A final hurrah

"A final hurrah" - I have a habit of using this phrase, when the opportunity arises, despite it making me sound like an ancient, doddery, old toff straight out of a novel by potential racist Enid Blyton.

I found myself using it again at the weekend, albeit as part of my inner monologue, contemplating the exciting possibility of my beloved Chelsea claiming an historic League and Cup double!

"We'll have no better chance than this", I said to myself. "With our star players all perilously teetering on the brow of the hill, Drogba (32), Lampard (31) and Terry (29 - but pretty much ready for the knackers yard), it's now or never. Yep, this is our last opportunity for some real history, a final hurr....yada, blah, rhubarb."

Terry's comments after the match about this being "the beginning" were laughable - he certainly knows how to give ample ammunition to his numerous critics. Clearly, over the years, Chelsea have relied on the consistent performance of a handful of players who make up the spine of their team, and although there have been superb contributions from Malouda, Kalou and others at times, their younger shoulders couldn't hope to withstand the burden of expectation currently heaped onto our present thirtysomethings.

That's why I'm so delighted at another Championship title. I realise it's unlikely we'll be able to sustain the kind of constant success that Manchester United, an exception in recent decades, have been able to enjoy. Take Arsenal as a prime example, or perhaps more historically, Liverpool, both of whom wouldn't have expected to wait so long in their respective quests for league titles.

Neutrals tuning into the FA Cup this weekend will no doubt be blasé with expectation that Chelsea will sweep aside Portsmouth as they have done Wigan, perhaps they will, but the importance of the game for me is no less than if we were pitted against, Man Utd, Arsenal et al.

For the first time in our history we may do the double - only Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd having previously achieved such a feat in the modern age - and that makes this game incredibly significant to Chelsea fans.

The European Cup may continue to elude but this Saturday could well see our defining and final opportunity to be branded with the mark of a 'great' team.  All of those mentioned above, perhaps with the exception of Man Utd, look back on illustrious histories they are trying to recapture. As clichéd as it might sound, Chelsea could be writing their history now!

"Crikey and cor lummy", a head splittingly over entusiastic member of the 'Famous Five' might declare, "how exciting!"