We’ve all heard the joke about Chelsea’s proposed plans to move to a new stadium to be build at Battersea Power Station; “they can’t do that, there are at least 8 years of history at Stamford Bridge“. Chelsea have no history you see, despite being around since 1905. Our noisy neighbours (established in 1880 and named as Man City since 1894) are also the butt of the same jokes but of course they share something else with Chelsea – the injection of some serious capital from an overseas owner. A mind boggling, horse choking, game changing amount of money.

There is no doubt that the financial power of both clubs has helped them to attract some top players and deliver titles to success starved fans, many of whom may never even have dreamt of seeing such riches in their lifetimes. How many fans would have envisaged a time such as today where Manchester City are Premier League Champions and Chelsea can boast the coveted title of “Champions of Europe”.

And so the jibes of having no history are at their loudest from the establishment of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United but isn’t it all a little silly? Where is the tipping point of having history and not exactly? Do Aston Villa have history? Spurs? two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest? What about on the continent, do Bayern Munich have history? They’ve won the European Cup 4 times and are the most successful team in German domestic football with 22 titles so of course they have right? But wait, they were not actually a force until the mid-1960′s and were not even part of the original Bundesliga when it formed in 1963 languishing as they were in a lower German League. Then they hit a golden age in 1965 and the rest is of course history. Bayern are not alone in this type of story, the fact is many of the established clubs have made hay in a decade or two of dominance securing the big titles, forging a reputation and winning fans along the way. So whose to say City and/or Chelsea won’t do the same?

And so because City are embarking on this journey they should be derided with the “no history” put down? and what of Chelsea? They have actually enjoyed a very successful past decade regularly amongst the trophies, respected in Europe and of course now with their hands on the biggest prize of them all. A new generation of young people have grown up seeing Chelsea as a big team and will not even understand the no history argument. Players would rather go to Chelsea than Liverpool that’s for sure. Given all this, when do Chelsea make the transition from no history and qualify as having history?

It’s a bit rich of Arsenal fans insisting they are still London’s biggest club and turning down their nose at Chelsea, the nouveau riche from West London who “have no history” when Arsenal have themselves never tasted glory at the apex of European football. Liverpool fans are notorious for banging on about history but should remember most of their clubs achievements are consigned to the older pages of it. And then we come to my own club Manchester United. We’ve got history I’ll have you know – we’ve won more titles and FA Cup’s than any other side in English football, the only team to turn the mythical treble into reality and are the undisputed kings of the Premier League (not an official title). I’ve never heard of the club being accused of not having history.

But get into a hot tub time machine and come back with me to 1990. United had not won the title since 1967 and had only won 2 trophies during the past decade (FA Cup wins in 1983 and 1985). The FA Cup was won again in 1990 as Sir Alex Ferguson set about making history and placing United (and deliciously knocking Liverpool off) the perch at the top of English football. As a United fan since 1983, I could never have imagined the success the club has had to this day but I am glad to have lived through a period where my team has achieved so much.

Here’s the crux of my point – would I swap the past two decades for the frustration that Liverpool fans have endured during the same period? If United’s success was largely at a time before I was born would I still boast about it while my team struggled to compete with contemporary rivals? How long can we really dine out on historic achievement? is there an expiry date for its relevance? Nottingham Forest are no longer in the top flight and haven’t been for a while yet they won back to back European Cups in 1979 and 1980 but would you rather be a Forest or Chelsea fan at this point in time? No one can take Forest’s trophies away, in the best traditions of a game show host “they’re safe” but there is no prospect to add to them in the foreseeable future is there? Chelsea on the other hand may only have one European Cup to their name but they will have the opportunity to add to that next season and beyond.

Regardless of how you feel about the way Chelsea and City have got to their respective positions it is impossible to deny that it must be an extraordinarily exciting time for their fans as their teams begin to add to the clubs honours list and provide them with memories that were once but a dream. The histrionics and jibes about a lack of history are childish, nonsensical and fuelled by jealousy.

The history books are always open – wouldn’t you rather see your team adding chapters into them?

 @Us_Monster