Emulating Chelsea!

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There have of course been numerous QPR players over the years who also played for Chelsea; (with the direction being far more, from Chelsea to QPR than from QPR to Chelsea). Think: Les Allen, Terry Venables, Ray Wilkins, John Hollins, Dave Webb, Barry Bridges, Steve Wicks, Allan Harris, Gavin Peacock (originally from QPR); John Spencer; and on and on down to Sinclair, Ben Sahar and Mancienne. And of course Tommy Docherty! (Add: Langley, Richardson, Walker, Chivers, Cunningham, Perkins, Ian Watson, Alan Wilks and Paul Furlong.)[In the other direction, directly or indirectly: Clive Allen, Paul Parker, Steve Wicks, John Hollins, Alan Mayes, Mark Stein, and a small handful of others)
(And Chelsea are of course keeping our spot warm in the Championship League until we're ready to take it!)
But besides that, below, one thing Chelsea are doing that QPR should emulate: Vis-a-vis their former players. Probably other clubs are also maintaining contacts with the ex-players.

CHELSEA OFFICIAL SITE

CHELSEA STRENGTHEN TIES WITH PAST PLAYERS

Chelsea Football Club will underline our ongoing commitment to forge greater links with our history by honouring 55 past players and managers at a major event tomorrow (Friday).

Proceeds from the Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) Annual Lunch at the London Hilton, Park Lane will go to the Chelsea Past Players' Trust (PPT) which was launched last year.

The CPO lunch, which will be attended by 650 guests, is one of the highlights of the club calendar and this year will see more past players and managers celebrated than ever before.

The PPT has already started to provide wide-ranging support for past players, from knee operations to funding for medication unavailable through the NHS.

Chelsea FC made a donation of £50,000 to kick-start the PPT and CPO raised a further £25,000 from last year's lunch.

In a further move to support our past players, Chelsea now sponsors and runs the Chelsea Old Boys football team, many of whom will be at the lunch. In future all games played by the team will raise funds for the PPT.

Chelsea and CPO will also be confirming assistance to The Peter Osgood Trust at the lunch. The Osgood Trust has been created by Lynn, Peter's widow.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said: 'It is always an honour to attend the CPO lunch where we have an opportunity to celebrate and pay tribute to the contribution of our past players and managers.

'It will be great to see so many in attendance and the club is delighted they are now back in the Chelsea family and we have begun to give meaningful and much-needed support to some through the Past Players' Trust.

'I am also delighted the club and CPO, via its chairman Richard King, will be offering support to The Peter Osgood Trust. Peter is missed by everyone connected with Chelsea and it is fitting his widow Lynn wants Peter to be remembered by encouraging children to play the game which Peter graced for so long.'

In a professional football career that spanned 16 years, Osgood made a total of 560 appearances for Chelsea and Southampton scoring 220 goals and winning two FA Cup winners' medals as well as other honours.

His sudden death on 1st March 2006 left family, friends and the football world in shock.

The trust will be a grant-giving organisation whose aim is to support disabled or underprivileged children's participation in football. It is registered with the Charity Commission and a series of fundraising events will take place throughout next year with the first official launch dinner scheduled for March 20th at Stamford Bridge.

Presidents of the Osgood Trust are Lord Cadogan and Terry Venables, with Peter Bonetti and Lawrie McMenemy on the Board of Directors as Trustees. Patrons include Tommy Docherty, David Webb, Mick Channon and David Baddiel.

Baddiel will be the host of tomorrow's lunch. The renowned comedian and writer is a lifelong Chelsea fan and season-ticket holder since the early 1990s. Chelsea


Chelsea Official Site - CPO LUNCH RAISES FUNDS AND LAUGHS

One of the big events on the Chelsea social calendar took place in central London on Friday with significant funds raised to help the club's former players.

For many supporters, the annual Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) Lunch heralds the start of the Christmas festivity season and at the London Hilton in Park Lane, this was the most well-attended and lavish of these gala functions yet.

A total of 650 enjoyed the food and a range of entertainment but with CPO having expanded its aims to support our former stars as well as the club's future, the most significant guests were a record turn out of past Blues.

In total, 55 (that significant number in Chelsea history) attended. With a wide range in dates of service, they included John Paton, who played in the 1940s; original championship winners from the Ted Drake era; a selection of Docherty's Diamonds; long lists from the 1970s and 80s right through to servants from the 90s such as Paul Elliott and Ken Monkou.

The man with a very good claim to have made the longest journey to be there was Charlie Cooke who had flown from his mid-west United States home not by the most direct route.

'I've come via Sweden and Norway,' the all-time great explained. 'I had some other business so I also went to see the game against Rosenborg the other night. I thought Chelsea were very impressive. I watch them a lot and I was very impressed.

'I really enjoy these events.You don't half meet some people!'

Each year, one ex-player is enrolled as a CPO vice-president at the lunch and this time a favourite from two decades ago and a current Chelsea website columnist was chosen - Pat Nevin.

Hosting the whole event was Chelsea fan, writer and comedian David Baddiel who in a departure from standard gala lunch practice, recreated his Unplanned TV show on stage but with Ray Wilkins taking the place of Frank Skinner, an experiment which led to Chelsea's youngest ever captain exposing his chest to the dinners.

Other entertainment included a Chelsea trivia quiz, hosted by Nigel Spackman with a Tommy Lawton question destroying the hopes of many of the entrants.

The major speeches were given by Chelsea Football Club chairman Bruce Buck and CPO chairman Richard King who among some more light-hearted thoughts, recognised the success of the recently-launched Past Players' Trust in helping former players and employees. It was also the moment for details to be announced of the new Peter Osgood Trust.

A lasting tribute to the King of Stamford Bridge, the Trust is a registered charity and grant-giving organisation dedicated to helping disabled or underprivileged children enjoy football.

Peter's widow Lynn was a guest at the lunch and the Trust will be formerly launched in March.

An oil painting signed by Peter was joined by an autographed pair of John Terry's boots to form one lot in a lively auction, the money raised on these two items going to the new Trust with the Past Players' Trust benefiting from the other lots.

Signed Michael Essien boots, a VIP day at the Cobham training ground and a framed shirt signed by the entire 2007 FA Cup-winning side all raised four figures sums with the highest-fetching lot the chance to be Chelsea's mascot.

The afternoon ended as it began, on an operatic note. Stuart Pendred, the singer who leads the Stamford Bridge crowd through Blue is the Colour before many big games, expanded his repertoire to include some of the more fruity terrace anthems, accompanied by David Baddiel on the ivories. A unique ending to a successful afternoon. Chelsea