Rovers link with Chelsea’s historic league success

Chelsea’s historic triumph in the Premiership has revived memories of a Sligo link with the club’s last League title fifty years ago.

For of one of the stars of the 1955 Chelsea team, inside forward, Seamus O’Connell, played for Sligo Rovers in the 1951/1952 season.

The Carlisle-born forward joined Rovers in January 1951 from non-league football in England and even though he only made sixteen appearances for the club, he is still remembered by Rovers fans of that era as an exceptional player.

Indeed, the late Johnny Armstrong, one of Rovers legendary figures, considered O’Connell to be the best inside-forward he ever played with.

O’Connell scored seven goals - five in the League and two in the FAI Cup - during his brief spell with Rovers, helping the club to fourth place in the League and the FAI Cup semi-finals.

Rovers were right up there with the leaders in the race for the League Championship for most of the season but their hopes of winning the title where shattered when they lost four of their last seven league games

They eventually finished fourth, five points behind the champions, St. Patrick’s Athletic.

In the FAI Cup, Rovers beat Limerick and Drumcondra to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the third year in a row. Cork Athletic were their opponents for the second year running and a dramatic match ended in a 4-3 win for the Cork side.

Rovers line-up was as follows: McMorrow, Isles, Mooney, Lipper, Cameron, Miller, Coll, O’Connell, Moody, Buggy, Armstrong.

At the end of the season O’Connell returned to England and eventually joined Chelsea from non-league side, Walthamstow Avenue.

He was a one-season wonder for the London Club as they stormed to the first division title for the first time in their history.

He made a sensational debut for Chelsea, scoring a hat-trick in an incredible match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in October, 1954. Despite O’Connell’s remarkable performance, Chelsea were beaten 6-5 with eight of the eleven goals coming in a stunning 32 minute spell.

Ironically, Chelsea’s last game in their historic season was also against Manchester United - this time at Old Trafford a week after they had beaten Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to clinch the title. United won the game 2-1 but it didn’t dampen the London club’s celebrations.

O’Connell made sixteen league starts for Chelsea that season, scoring eleven goals. He rarely trained with his team mates, instead travelling down on match days by train, boots hanging around his neck by the laces, and leaving for home as soon as the game finished.

Soon after Chelsea’s triumph, O’Connell moved to Spain, where he became successful in the cattle business. Now aged 75 years, he still lives in Spain.

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