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More than two years had elapsed since the second of two hugely
impressive performances against Chelsea before manager John Hollins
brought a smile to all who had witnessed those games when he paid
Manchester City £250, 000 for the services of versatile left-footer
Clive Wilson. Wilson joined the Londoners on transfer deadline day in
March 1987 but was immediately loaned back to City to assist in their
futile bid to avoid relegation. Forming a brand new left-side
partnership with another new signing, Tony Dorigo, Clive made his
Chelsea debut on the left of midfield as the Blues beat Sheffield
Wednesday 2-1 on the opening day of the 1987/88 season, and three days
later scored his first goal for the club with a rasping shot in a 3-0
win at Portsmouth. He scored again soon after as Chelsea fought back
from 3-1 behind to beat Nottingham Forest 4-3 but a dramatic slump in
form saw the Blues drop from second place in October to eventually
suffer relegation to Division Two via the play-offs.
Having started
every match for the first five months of the season, Wilson's silky
skills were suddenly discarded in January as Hollins sought to end a
winless run of more than two months by adopting a more pragmatic
approach. Clive was little more than a spectator throughout the
remainder of the campaign but returned to the starting line-up when the
new season began, first as a stand-in for regular left-back Dorigo, and
then reverting back to his left-midfield role prior to an embarrassing
4-1 defeat at Scunthorpe in the League Cup after which he was again
sacrificed. Although never certain of his place, Wilson made 32
appearances throughout the campaign as Chelsea recovered from a shaky
start to eventually win the Division Two title with ease, a full 17
points clear of second-placed Manchester City. He found the net twice,
in wins over Stoke City and Portsmouth. Clive's final season at Stamford
Bridge was one of total frustration.
Out of the team when the season
began, he made a brief return in place of the injured Dorigo in the
autumn but was again discarded once the England man returned. A lively
performance as a substitute in a pre-Christmas defeat at QPR led to
another short-lived return to the starting line-up before being replaced
by 21-year-old Graeme Le Saux after a 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa on
New Year's Day. The last of Wilson's 18 appearances that season came in
a 2-1 victory over Everton in April and was to prove to be his last in
Chelsea's colours. He was offered a new contract that summer but,
understandably, refused it in favour of a £450, 000 move to QPR. (Kelvin Barker)
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