non-Chelsea sporting event, have a picnic, beach party or pool party. Just get together and meet new members and see those familiar faces in the middle of the day, you generally only see at the crack of dark on a weekend. ! And if you are still bored waiting for the season, and if you have any time on your hands, have you offered to volunteer and get more involved in CIA? You see all these things are possible because of members giving of their time. And it is a great way to meet people, get more involved and make your membership experience more fun for you and much more fun for many others. ! Yes the summer is upon us and though Chelsea may not be playing there are still loads of things to occupy your time. ! For those I saw in London or Amsterdam, to those I saw (or maybe missed, or didnt see enough) in St. Louis and NYC, for those I will see in Vegas, for those I will see in NYC and Miami (sorry I am going to miss Indy) and for those that I will miss all together. Have a wonderful summer, and thank you for making Chelsea in America such an amazing club. ! Beth

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REGIONAL CLUB UPDATES

BELTWAY BLUES It's been a busy spring for the Beltway Blues: four of our members went over to London for the last match of the season and many more went up to New York for the friendly against Man City. If you didn't get a chance to say hello, we were the rowdy group with the stuffed frog (our beloved mascot, Roger Froggy). ' Aside from enjoying the end of the season, our Europa League win, and the pending departure of the FSW, we've enjoyed many MLS games and tailgates in DC and will be out in full force for the USMNT match in DC in June. Also, congratulations to two of our members, Kate and Chris, on their recent engagement! BLUEGRASS BLUES Though Louisville has been the epicenter of Bluegrass Blues activity, our chapter has grown so much it was time to expand! Now along with our home pub Molly Malones in Louisville, weve also added Molly Malones in Covington and McCarthys Irish Pub in Lexington as official CIA meet-up pubs. In other news, several BB members attended the match in St. Louis (finally, a match within driving distance!). For a few, it was their first Chelsea match so were sure to have plenty of stories from them for the Bluesletter. ! Lastly, weve added an Instagram account (@Bluegrass_Blues) to our social media mix along with Facebook and Twitter. Follow us when you get the chance! KTBFFH!

JOSE RETURNS!
by Noah Kahan
Being a Chelsea In America member living in a third world country limits your connection to the club to a feasible degree. That being said, the day I managed to find some Wi-fi in a small coffee shop in San Jos, Costa Rica, in order to get some much needed news about my blues, I was in a state of ecstasy when I read the headline on the clubs webpage: Jose Signs. Jose Mourinho was the most successful manager our club had worked with, and during his tenure from 2004-2007, he was regarded as our savior and a much loved icon by all Chelsea fans. Ever since he joined Madrid in 2010, he had been rumored to make a grand return to the club that love him so dearly. So when the news finally came out that a deal had been signed, Chelsea fans were cathartic and ecstatic. I for one, read every news article I could find, read every Spanish newspaper available to me, and quickly started! conversing both with my Costa Rican Chelsea supporting friends, and my friends from back home in the united states, about the return of the Special One. Jose Mourinhos tenure in those three years set the blueprints and base of the Chelsea team we see playing today. Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard, as powerful as they are today, were even stronger under the guidance of Mourinho. He brought us our first premier league trophy in over fifty years, and did the same thing the next year.

LACE UP THOSE BOOTS AND GET JUGGLING--WERE VEGAS-BOUND, BABY!

The Twin Cities Blues

bluesletter team
A huge thanks to everyone who helps make the Bluesletter possible! Co-editor: Lauri Berkenkamp Co-editor: Noah Kahan Layout: Jamie Edwards Graphics: Raciel Diaz Chairwoman: Beth Wild
Ready to unleash your inner Lampard? Nows your chancewe are excited to announce our first ever CFC in USA Las Vegas Cup. This is a supporters' tournament being held on!July 28!in Las Vegas. The registration form and details can be found at!http:// www.chelseainamerica.com/web/ news-and-announcements/ 2013/05/31/cia-las-vegas-cup

Although Jose Mourinho knows Chelsea more than any other manager we have had in the Abramovich Era, he has a job to do upon his return to the Bridge. !He returns to a different team, a team with strengths and weaknesses he will have to assess and evaluate. But as Chelsea fans, we trust and believe that Jose Mourinho will bring back the golden age of our club, and make Chelsea the European power it has the potential to be.

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REFLECTIONS ON ST. LOUIS

by Kailyn Conner, Bluegrass Blues
I stared at the blinking cursor on the computer screen for a long time, trying to come up with a word or phrase to describe the first time I watched Chelsea play in person. There were many that came to mind, having waited 15 years for that day. After several hours and several attempts, I could only settle on one word: overwhelmed. I only learned of the existence of Chelsea in America about two years ago, when a friend told me she knew someone starting a Kentucky supporters group. Having grown up in an excessively small town in south-central Kentucky, it was the first time I had ever heard of other Chelsea supporters in Kentucky. Even going to a college with a significant number of international students, there weren't really any other Chelsea supporters around me - just lots of Barcelona and Manchester United fans. Fast forward to St. Louis. The friendly in St. Louis occurred exactly two weeks after my 21st birthday. This was my 21st birthday gift to myself. I had no idea what to expect. One way or another, I was determined to make it memorable. I found that I had absolutely no reason to expect anything less than a memorable experience. I was overwhelmed by the incredible kindness showed by absolutely everyone I met. I could not have shared the experience with a better group of people. To finally meet all those I had been interacting with for months and to be able to leave with a handful of new friends was overwhelming in and of itself. The match, of course, was incredible too. Boasted as the largest event to ever be played at Busch Stadium (with an attendance of 48,263), tickets to the event sold out in 20 minutes. Even around my workplace, when clients asked me what I was doing with my summer, I got incredulous jaw drops when I informed them that I was attending the Chelsea match in St. Louis. Even though it was only a friendly, it was being billed as a huge event. Soccer fans, Chelsea and otherwise, came out in droves. Outside the stadium, fans in Arsenal shirts unabashedly stood next to Chelseas Europa League trophy (and, as I remarked to someone in line near me, an Arsenal shirt near a trophy is definitely not something you see every day). Manchester City fans waited in line to get their own complimentary Chelsea flag. It was an overwhelmingly bizarre atmosphere. Inside the stadium, Manchester City dominated for a majority of the first half, but it was Chelsea that was the first to get on the scoreboard with a rather nice Demba Ba header. Just before the half, Juan Mata was brought down in the box and a penalty was given to Chelsea. Csar Azpilicueta was the one to step up to take it. I'm a big fan of "Dave", but I was slightly apprehensive when he stepped up. If Joe Hart had reacted a second quicker, he would have blocked the shot. Nonetheless, the ball went into the net. Chelsea went up 2-0 at the half and Azpi netted his very first Chelsea goal. After the half, Oscar, capitalizing on a defensive error by City, slotted home a third for Chelsea. In true roller-coaster Chelsea fashion, however, it was a tale of two halves. In the remaining time, Manchester City managed to crawl back to the top. While the result really didn't matter, it did strike a note of worry regarding Jamal's confidence. There is no denying he has talent - he simply got extremely unlucky. There was nothing that could be done about the first goal and the rest were more defensive errors than goalkeeping errors. The bright spot of the night, however, was the otherwise decent run out by the youth. Andreas Christensen was the player that caught most of my attention. After a nice display during the crossbar challenge at training and despite a couple major errors (such as leaving Blackman out to dry on one goal; he wasn't the only one doing this, however), there is a lot to look forward to from the 17 year old. At the end of the night, however, it is not the loss that hangs in my mind. It was the unforgettable, still almost unreal experience. I finally got to see this team I had followed for so long play a match live. The football was fantastic. But the people I shared this experience with? They were incredible.

2013: SUPER FRANK BREAKS THE GOAL RECORD

by Josh Hampton
Well, Super Frank finally did it. 203 goals. TWO HUNDRED AND THREE. The most ever by a Chelsea player, surpassing club legend Bobby Tamblings decades-old goal tally. !Hed been chasing the record all seasonand what a chase it was. With Rafas rotation policy and seemingly stubborn attitude about playing Frankie (and JT, for that matter), it seemed Chelseas #8 may not even get the opportunity to break the record. But when he made the starting eleven at Villa Park, we all hoped the wait would at last be overand Frankie didnt disappoint. His goal in the 61 tied the record. His goal in the 88 was the recordbreaker, not to mention the game winner. The cherry on top? That 203rd goal also guaranteed us Champions League football next season. Super Frank, indeed. So lets get down to numbers for a moment: From his first goal against Levski Sofia way back in September of 2001, to that fateful day in May 2013, Frankie racked up 203 goals in 606 appearances. 48 from the penalty spot. 141 in the Premier League. 26 FA Cup goals; 22 in the Champions League. 2 in the UEFA Cup and 1 in the Community Shield. Thats a record thats sure to stand for a long time to come. Now lets just hope his next headline-making move is signing a new contract with the club we all adore. !

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THE BUILD-UP AND THE MATCH: ST. LOUIS

by Drew Roe
After I started following Chelsea about two and a half years ago, I wanted nothing more than to see them play in person. !Of course, I wanted to travel to the Bridge and see them in London, but with the cost of travel, I figured there would be no way I would be able to do this for at least several YEARS! !I thought that I would be stuck just watching them on TV forever and never getting to see them in person - at least not for a very long time. ! Then a few months ago, a friend of mine texted me and said she'd seen on the news that Chelsea might be coming to St. Louis. !No way, I thought. !That would be too good to be true! !She misunderstood something.! St. Louis is where I live, and I love it here, but in a way, it seems like we're just a minor city compared to so many others in the country these days. ! Then I found out Chelsea WAS coming to St. Louis! !IT REALLY WAS HAPPENING! !I couldn't believe it! !Getting a ticket became a priority! !Connecting with CIA became extremely important! !I didn't want to miss anything! ! I got my tickets! !I got a couple of my friends to come along too! !Then I waited WAY too long for the day to actually arrive when Chelsea would be here. !To prepare, I got a brand new Chelsea 13/14 jersey to mark their trip, and this one had to be special. !I'd just gone with a plain jersey the last time I'd bought one, but this time I made sure that it had the name and number of my favourite Chelsea player on the back, JUAN MATA! !It came the day Chelsea was to be landing in St. Louis. !In the weeks leading up the match, I drove past the buildings I drive past every day on my way to or from work and thought,!There's the hotel where CIA members will be staying when they get here!!!There's the Dubliner! !That's St. Louis' CHELSEA pub!! It was surreal for me. !I was living in a dream. Then, over just a couple days, I watched!my city!come alive with the love of my favourite sport, and almost everyone was wearing the colours of my favourite football club! !As a St. Louisan, I was so proud, and SO honoured to have them here. !I wanted nothing more than for everyone to enjoy their time here, regardless of whether they were cheering for Chelsea or Citeh. !I wanted our players to feel welcome here, so you can imagine the jolt of pride I felt to see!an article!when I logged into Chelsea's website saying that Mata was feeling at home in St. Louis. !I reposted the article on Facebook with the comment, "Only too happy to have you here buddy! !Come back any time! ;)" getting to see them play! !They had known ever since I started in our department that I was a Chelsea fan, and as soon as any of them heard that Chelsea was coming to St. Louis, they knew I would be ecstatic! ! The clock hit!4:30!- it was time to leave! !I raced to the loo and changed into my shorts and my MATA shirt, which I had refused to wear until the day of the match itself. !In the elevator on the way out of the building, another person asked me, "So what's the attraction in soccer? !I don't get it." !I was baffled by his question. !I didn't know how to answer him. !Only later did I realize that I couldn't answer because I couldn't imagine why a person!wouldn't!be attracted to football! !How is that even a question you could ask? ! I had to go pick a friend up in Illinois. !I had to HURRY! !CIA was marching from the pub to the stadium at!6:30, and there was no way I was NOT going to be in that group! !I had waited YEARS to cheer for my boys in person with other Chelsea fans, and I was going to grab hold of every last moment I could! !We made it to the Dubliner in time, and as I walked in, the whole building was a beautiful sea of ROYAL blue! !People were having fun everywhere, just chatting. !One guy stopped to talk to me: !"Is that the new 13/14 jersey? !I thought it was still for preorder!" !He called his friend over to me. !"Look at this! !He's got the 13/14 jersey! !I thought those hadn't been released yet! !Where did you get that?" !He made sure to inspect the whole shirt! !Make sure you notice that it's got a big 10 on the back with the name MATA!!I thought to myself. !I was so proud to be wearing that name and number on my shirt! ! Then, after a few minutes at the pub, we began the march! !I was so proud to be a part of such a huge crowd of Chelsea supporters, lighting up the streets of my beloved city with the music of Stamford Bridge! !I didn't

On Wednesday!evening, I went to the pub and spent time with a friend just chatting and talking about the beautiful sport. !I got to meet a couple other Chelsea as well (and briefly, even Beth Wild!) !I tend to be kind of shy in big crowds, sometimes not sure who to talk to, so I wasn't incredibly outgoing, but I had a fantastic time, all the same! !I didn't stay long, since my friend and I both had to work!Thursday!morning, but I still had fun. Thursday!when I got to work,!everyone in my office could tell! !"Drew, you're glowing!" they all said! "Look at him, I've never seen him so excited!" I would overhear them saying as I walked away. ! When I got there, I didn't have to tell anyone why I was in such a good mood. !They all KNEW what day it was! !Why did they know? !It wasn't because I kept mentioning it. !I didn't!have!to keep mentioning it. !They remembered because they knew what Chelsea was to me, and they couldn't forget what a big day it was. !It was my first time ever

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PAGE 5

ST. LOUIS AND CHELSEA IN AMERICA

by Jesus Martinez
Its always a great experience when we get to watch our favorite club compete in our country. !It allows those who dont have the opportunity to visit them in London, to experience just what its like to cheer on the club so close to home. !For me, personally, its not so much about seeing the club play in person, as much as it is about meeting and bonding with different supporters from across the country. !This is one of the many things that Chelsea In America allows us to do, and the friendships we !make along the way are definitely everlasting. This time around I only made it to one stop of the tour, as New York just didnt appeal to me. !It was the idea of visiting St. Louis, the Gateway City, and a city Ive never visited before that intrigued me. !A city which is the birthplace of football in America, and a city which sold out for this match in 27 minutes, definitely has the potential to make this trip all the worthwhile. !I was fortunate that 12 members from my own chapter in Houston were able to join me this time around, some which had never seen Chelsea play in person before. ! I of course saw people I had met before, like my friends from Georgia Blues, Iowa Blues, NY Blues, OC Blues, and of course my dear friend and our leader Beth Wild. !The most memorable part however was meeting the new people I had never had the pleasure to interact with before. !I was even finally able to put a face to those who Ive only communicated with through social media. !Once again our good friend Spy made the trip, and I had the pleasure of meeting ChelTel, something which Id never done before on my travels to West London. Families made it with their kids in hand, and some of them had a glow on their faces that reminded me of waking up on Christmas morning as a child. !For some it was their first opportunity to see their heroes in Blue! The players theyve only seen on the telly were now here, in person, feet away from them, and in the flesh! There was my new best friend from Minneapolis, little Abbey, who is by far Demba Bas biggest fan. !Because of !her however, I learned that his name is actually Demba Bob, and because of her I will definitely continue calling him by that name and that name only. !Her siblings and parents were true passionate supporters who I just absolutely fell in love with. !Quite possibly my favorite people I met on this tour. !Then there were Alex, Cole, and Jacob from Florida who were there to watch Chelsea for the first time as well. !They listened as I shared my stories of ! We got to our seats. !I was in the Chelsea standing and singing section, and oh did I sing! !I sang as loud as I possibly could! !And then goals were scored! !Ba! !Cesar! !Oscar! !Each time, all of us went wild! !We high-fived! !We yelled! !We sang some more! !We sang so much that during the half, I texted my boss and said, "Can I be off phones tomorrow?" !I didn't have to explain further. !"Screaming 2 much?" she texted back. ! After we were up 3-0 a few minutes into the second half, City began scoring like mad. !Before I knew it, the match was tied up. !Nothing could have torn my eyes away from that pitch! !"You're so passionate when you're watching this!" my friend said to me. !We were down to the last few minutes, and City scored again. !The match ended 3-4, visiting Stamford Bridge, and I enjoyed them telling me about their favorite Chelsea player, and of course their favorite Chelsea moment. !I was finally able to meet folks like Scott and Monica Bein from Oklahoma, and was able to enjoy their company throughout the trip, sharing a few !laughs and pints. So many people on this stop in St Louis, and the memories are just everything I could have wished for. !Memories of walking to Stamford Bridge every year were brought to life in the STL, as all of CIA walked to Busch Stadium together for the match. !Downtown St. Louis definitely enjoyed hundreds of supporters singing songs we hear every match in The Shed End. !!It was a bit more enjoyable, because most of the folks making the march have never experienced it before. !The looks on their faces, and the smiles are what made this trip so memorable. Unfortunately, Citeh got the better of us in St. Louis, but the memories of song, pints, and new friendships will always outweigh a loss in a friendly. !To all of you who stood by my side, and sang your hearts out in St. Louis, THANK YOU for your friendships. !We shall see each other again sooner than later, and I promise to regain my voice.!KTBFFH! Manchester City winning. !I had been so certain Chelsea was going to win one just for me! ! But then I heard something - Chelsea fans, still singing! !"CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE! !WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE! !WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE! !WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE!" !Chelsea may have just lost, but even a loss could not ruin this night. !I had seen Chelsea in person - FINALLY! !And I sang with them. !Win or lose, Chelsea 'til the day I die! ! As I was leaving the stadium that night heading to my car, I was standing at a crosswalk with a crowd of people, waiting for the light to turn green, as I called out, "What a great night!" ! Another fan looked at my shirt and said,

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know all of the songs, but with the ones I did know, I sang along as loud as I could. !At one point, Beth was right beside me as she yelled, "Who's seeing Chelsea for the first time?" !I raised my hand as high as I could. !"You're all doing a great job singing for them!" Then, there it was! !It was my favourite baseball stadium, but for one night, it had been turned into a football stadium. !I walked inside, and began to head toward my seat. !I walked from the concourse through the doorway that led to the seating, and in front of me I saw a football pitch where first base, second base, third base...home plate usually were! !It was beautiful! !And on that pitch, I saw David Luiz! !I saw Petr Cech! !I saw Gary Cahill! !And MATA! !THERE WAS MATA!

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CHELSEA IN NEW YORK CITY: A LEAP OF FAITH

by Nathan Bowley
I spent the majority of the week wondering whether or not I would have somewhere to live come Sunday, but I promised I would take my girlfriend to the match. We got on the train at 9am for 6pm kickoff at Yankees stadium. !We had to be at the pub before 11:30, something that surprised her. !When we showed up at Legends we saw the casualties of the previous night loitering about the Football Factory in the sympathetically dark basement room. !And that was the first confused look she gave me. After spending months watching me berating televisions, waking up for early matches (replacing coffee with a pint or 5), and hijacking no less than 3/4ths of the DVR space, my girlfriend had been given a crash course in what it means to be with a true blue. !Tired of the seemingly endless gibberish that came out of my mouth as my Dad and I would blue- banter, she quickly latched on. !Being a teacher, Eden Hazard struck a soft spot both in her heart and a certain Swansea ball-boys ribcage- He just did what Ive wanted to for years! !However she soon found affinity for the likes of Juan Mata, Super Frank, and Petr Cech while not missing a match and even helping to argue with the TV on occasion. !When the spring tour was announced, I had no choice. Now at the pub noon loomed more the raspy voiced filed downstairs armed with coffee and my girlfriend started being introduced to the crowd. !As highlights of Ossie and co. played on, she heard the stories of tours past, trips to the Bridge, and legendary matches galore. Munich loomed- a story she heard so many times and knew so well she could recite it herself. !With the all-German Champions League Final a variety pack of football kits mingled into the basement and a few City supporters were boisterously welcomed to promptly turn around. Another stare from the girl was answered with a confident at least they werent scousers. After quietly watching our antics courage began to slowly build, but it was time we set forth to Yankees stadium and we filed into the subway. As my Dad struggled with the mass transit ticket system I even noticed prematch impatience in her as she bemoaned the lack of Frank at the match and asked who our starting 11 would be. !On the train she even chimed in as a father and his three sons in blue kits (the right kind!) stood next to us and I asked if it was their first match. !It was, and as I said to look out for the noisy lot above one goal she smiled and nodded. It wasnt long before we were in our seats and disappointment struck hardPetr wasnt in goal. !She took the news like we suffered a great loss, but she understood what friendly meant and decided to drown her sorrows with a hearty Chelsea here, Chelsea there. And it was at this point that I knew we had one more added to our ranks. !As and gave us the opportunity to get together and hang out before the match. ! Without CIA, I wouldn't have been able to march to the stadium with everyone, making the streets of my city come alive with such great music! !I wouldn't have had such a large group of supporters to stand and sing with all the way through the match either! !Because of CIA, I didn't just have fun at the match in St. Louis, I had an incredible night after which I remained ecstatic for days! !CIA really does great things for Chelsea fans! the match started and we tried to fill that grey gloomy air we had one more voice and she just kept on singing. !As unbelievable as I thought it, I would definitely be allowed back home. When the second half got underway and Petr stepped into goal right in front of us I saw the beaming smile I had felt on myself countless times as she diligently snapped a few pictures before joining in a resounding We love Petr Cech, we love Petr Cech! She was immediately taken from couch matches- simply watching Mata, Frankie, and Petr traverse Europe from our living room- to the world of full devotion and passion for our club that surpasses the pitch and is evident through the lasting friendships and endless stories that are truly Chelsea. !The reason why we follow the boys in blue and keep connected to eachother through the good times andthe 80s. !Why so many of us put in so many miles, use every possible vacation day (and sick day), and spend hard earned money. !This is all so evident when we rally the troops, and meet in our local pubs to embrace our club and eachother. !As my girlfriend pointed out its like you all know each other like family. ! And now as I await news during the summer silly season, our favorite helmeted #1 is shown on screen and I hear a faint We love Petr Cech, we love Petr Cech! Shes got it.

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"Even though Manchester won?" "That's right!" I said, bouncing up and down, "because I GOT TO SEE MY CHELS!" I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works with Chelsea in America, including Beth, chapter heads, and anyone else who makes the organization tick. !Even without CIA, I probably would have gone to the match, but I never would have had the great time that I did! !They found a pub for us

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CHELSEA IN AMERICA MAY TRIP - AMSTERDAM AND LONDON

by Hooman Zonoozy
I dont think it really hit me until I was on the train. I was going to Amsterdam to watch Chelsea play in the Europa League final. What felt like yesterday, I was back at home, rushing to get everything packed before leaving for the airport. A long and sleepless flight later, mostly due to my excitement, I was in London. Before I even had time to acclimate myself to my new surroundings, early the next morning I was on a train bound for Amsterdam. Lucky for me, they served a small breakfast of a croissant, roll, yogurt, and some orange juice. This would make my third mid-travel meal in two days. Beth, and eventually, the rest of the CIA group. We had a few more drinks, and headed out to our next destination, a bar that we were led to believe, was just around the corner. A few wrong turns later we found ourselves in the presence of Cathy (@CFCCath) and my new nemesis, sambucha. Now heres where things get a bit fuzzy. Im sure something else happened after the sambucha shot, but I dont remember what. So instead of telling you what I think happened, Im only going to relay what I know happened. After one of the most intense and awesome taxi rides of my life, we found ourselves facing Amsterdam arena. We made our way to the gate, and I found the one bit of sustenance I remember from the trip; a hot dog. At this point our group split up and made our way to our specific sections. I was seated in the upper tier, directly next to the great bullet-proof glass barrier which separated those of us in the neutral zone from the sea of red that was the Benefica supporter section. up the next morning, and managed to make my early train back to London. Everyone else made it back too, after varying transfers and side adventures. Maybe its because Im a Londoner, that I love London so. Maybe its because Im a Londoner, that I think of her wherever I go.

After arriving in Amsterdam, somehow I managed to find my bearings, locate my hotel, and check in to my room. Now that I knew where I was sleeping for the night, or potentially doing so if everything went as planned, it was time to find a pint, and maybe the rest of the Chelsea group. I knew that some of the group had been spotted at the Grasshopper, though I had no idea where that was. I decided to forget directions, and just venture forth in hopes of finding my destination. I wandered through the streets of Amsterdam encountering groups of Chelsea and Benefica supporters everywhere I looked. Everyone was singing songs and proudly displaying their colours. Eventually I found my way. The bar was filled to the brim with blue. So much so, that it had begun to pour out onto the streets. I waded my way through the crowd with one thought on my mind, Damn, Im thirsty. After getting my pint, I met up with

Back in London two days later, it was now time to rendezvous with the remaining CIA entourage that I had yet to encounter. We began with a tour of Stamford Bridge, which was absolutely incredible. The stadium has a completely different feel to it empty than it does on match day. Theres something amazing about feeling like youre the only ones there. During the tour we were within arms reach of the pitch, got to walk through the locker rooms (which included Beth fondling JTs jersey), sat in the players match day seats on the sideline, and visited the press room. We finished up the tour at the museum, which is of course another must do for every True Blue. The Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) event was another awesome experience at the bridge. We walked in past Peter Osgoods statue, and rode the elevator up to an event room. We were treated to dinner, drinks, a silent auction, and the chance to become pitch owners. Meeting Bobby Tambling, David Lee, Dennis Wise and of course Frank Lampard had me in a state of disbelief. Jason Cundy served as our moderator as we relived the

The match itself was amazing; both sides nearly victorious at one point or another. Ultimately we prevailed, and I stood, cheering wildly, as we became the first club to ever hold both the Europa and Champions League Cups at the same time. We were truly the champions of Europe. After the match, we went out to a bar near the stadium, to revel in our incredible win. An interesting fact about late night Amsterdam; all of the female cops look like models. Somehow I woke

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Champions League campaign from last year, game by game with Frank. Hearing Franks choice words on certain managerial decisions made by a party who shall not be named *cough* AVB * cough* was an absolute treat. He even lingered to sign autographs and take pictures with his fans, despite several opportunities to make an exit. Truly a class act, he took the time to ensure that everyone had the chance to say hello. friends and running into old ones. It was great to finally put faces to the voices and twitter handles of people I had been interacting with all season long. Highlights of the evening included Neil having an uncontrollable fit of hiccups, our CIA contingent taking away multiple raffle prizes, and chanting One Bobby Tambling until it reverberated throughout the building. bridge one by one through the turnstiles and made our way to our seats. The players soon began to warm up on the pitch, and afterwards Frank was presented with the golden boot by Bobby. In one of those moments that seems straight out of fiction, Bobby stood on the pitch, to the echoing cheers of everyone at the Bridge. The match was a roller coaster of emotion, leading with Matas early goal, facing the equalizer, and ending with Torres putting us ahead to win. After a whirlwind of a season, thats best described in two words (bloody hell), it felt fitting that we won our final match, and secured a place in the Champions League next season. As customary, since it was the last game of the season, the players walked around the pitch after the match. The crowd cheered as Ferreira placed both the Europa Cup and Champions League Trophy side by side on the pitch, an amazing end to a turbulent season. After the match, we went up to the Hand and Flower where we joined other Chelsea supporters in song and general merriment. It truly was a trip of a lifetime; events, celebrity sightings, making new friends, and some damn good football. Wheres Jonathan?

For me, the highlight of the evening came not during the event, but after, when we returned to the hotel bar and sat chatting with Bobby, his lovely wife Val, and her lyrical brother Buzz. Hearing Bobby tell stories of his days playing for Chelsea is something I will never forget. We were soon joined by Jason and his girlfriend Hannah. Suddenly we found ourselves in a moment being regaled by an Irish folk song courtesy of Buzz, followed by Hannah singing world-class opera. At this point I debated joining in, but did not wish to overshadow anyone with my amazing voice. The entire night was beyond belief. Following a day of rest and sightseeing, we were off to the next event, the Fancast end of year party. We descended upon Putney Station, ready for another night of merriment. Once there, several of us realized we had forgotten to prepare appropriately, and ordered a quick meal to act as a base layer to help absorb the night ahead. With brilliant music provided by The Beautiful Game (@thebeautifulgameuk), the night was filled with meeting new

Stamford Bridge on match day; theres no place like it. This may be clich to say, but the air just tastes different; sweeter somehow. If you ever find yourself as lucky as we were to be there, make sure to check out the various stalls that surround Fulham Broadway and Stamford Bridge. I of course picked up a copy of CFC UK (yes, its really only a pound). While standing at Marcos stall, we were all amazed to see several of the players start to arrive. Staring down the road, we began to scout every car that drove by, trying to spot our favorite players. Our eagle eyes caught glimpses of JT, Mata (by far the best car), Cech, Moses, David Luiz, and even Dr. Eva. Once we were able to drag ourselves away from our newfound game of spot the celebrity, it was off to the first pub of the day. Just past Kings Road, the Rose was the ideal place to grab a meal, some drinks, and enjoy great company. The weather was gorgeous (an oddity for London), so the beer garden provided the perfect atmosphere before the match. After the Rose, we headed back to the pitch. Making our way through the crowd, I had to stop and take a moment to truly appreciate where I was standing. We lined up and enter the

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