After suffering relegation from the First Division via the promotion/relegation play-offs at the end of the 1987-88 season, Chelsea bounced back immediately by winning the 1988-89 Second Division Championship scoring 94 goals and accruing 99 points along the way.
Captain Graham Roberts appeared in all 46 league games scoring 15 goals. Gordon Durie scored 17, including helping himself to 5 in the 0-7 away victory versus Walsall at Fellows Park but, Kerry Dixon led the goalscorers with 25 league goals.
On the run in to winning the Second Division Championship, over 40,000 spectators were in attendance at Maine Road for the top of the table clash between Manchester City and The Blues in March. Wearing the 1988 away shirt, first half goals from Kerry Dixon, Kevin Wilson and Tony Dorigo ensured a Chelsea victory which took them back to the top of the league table, where they remained until the end of the season.
SCORE DRAW Official Retro Shirt Match:
Manchester City 2 v 3 Chelsea.
Saturday 18 March 1989.
Football League Division 2.
Maine Road.
Attendance 40,070.
Chelsea Team: 1.Dave Beasant. 2.Steve Clarke. 3.Tony Dorigo. 4.Graham Roberts. 5.Joe McLaughlin. 6.John Bumstead. 7.Kevin McAllister. 8.Peter Nicholas. 9.Kerry Dixon. 10.Gordon Durie. 11.Kevin Wilson. 12.Clive Wilson. 14.David Lee.
