Bobby Tambling

Chelsea

A talented schoolboy footballer who played for England schoolboys, his signature as a professional player was sought out by several teams including Reading, Wolverhampton Wanderers and the club he supported as a boy, Blackpool. Having met scout Jimmy Thompson and manager Ted Drake Tambling joined Chelsea as a fifteen-year-old in 1957. He made his debut, aged seventeen in 1959 scoring in a 3–2 win against West Ham United. Two years later, following the transfer of Jimmy Greaves to AC Milan, he became Chelsea's main striker and was their leading goal scorer for five seasons in the 1960s. Forming a partnership with Barry Bridges, Tambling was made club captain in 1962 by manager Tommy Docherty after Chelsea's relegation to the Second Division. With Docherty adding new players Terry Venables and Peter Bonetti Chelsea made an immediate return to the top flight with Tambling as their top scorer as he was in their first season back in the top division. In 1965, he was a member of the team which won the 1965 Football League Cup final. Played over two legs, Tambling scored the first goal in the first leg, a 3–2 defeat of Leicester City. Tambling was also a member of the Chelsea side which lost the 1967 FA Cup Final. Although he scored for Chelsea his 85th-minute goal was little more than a consolation as Tottenham Hotspur, with former Chelsea players Greaves and Venables, won 2–1. Tambling holds the record for the highest number of goals scored for Chelsea in a league…

England

Between 1962 and 1966 Tambling made three international appearances for England. He had previously represented England at Under 23 level. He made his full England debut on 21 November 1962 in a 4–0 win against Wales in the British Home Championship. On 27 February 1963, he scored his only international goal in a European Nations' Cup qualifier which England lost 5–2 to France at Parc de Princes. Tambling had to wait more than three years for his next game, on 4 May 1966, a 2–0 friendly win against Yugoslavia. It was his last international appearance for England. Tambling won all three of his England caps while a Chelsea player.

League of Ireland XI

Tambling also played for the League of Ireland XI on at least two occasions. On 21 September 1977 at Dalymount Park he featured against a Republic of Ireland team that included Johnny Giles, Liam Brady, Steve Heighway and Don Givens. The league selection lost 2–1. On 19 April 1978 Tambling also played against Argentina at the Estadio Alberto J. Armando, in a warm up game as part of their preparations for hosting the 1978 FIFA World Cup. His teammates included Johnny Giles, Ray Treacy, Eamonn Gregg and Synan Braddish. The starting eleven for Argentina included nine players who later played in the 1978 FIFA World Cup Final. Argentina won this game 3–1. On these two occasions Tambling was a Waterford United player.

Chelsea

Football League Cup: 1964–65 FA Cup runner-up: 1966–67 Cork Celtic

League of Ireland: 1973–74