Chelsea's steady, multi-trophy-winning ascent to football's summit has been well documented. In the modern Blues era, relegation is something that happens to other clubs, while a defeat to bitter London rivals Tottenham Hotspur is as rare an occurrence as a total eclipse of the sun. But life wasn't always quite so carefree at Stamford Bridge.

April 1975, Spurs beat Chelsea 2-0 at White Hart Lane -- all but preserving their own top-flight status, while effectively condemning the Blues to Division Two.

Managing Chelsea for the first time that day was 35-year old Eddie McCreadie who'd...