It’s time to pop the champagne

The London side, now an unassailable 14 points in front of Arsenal wanted to wrap up the title before Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Liverpool.After a tough first half when Bolton made all the running, they took control with two Frank Lampard goals after 60 and 76 minutes.

Lampard and skipper John Terry, shirts flung into the crowd, were the last to leave the pitch, serenaded by their fans who continued to sing long after the pitch was empty.

The 3,000 travelling supporters lucky enough to have tickets for the game filled the stadium with triumphant chants including “There’s only one Frankie Lampard” and “Jose Mourinho” to the tune of La donna E mobile.

One over-enthusiastic supporter rushed on to the pitch and was bundled away by police but the incident could not detract from the joyous atmosphere.

The fans spent the dying moments bouncing up and down as Mourinho’s bench collected in a row on the touchline arms locked. Twenty minutes after the final whistle many of the players, together with owner Roman Abramovich, returned to the pitch to take more acclaim from their fans who were anxious to milk every moment from their special day.

When the players were eventually ready to leave, the fans surrounded the team bus still cheering wildly. Striker Didier Drogba and midfielder Joe Cole responded by climbing through the skylight to dance on the roof of the bus, much to the joy of the fans — and the consternation of the coaching staff.

There were no falls, however, as the squad departed intact to start planning the third leg of their targeted treble having won the League Cup in February.

In London, hundreds of celebrating fans congregated outside the club’s Stamford Bridge ground — where the Premier League trophy will be presented next Saturday when Chelsea play Charlton Athletic. (Reuters)

Ten chapters of Chelsea history

1. Founded in 1905 after Fulham declined an offer to rent Stamford Bridge from the owners, who wanted to develop it as a sporting arena.

2. Chelsea were elected to the Second Division and by 1907 had won promotion.

3. After 32 years in the top flight, it was relegated in 1962.

4. In came Tommy Docherty, the new manager, and in company of Peter Osgood, Alan Hudson and Charlie Cooke, Chelsea danced to the ‘swinging sixties.’

5. Ambitious plans to redevelop Stamford Bridge almost bankrupted the club, Osgood and Hudson were sold after a row with manager Dave Sexton.

6. In the middle of this grim period Ken Bates, the former Oldham Athletic chairman, bought Chelsea for one pound. Bates took on millions in debt but gradually turned the club around, although not without courting controversy.

7. Glenn Hoddle took over as player-manager in 1993.He brought Ruud Gullit to the club. Later, Gullit succeeded Hoddle and Gianfranco Zola arrived.

8. Chelsea hoisted their first major honour since 1971 by beating Middlesbrough in the 1997 FA Cup final. The following year they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup again and the League Cup. In 2000 they lifted the FA Cup for the third time.

9. Then, in 2003, Chelsea made the most important signing in their history, Abramovich. Chelsea’s haul in 100 years amounts to 10 major trophies, six coming since the year 1997.

10. The rest, as they say, is history

The big three in Chelsea’s pack

• “This group is really special. Nobody speaking with fairness and sense can say we don’t deserve this title.”
-Jose Mourinho

• “This championship is not about individuals but the whole squad.Fifty years is a long wait, and for the players and fans it’s magnificent.”
–Frank Lampard

• “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had, honestly. “We’ve waited a long time for this and we fully deserve it.
–John Terry