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This is the the first Chelsea badge showing one of the famous Chelsea Pensioners that gave rise to our early nickname. It was never worn on any shirts however but did appear on later matchday programmes.


When Ted Drake became Chelsea manager in 1952 he instigated a move away from the old ‘Pensioners’ tag and wanted a new image to go with the new nickname, the Blues. While the new design was being worked on this cipher of the club’s initials was used for a solitary season as a stop-gap.