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Chelsea have become one of the FA Premier League's success stories. The London club have flourished since the competition's inception in 1992 and chairman Ken Bates has overseen a radical redevelopment of their plush Stamford Bridge base. Mid-table mediocrity was the order of the day before Ruud Gullit's appointment as Chelsea boss in 1996 ushered in a new era. The flamboyant Dutchman helped attract a number of world-class players to Stamford Bridge with Roberto Di Matteo and Gianfranco Zola soon becoming heroes in the royal blue jersey. Chelsea's attractive brand of football earned them sixth place in the FA Premier League in 1997 and FA Cup glory confirmed their improvement. When Gullit departed in 1998, Gianluca Vialli achieved a fourth-place finish and European Cup Winners' Cup and League Cup wins. The big names continued to arrive, including World Cup winners Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps. A third FA Cup triumph was secured in 2000 before Vialli made way for Claudio Ranieri, who soon moulded a competitive side. Two more top-six placings earned the club a reputation as high flyers but the big prize still awaits.
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