List of Chelsea F.C. seasons

The first Chelsea team in September 1905

This is a list of all seasons played by Chelsea Football Club in English and European football, from their inaugural season in 1905–06 to their last completed season (2023–24). It details their record in every major competition entered, as well as the top goalscorers for each season. Top scorers in bold were also the top scorers in Chelsea's division that season.

The club have won every major domestic and international honour, and have never been outside the top two divisions in English football. In total, Chelsea have won six League Championships (the First Division and its successor, the Premier League), eight FA Cups, five League Cups, one FIFA Club World Cup, two UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Europa Leagues, and two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups. The club have also won various minor honours, including four FA Community/Charity Shields, two Full Members' Cups, and two UEFA Super Cups.

As of the end of the 2023–24 season, Chelsea have spent 89 seasons in the top division.

Key

Prem – Premier League Div 1 – Football League First Division Div 2 – Football League Second Division CS – FA Community Shield CL – UEFA Champions League EL – UEFA Europa League [lower-alpha 1] CW – UEFA Cup Winners' Cup SC – UEFA Super Cup CWC – FIFA Club World Cup FM – Full Members' Cup

Pld – Matches played W – Matches won D – Matches drawn L – Matches lost GF – Goals for GA – Goals against Pts – Points Pos – Final position

1Q – First qualifying round 2Q – Second qualifying round 3Q – Third qualifying round PO – Play-off round R32 – Round of 32 R16 – Round of 16 R1 – Round 1 R2 – Round 2 R3 – Round 3 R4 – Round 4 R5 – Round 5 R6 – Round 6 QF – Quarter-finals SF – Semi-finals RU – Runners-up W – Winners

Winners

Runners-up

Promoted ↑

Relegated ↓

Top scorer(s) in Chelsea's division

1. Includes the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Prior 2009–10, the competition was known as the UEFA Cup.

Seasons

Results of league and cup competitions by season

Season	League									FA Cup	League Cup	Other competitions							Top goalscorer(s) [lower-alpha 1]
	Division	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts	Pos			CS	CL	EL	CW	SC	CWC	FM	Player(s)	Goals
1905–06	Div 2	38	22	9	7	90	37	53	3rd	3Q									Frank Pearson Jimmy Windridge	18
1906–07	Div 2 ↑	38	26	5	7	80	34	57	2nd	R1									George Hilsdon	27
1907–08	Div 1	38	14	8	16	53	62	36	13th	R2										30
1908–09	Div 1	38	14	9	15	56	61	37	11th	R2										27
1909–10	Div 1 ↓	38	11	7	20	47	70	29	19th	R2									Jimmy Windridge	6
1910–11	Div 2	38	20	9	9	71	35	49	3rd	SF									Bob Whittingham	34 [lower-alpha 2]
1911–12	Div 2 ↑	38	24	6	8	64	34	54	2nd	R2										26
1912–13	Div 1	38	11	6	21	51	73	28	18th	R2										12
1913–14	Div 1	38	16	7	15	46	55	39	8th	R1									Harold Halse	10
1914–15	Div 1	38	8	13	17	51	65	29	19th [lower-alpha 3]	RU									Bob Thomson	18
Competitive football was suspended during World War I. Chelsea played in the unofficial Football Combination until 1919.
1919–20	Div 1	42	22	5	15	56	51	49	3rd	SF									Jack Cock	24
1920–21	Div 1	42	13	13	16	48	58	38	18th	R4										15
1921–22	Div 1	42	17	12	13	40	43	46	9th	R1										13
1922–23	Div 1	42	9	18	15	45	53	36	19th	R2									Harry Ford Buchanan Sharp	10
1923–24	Div 1 ↓	42	9	14	19	31	53	32	21st	R1									Andy Wilson	6
1924–25	Div 2	42	16	15	11	51	37	47	5th	R1									William Whitton	16
1925–26	Div 2	42	19	14	9	76	49	52	3rd	R4									Bob Turnbull	30
1926–27	Div 2	42	20	12	10	62	52	52	4th	R6										23
1927–28	Div 2	42	23	8	11	75	45	54	3rd	R3									James Thompson	25
1928–29	Div 2	42	17	10	15	64	65	44	9th	R5									George Biswell Jimmy Thompson Andy Wilson	9
1929–30	Div 2 ↑	42	22	11	9	74	46	55	2nd	R3									George Mills	14
1930–31	Div 1	42	15	10	17	64	67	40	12th	R6									Hughie Gallacher	14
1931–32	Div 1	42	16	8	18	69	73	40	12th	SF										30
1932–33	Div 1	42	14	7	21	63	73	35	18th	R3										19
1933–34	Div 1	42	14	8	20	67	69	36	19th	R5										16
1934–35	Div 1	42	16	9	17	73	82	41	12th	R3									Dick Spence	19
1935–36	Div 1	42	15	13	14	65	72	43	8th	R5									Joe Bambrick	19
1936–37	Div 1	42	14	13	15	52	55	41	13th	R4									George Mills	23
1937–38	Div 1	42	14	13	15	65	65	41	10th	R3										13
1938–39	Div 1	42	12	9	21	64	80	33	20th	R6									Joe Payne	19
Competitive football was suspended during World War II. Chelsea played in the unofficial Wartime Leagues until 1945.
1945–46	The FA Cup was resumed in 1945–46 but the Football League did not resume for another season.									R5
1946–47	Div 1	42	16	7	19	69	84	39	15th	R4									Tommy Lawton	30
1947–48	Div 1	42	14	9	19	53	71	37	18th	R4									Ken Armstrong	13
1948–49	Div 1	42	12	14	16	69	68	38	13th	R5									Roy Bentley	22
1949–50	Div 1	42	12	16	14	58	65	40	13th	SF										22
1950–51	Div 1	42	12	8	22	53	65	32	20th	R5										11
1951–52	Div 1	42	14	8	20	52	72	36	19th	SF										17
1952–53	Div 1	42	12	11	19	56	66	35	19th	R5										17
1953–54	Div 1	42	16	12	14	74	68	44	8th	R3										21
1954–55	Div 1	42	20	12	10	81	57	52	1st	R5										21
1955–56	Div 1	42	14	11	17	64	77	39	16th	R5		W	N/A [lower-alpha 4]							16
1956–57	Div 1	42	13	13	16	73	73	39	13th	R4									Johnny McNichol	11
1957–58	Div 1	42	15	12	15	83	79	42	11th	R4									Jimmy Greaves	22
1958–59	Div 1	42	18	4	20	77	98	40	14th	R4				QF						37 [lower-alpha 5]
1959–60	Div 1	42	14	9	19	76	91	37	18th	R4										30
1960–61	Div 1	42	15	7	20	98	100	37	12th	R3	R4									43 [lower-alpha 6]
1961–62	Div 1 ↓	42	9	10	23	63	94	28	22nd	R3	N/A [lower-alpha 7]								Bobby Tambling	22
1962–63	Div 2 ↑	42	24	4	14	81	42	52	2nd	R5	N/A [lower-alpha 7]									37 [lower-alpha 8]
1963–64	Div 1	42	20	10	12	72	56	50	5th	R4	R2									19
1964–65	Div 1	42	24	8	10	89	54	56	3rd	SF	W								Barry Bridges	27
1965–66	Div 1	42	22	7	13	65	53	51	5th	SF	N/A [lower-alpha 7]			SF					George Graham Bobby Tambling	23
1966–67	Div 1	42	15	14	13	67	62	44	9th	RU	R3								Bobby Tambling	28
1967–68	Div 1	42	18	12	12	62	68	48	6th	R6	R2								Peter Osgood	17
1968–69	Div 1	42	20	10	12	73	53	50	5th	R6	R3			R2					Bobby Tambling	19
1969–70	Div 1	42	21	13	8	70	50	55	3rd	W	R4								Peter Osgood	31
1970–71	Div 1	42	18	15	9	52	42	51	6th	R4	R4	RU			W				Keith Weller	14
1971–72	Div 1	42	18	12	12	58	49	48	7th	R5	RU				R2				Peter Osgood	31
1972–73	Div 1	42	13	14	15	49	51	40	12th	R6	SF									17
1973–74	Div 1	42	12	13	17	56	60	37	17th	R3	R2								Tommy Baldwin	9
1974–75	Div 1 ↓	42	9	15	18	42	72	33	21st	R4	R3								Ian Hutchinson	9
1975–76	Div 2	42	12	16	14	53	54	40	11th	R5	R2								Ray Wilkins	12
1976–77	Div 2 ↑	42	21	13	8	73	53	55	2nd	R3	R4								Steve Finnieston	26
1977–78	Div 1	42	11	14	17	46	69	36	16th	R5	R2								Tommy Langley	13
1978–79	Div 1 ↓	42	5	10	27	44	92	20	22nd	R3	R2									16
1979–80	Div 2	42	23	7	12	66	52	53	4th	R3	R2								Mike Fillery Clive Walker	13
1980–81	Div 2	42	14	12	16	46	41	40	12th	R3	R2								Colin Lee	16
1981–82	Div 2	42	15	12	15	60	60	57	12th	R6	R3								Clive Walker	17
1982–83	Div 2	42	11	14	17	51	61	47	18th	R4	R3								Mike Fillery	12
1983–84	Div 2 ↑	42	25	13	4	90	40	88	1st	R3	R3								Kerry Dixon	34 [lower-alpha 9]
1984–85	Div 1	42	18	12	12	63	48	66	6th	R4	SF									36 [lower-alpha 10]
1985–86	Div 1	42	20	11	11	57	56	71	6th	R4	R5							W		23
1986–87	Div 1	42	13	13	16	53	64	52	14th	R4	R3							QF		12
1987–88	Div 1 ↓	40	9	15	16	50	68	42	18th [lower-alpha 11]	R4	R2							R3	Gordon Durie	20
1988–89	Div 2 ↑	46	29	12	5	96	50	99	1st	R3	R2							R3	Kerry Dixon	28
1989–90	Div 1	38	16	12	10	58	50	60	5th	R4	R2							W		25
1990–91	Div 1	38	13	10	15	58	69	49	11th	R3	SF							R3	Kerry Dixon Gordon Durie	15
1991–92	Div 1	42	13	14	15	50	60	53	14th	R6	R2							SF	Dennis Wise	14
1992–93	Prem	42	14	14	14	51	54	56	11th	R3	R5								Mick Harford	11
1993–94	Prem	42	13	12	17	49	53	51	14th	RU	R3								Gavin Peacock Mark Stein	14
1994–95	Prem	42	13	15	14	50	55	54	11th	R4	R3				SF				Paul Furlong John Spencer	13
1995–96	Prem	38	12	14	12	46	44	50	11th	SF	R2								John Spencer	14
1996–97	Prem	38	16	11	11	58	55	59	6th	W	R3								Mark Hughes	14
1997–98	Prem	38	20	3	15	71	43	63	4th	R3	W	RU			W				Gianluca Vialli	19
1998–99	Prem	38	20	15	3	57	30	75	3rd	R6	R5				SF	W			Gianfranco Zola	15
1999–2000	Prem	38	18	11	9	53	34	65	5th	W	R3		QF						Tore André Flo	19
2000–01	Prem	38	17	10	11	68	45	61	6th	R5	R3	W		R1					Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	26 [lower-alpha 12]
2001–02	Prem	38	17	13	8	66	38	64	6th	RU	SF			R2						29
2002–03	Prem	38	19	10	9	68	38	67	4th	R6	R5			R1					Gianfranco Zola	16
2003–04	Prem	38	24	7	7	67	30	79	2nd	R5	R5		SF						Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	17
2004–05	Prem	38	29	8	1	72	15	95	1st	R5	W		SF						Frank Lampard	19
2005–06	Prem	38	29	4	5	72	22	91	1st	SF	R3	W	R16							20
2006–07	Prem	38	24	11	3	64	24	83	2nd	W	W	RU	SF						Didier Drogba	33 [lower-alpha 13]
2007–08	Prem	38	25	10	3	65	26	85	2nd	R6	RU	RU	RU						Frank Lampard	20
2008–09	Prem	38	25	8	5	68	24	83	3rd	W	R4		SF						Nicolas Anelka	25 [lower-alpha 14]
2009–10	Prem	38	27	5	6	103	32	86	1st	W	R5	W	R16						Didier Drogba	37 [lower-alpha 15]
2010–11	Prem	38	21	8	9	69	33	71	2nd	R4	R3	RU	QF						Nicolas Anelka	16
2011–12	Prem	38	18	10	10	65	46	64	6th	W	R5		W						Frank Lampard	16
2012–13	Prem	38	22	9	7	75	39	75	3rd	SF	SF	RU	GS	W		RU	RU		Fernando Torres	22
2013–14	Prem	38	25	7	6	71	27	82	3rd	R5	R5		SF			RU			Eden Hazard	17
2014–15	Prem	38	26	9	3	73	32	87	1st	R4	W		R16						Diego Costa	21
2015–16	Prem	38	12	14	12	59	53	50	10th	R6	R4	RU	R16							16
2016–17	Prem	38	30	3	5	85	33	93	1st	RU	R4									22
2017–18	Prem	38	21	7	10	62	38	70	5th	W	SF	RU	R16						Eden Hazard	17
2018–19	Prem	38	21	9	8	63	39	72	3rd	R5	RU	RU		W						21
2019–20	Prem	38	20	6	12	69	54	66	4th	RU	R4		R16			RU			Tammy Abraham	18
2020–21	Prem	38	19	10	9	58	36	67	4th	RU	R4		W						Tammy Abraham Timo Werner	12
2021–22	Prem	38	21	11	6	76	33	74	3rd	RU	RU		QF			W	W		Romelu Lukaku	15
2022–23	Prem	38	11	11	16	38	47	44	12th	R3	R3		QF						Kai Havertz Raheem Sterling	9
2023–24	Prem	38	18	9	11	77	63	63	6th	SF	RU								Cole Palmer	25

Notes

1. Competitive matches only. Includes all goals scored in the Premier League, Football League, FA Cup, League Cup, Full Members' Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and Charity/Community Shield.
2. 31 goals in the Second Division.
3. Chelsea ended the 1914–15 season in a relegation position, but when the league was expanded after the First World War the club was invited to rejoin the First Division.
4. As English champions, Chelsea qualified for the inaugural European Champions' Cup, but withdrew under pressure from the Football League, whose chairman Alan Hardaker felt priority should be given to domestic competitions.
5. 33 goals in the First Division.
6. 41 goals in the First Division.
7. In the early years of the League Cup, some clubs opted not to participate. Chelsea withdrew from the competition in 1961–62, 1962–63 and 1965–66.
8. 35 goals in the Second Division.
9. 28 goals in the Second Division.
10. 24 goals in the First Division; joint top scorer alongside Gary Lineker (Leicester City).
11. Chelsea were relegated after losing a two-legged play-off against Middlesbrough.
12. 23 goals in the Premier League.
13. 20 goals in the Premier League.
14. 19 goals in the Premier League.
15. 29 goals in the Premier League.

References

• Glanvill, Rick (2005). Chelsea FC: The Official Biography - The Definitive Story of the First 100 Years. Headline Book Publishing Ltd. ISBN   0-7553-1465-4.
• Hockings, Ron. 100 Years of The Blues - A Statistical History of Chelsea FC 1905–2006.