Chelsea vs Sunderland descended into chaos with hooligans running riot

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This Saturday, Chelsea take on Sunderland for the first time since 2017 in a fixture that, for many modern supporters, doesn't sound especially headline-grabbing. But the lack of recent hostility shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of history.

This clash carries a grim, unexpected backstory rooted in the violent heyday of English football hooliganism during the 1970s and 80s. What began as scattered brawls on the terraces spiralled into one of the game's darkest nights in 1985, when Chelsea thugs injured more than 20 police officers and even targeted a Sunderland player, resulting in over 100 arrests.

Incredibly, Chelsea's notoriously outspoken chairman Ken Bates refused to ban the offenders, choosing instead to move them farther back in the stands.

The bitterness traces back to August 1975, when Chelsea travelled north to meet Sunderland at Roker Park in the old Second Division. It was their first match after dropping out of the top flight and the club was struggling both on and off the pitch amid significant financial woes.

Over a thousand Chelsea fans journeyed north - and chaos followed in their wake. Led by the feared Chelsea Headhunters, groups of supporters tore through the city centre, clashing violently outside pubs and along the seafront.

Inside the stadium, things weren't much calmer. With little crowd segregation and minimal policing, about 1,500 Chelsea followers crammed into the open Roker End, only to be ambushed by Sunderland's own hooligan firm - the Seaburn Casuals.

Fights erupted nonstop in the Roker End as mobs charged back and forth. Some Chelsea supporters infiltrated the Fulwell End but were quickly ejected by home fans. After full time, the unrest spilled into the streets - Sunderland supporters chased and attacked retreating Chelsea fans.

Police made multiple arrests, but the day remains remembered as "pure carnage" by those present, including youngsters barely in their teens who witnessed the unending violence from the terraces.

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The return game in December 1975 at Stamford Bridge brought swift retaliation. Sunderland, chasing promotion, faced a furious home crowd. Trouble began on Kings Road and in Tube stations, where poor segregation let opposing groups mingle in the open end.

One supporter later recalled that a knife was drawn during the match, leading to an immediate arrest by a watchful officer. The game ended level, but outside, Chelsea groups hunted down Sunderland fans, forcing them to flee - hiding in parks, graveyards, or ducking into cafes for safety.

This animosity simmered for nearly 20 years, rivalling even local derbies in its intensity. But the rivalry hit its grim peak in March 1985, during the Milk Cup (now Carabao Cup ) semi-final second leg.

Sunderland arrived with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, and the atmosphere was volatile. Chelsea struck early through David Speedie , but Clive Walker equalised just before halftime. Walker netted again midway through the second period, effectively killing the tie, before Colin West added a third soon after to put Sunderland 4-1 ahead on aggregate and virtually book their place at Wembley.

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Pat Nevin scored a late consolation for Chelsea, but by then the damage was done - both in the match and beyond it. When Sunderland's third goal went in, chaos ensued. Furious Chelsea hooligans launched a full-scale riot, throwing seats, bottles, and debris onto the pitch and into the away end.

More than 20 officers were hurt in the disturbance, several seriously, along with numerous fans. One steward suffered a severe head wound after being hit by a flying seat torn from the stands.

In another shocking episode, a pitch invader ran onto the field to punch Sunderland's Clive Walker, who narrowly avoided the blow. Over 100 people were arrested that night, including an off-duty Metropolitan Police officer caught in the fray.

Chelsea's chairman Ken Bates - who later installed a 12-foot-high electrified fence around the Stamford Bridge pitch to prevent invasions - didn't hold back, calling the rioters "scum" and "animals" in his post-match comments. Yet, controversially, he declined to ban the perpetrators.

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Instead, Bates proposed relocating them back into the terraces from seating areas, arguing it would be simpler for security to monitor and contain them. His lenient response drew national criticism, and the incident directly led to Chelsea fans being barred from attending the next league game at Roker Park that same season.

Sunderland went on to Wembley for their first cup final in over a decade, but the triumph was marred by the violence. The fallout contributed to the Thatcher government’s growing crackdown on hooligan culture.

Fast forward to today, and the landscape of football is unrecognizable - all-seater stadiums, strict policing, and widespread CCTV have transformed the matchday experience.

After years lost in the lower divisions, Sunderland have returned to the Premier League . They've started strongly too, winning four of their opening eight fixtures, including a 3-0 victory over West Ham on the first weekend.

Facing Chelsea will be their biggest challenge yet. Enzo Maresca's side are desperate to reassert themselves among the nation's elite, but injuries and suspensions have exposed their fragility, demonstrated by the club's three losses and two draws in competitions so far.

The Black Cats, currently level on points with the Club World Cup and Conference League winners, will be eager for a hard-fought contest free from echoes of the past.

As the two sides meet again this Saturday, fans on both ends may pause to remember the days when a single match could ignite a feud that burned for decades. Let's hope this meeting is remembered for goals, not goons.

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