Blue is the colour and winning is their aim

Darrell Allen provides a fans-eye perspective on Chelsea’s WSL winning victory at Reading on Saturday (29/5/23).

Above: Millie Bright (left) and Sam Kerr celebrate with the WSL trophy at the SCL Stadium on Saturday. Photo: Andy Wicks for Impetus.

As comfortable as it gets

Days shouldn’t come more high-pressured than a title-deciding final day away to a Reading team who had to win to stand any chance of avoiding relegation. With Manchester United taking an expected win at Liverpool, Chelsea themselves needed at least a draw to win the title.

In the end, this was as comfortable as it gets: a total breeze, as Chelsea dominated the game from start to finish and barely had to go through the gears to sweep aside Reading, who played from the off like a team already down.

After missing a hatful of chances, (Sam Kerr firing over and an Erin Cuthbert shot being palmed onto the crossbar), Kerr finally gave Chelsea a deserved lead on 18 minutes when she headed in a beautiful cross from Guro Reiten.

Reiten herself doubled the lead just before the halftime break – and Kerr scored again to put the gloss on it late in the second half and made it 3-0 so the party could really start.

A home game on all bar paper

Honestly, you might as well have played this game at Kingsmeadow or Stamford Bridge. This was a Chelsea home game in all ways apart from on paper. Held, of course, at The SCL Stadium in Reading, but you wouldn’t have known it. As we drove into the car park, all you saw was a sea of Chelsea fans as their club took over the ground – well beyond the four blocks allocated to them.

Chelsea brought the flags and the fans waved them wildly. Legendary Chelsea fan Basil was conducting the crowd with his instruments and dancing up and down all the blocks. This felt so emotional in different ways: firstly it was brilliant to see the Chelsea support, a crowd of more than 7,000 as the Blues fans did the club proud but secondly a sad feeling that the best it got for Reading at home was Chelsea fans taking over the stadium.

When we came out of the ground after the title celebrations had concluded, Chelsea fans were again there waiting to applaud their team onto the bus as they set off into the night to party. Emma Hayes casually escaped in a car behind, cuddling her young son in the back seat. Once the fans noticed “There’s only one Emma Hayes” rang out as the Blues boss waved back.

This was a Chelsea occasion in all ways. The Reading stadium announcer was superb in honouring Chelsea, and the Reading stewards allowed the Chelsea supporters to celebrate in the stadium for as long as they wanted, it was a great football family-feeling day.

Royal Recognition

Where Reading should rightfully be applauded is the fact they host all their women’s team matches at the wonderful SCL Stadium. No matter the opposition, they treat their female team as everyone should by using the same stadium as their male counterparts.

The stunning facility just off the M4 with as much parking as the eye could see, a lovely hotel on site, and fantastic fan park which looked glorious in the sunshine yesterday. This really is a fabulous place to watch football. Sadly, on the pitch, it has not worked this season for Reading’s male and female sides, both of whom have been relegated, but I very much hope they will continue to host all Reading Women fixtures at this ground.

Reading are a fantastic club that welcome you brilliant and I personally wish them every success in the Championship next season.

It’s a family affair

A tremendous family feel on Saturday was emphasised by the fact that injured Chelsea stars Millie Bright and Fran Kirby were present to receive their medals along with their teammates and celebrate winning the Barclays Women’s Super League for the fourth time in a row.

The emotion yesterday was extra special as this was a beautiful way to conclude their hugely successful Chelsea careers for Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder who played their final matches in a Chelsea shirt.

The sweetest moment of the day was when Emma Hayes together with her young son lifted the trophy before posing for photographs in front of the celebrating Chelsea fans. This was a moment that reduced many to tears.

The greatest title

As Emma Hayes said, this is her greatest title, and rightly so. From losing on the opening day of the season to missing a chunk of the season herself after undergoing an emergency hysterectomy. So to come out on top by two points is an amazing triumph.

Picking up a point at Arsenal in January when they were dreadful performance-wise, the double victory over Manchester United, and stringing win after win together late in the season when they were playing every weekend and midweek was a fantastic show of champions and this is why they deservedly took the crown home again.

A league and FA Cup double once again for Hayes and Chelsea. Whilst Arsenal lowered their colours in the Conti Cup Final, the South-West London-based side are the dominant team in the country still.

What follows is fascinating. How will Chelsea adapt after the departures of Eriksson and Harder? Will the global stars rumoured to be linked with Kingsmeadow arrive? Those are questions for another day, as now it’s time to celebrate this great team.