Welcome to Chelsea Legends, where we take a look at some of the greats of the past.
We begin our ‘Mega Week’ with a look at a famous Chelsea captain, who led the club admirably throughout the 1990’s.
Dennis Wise it seemed was not immediately destined for greatness, not in the eyes of Southampton at least, and after a spat with manager Lawrie McMenemy Dennis departed the club.
At the tender age of 18, Wise was signed by Wimbeldon and went on to become a member of the infamous ‘Crazy Gang’ that managed an historic F.A. Cup upset, beating Liverpool in the 1988 cup final by a single goal, a goal that Wisey helped set up.
In 1990 Wise was signed for an at the time club record of £1.6 million. Chelsea supporters could sense that the young Englishman had talent, but none would have guessed the legendary figure he would become.
Wise made his debut for the blues in a 2-1 win over Derby County, and he justified his transfer fee by putting in a strong performance that turned a few heads. We did not have to wait long to discover the other side of Wise however, as three days later Dennis was sent off for a ‘disagreement’ with Andy Gray of Crystal Palace.
After the initially bright start, Dennis Wise’s performances began to drop, and dissatisfaction amongst supporters was rife. However opinions quickly changed after an odd incident occurred during Wise’s England debut, which saw Dennis scoring a goal which by most accounts went in off of his backside!
With the fans back on side, Dennis began to grow in stature and his form steadily improved as the season wore on. Wise began to flourish during the following season, when he was paired with newly signed former Wimbeldon teammate Vinny Jones. The season would bear many memories for Chelsea supporters, with an historic victory over Liverpool at Anfield, the first time we had achieved the feat in 60 years. Dennis played a key part in the victory, becoming the first ever opposition player to be awarded the sponsors man of the match award at the ground.
With the appointment of Glenn Hoddle as player manager at the start of the 1993/94 season, the role of club captain was up for grabs. Not the type of person to shy away from a challenge, Dennis jumped at the chance to captain the club. Despite the team not having a memorable run, Dennis Wise shone throughout the season, and the Stamford Bridge faithful were confident that they were being lead
well.
The following season was to be remembered for Wise’s actions off of the field, with Dennis being sentenced to a three month jail term after an incident with a London cabby. After an appeal however, all charges were dropped, and Dennis returned to captain the club.
The following season saw a rather uneventful mid table finish, and despite a cup run that saw us bow out in the semi’s, the club we’re hungry for more. With the arrivals of several stars from abroad, the likes of Vialli, Di Matteo and the legendary Gianfranco Zola, some expected that Dennis would not be able to adapt to the new style of football being played at Fulham road.
Wise however, proved the critics wrong, as he developed wonderfully and continued to lead the club strongly from midfield. Off the pitch he also behaved admirably as a captain, and he enjoyed welcoming in the new signings.
The club was to be struck with tragedy as much loved club director Matthew Harding sadly passed away in a helicopter crash. With the spirit of Harding in mind, the team we’re determined to win silverware, and in 1997 they achieved this in the form of a magical run in the F.A. Cup.
The cup run showed the true might and determination of the team, and Dennis Wise was at the forefront of and historic match against Liverpool, a match that many call the greatest match in the clubs history.
All looked lost at halftime, however the team fought back to win the game 4-2, sending the Chelsea faithful into a state of pandemonium.
The team carried on the run in the final, and after an early goal from Di Matteo the match was effectively over. Dennis Wise lifted the F.A. Cup 27 years after Ron Harris had done the same, and the club were experiencing happy times.
Dennis continued to lead the club into our trophy laden late 90’s, and he scored ‘that goal’ at the San Siro in a memorable European season. 1998 was to see us pick up the Cup Winners Cup and the Super Cup, not a bad feat for a club that only just over a decade earlier was languishing in the second division. The new Millennium was to see the club win another F.A. Cup, the last to be contested at the old Wembley stadium.
The appointment of Claudio Raneri was to see the end of Dennis Wise’s Chelsea career. Raneri, with the instruction to lower the age of the squad, decided to part ways with the influential captain who made his way to Leicester City.
After stints at Millwall, Southampton, and finally Coventry City, Dennis hung up his boots in favor of full time management, having time in charge of Southampton, Swindon and Leeds.
Perhaps surprisingly, Dennis gave up on management to head to Newcastle, becoming an executive at the club. Whilst we will respect Wisey wherever he may be, one must hope that if he does return to football management, he chooses to come back to his Fulham road home.
‘On the pitch, I’ve always tried to give as much as I could. And yes, I will wind people up.
‘You do what you can to win. A lot of people didn’t like that. But – how should I put this – I enjoy playing football.
‘Whatever happens out there, happens. Afterwards I have a beer with them, and I haven’t got problems with anyone.’
Wise will always be remembered as a hero at Stamford Bridge, his reputation of leading the team strongly will never be forgotten, and as a Chelsea supporter you get the feeling that we have not seen the last of our Wisey.
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