Kevin WILSON

Perhaps it was the fact that Kevin Wilson had caused Chelsea so many problems during his days with Derby County that persuaded John Hollins to part with £335,000 to sign the lively striker from Ipswich Town in June 1987. The departure of David Speedie that summer had created an opening for a new man to supplement the first choice attacking partnership of Kerry Dixon and Gordon Durie, and Wilson made his Chelsea bow as a substitute on the opening day of the 1987/88 season in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. Against Nottingham Forest in early September he replaced Dixon at half-time with Chelsea losing 3-1 and was instrumental in The Blues' stirring comeback to win 4-3. He retained his place in the side at Dixon's expense but was unconvincing, appearing anxious, and it was hard not to feel that he was uncomfortable in the knowledge that he was keeping one of the supporters' favourites out of the team. Willo's opportunities in the starting line-up were few and far between and his inability to find the target was beginning to exasperate the Chelsea followers when he finally made the breakthrough in December, scoring a late equaliser as The Blues drew 1-1 with West Ham. Confidence restored, he followed that goal up four days later with an outstanding strike in a 2-0 Full Members Cup win at Manchester City.

A more regular feature in the team after Christmas, Wilson scored twice at Coventry in a 3-3 draw but Chelsea's disastrous slide down the table left them in the play-offs. Wilson scored another brace as Blackburn Rovers were comprehensively beaten in the play-off semi-final but was unable to register as Middlesbrough clinched a 2-1 aggregate win to consign The Blues to relegation. The following campaign was far more successful for both club and player. Wilson featured in every league game, 43 from the start and 3 as a substitute, and despite regularly playing from a more withdrawn position he managed to find the net 13 times. Dixon and Durie took most of the plaudits as Chelsea won the title at a canter but many of Willo's goals were crucial, such as his two late strikes which salvaged draws against Sunderland (1-1) and Portsmouth (3-3) at Stamford Bridge. His input during March was particularly impressive, scoring the only goal of the game at Brighton and finding the net again in the next two games, at Manchester City and Sunderland, both of which Chelsea won by a single-goal margin. (Kelvin Barker).

Kevin Wilson made a triumphant return to the top flight when, after coming on as a substitute, he headed the only goal of the game at Wimbledon on the season's opening day. An early season injury to Gordon Durie then gave him the opportunity to stake a claim for a regular spot and he responded in style, scoring twice on his return to the starting line-up in Chelsea's 4-1 demolition of Spurs at White Hart Lane before firing the only goal of the game a week later against Coventry. With Durie ruled out for much of the campaign, Willo played with the freedom and confidence which had been missing during his last season in the top flight and the goals flowed consistently. He joined Kerry Dixon in scoring a brace as Millwall were beaten 4-0 at Stamford Bridge and also repeated the trick in wins against Luton and Charlton (3-0 and 3-1 respectively). Wilson also played a major part in Chelsea's run in the Zenith Data Systems Cup, scoring four times en route to Wembley where he featured in the side that beat Middlesbrough 1-0.

His final goals tally was an impressive 20 in all competitions, 13 of them coming in the league. Kevin took his fine form into the following campaign and after scoring in a 3-2 victory over Sunderland in September, he embarked on a run of seven strikes in six games which included both goals in a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United. Unfortunately he failed to find the target again in the league during the rest of the campaign, eventually becoming something of an outcast during the second half of the season. He did, however, have the pleasure of scoring the last minute winner as Chelsea scored three times in the final ten minutes at Portsmouth to secure an unlikely 3-2 victory in a Rumbelows Cup replay. Wilson was given opportunities to impress early in the 1991/92 season and scored with a superb lob over Erik Thorstvedt as Chelsea secured yet another victory over Spurs at White Hart Lane.

His next goal came a month later in a 2-2 draw with Everton and in the following game he fired home from close range to give The Blues a 2-0 lead at Arsenal which was subsequently squandered. That goal was Willo's last for the club. He was replaced by new-signing Clive Allen in December and failed to make the starting line-up again until March, when he was selected to replace the injured Vinnie Jones in an FA Cup quarter-final tie against Sunderland. The match was a 1-1 draw and proved to be Wilson's last appearance for Chelsea. The Blues lost the replay and in the aftermath of that defeat decided to make some changes to the squad. Within a week Kevin Wilson had joined Notts County for £225,000. (Kelvin Barker)

1979–1985    Derby County    124    (30)
1985–1987    Ipswich Town    98    (34)
1987–1992    Chelsea    152    (42)
1992–1994    Notts County    69    (3)
1994               Bradford City (loan)    5    (0)
1994–1997    Walsall    125    (38)
1997–2001    Northampton Town    31    (2)

Total        604    (149 goals)