Five on debut: the day the 'Gatling Gun' was born

It was only the second season in Chelsea's history. Opening day of 1906/07 in the Second Division, Saturday 1 September 1906, Stamford Bridge. The opponents were Glossop North End. Leading the Chelsea line was a 21-year-old East Londoner playing his first game in blue: George Hilsdon.

By the final whistle it was 9–2 — and five of the goals were his.

The manager who saw something more

Hilsdon arrived from West Ham as an inside-forward. Manager John Tait Robertson was convinced there was a centre-forward inside him, promised to make him Chelsea's next spearhead, and signed him on £4 a week. Day one proved him right in the loudest way possible.

He became the "Gatling Gun", after the rapid-fire weapon of the day — his shots, it was said, flew like bullets and were simply unstoppable. Chelsea today link the nickname directly to that debut.

One season, one promotion, one record

The five was no flash in the pan. Hilsdon finished the season with 27 goals and Chelsea won promotion to the top flight in only their second year. He later scored six in an FA Cup tie against Worksop Town — a club record nobody has matched. For England he scored 14 times in just 8 games.

He became the first Chelsea player to reach 100 goals, leaving in 1912 with 108 in 164 matches. Robertson, for his part, didn't see it all: he left during the promotion season — for Glossop, of all places.

The weather vane above the Bridge

Hilsdon's story did not end well. In the First World War he was badly affected by a gas attack on the Western Front, which finished his career. He died in Leicester in 1941, largely forgotten; in 2015 Chelsea supporters raised money so his grave could finally have a headstone.

But look up at Stamford Bridge and he is still there: the ground's weather vane is modelled on him. Whenever a new signing has a dream debut in blue, the bar has been set since 1906 — five goals in one afternoon.

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Sources and credit: This story comes from Rick Glanvill, The Chelsea FC Miscellany (The History Press, 2012), paraphrased in our own words. Independently checked against: Chelsea FC – Seven stories from the Year of the Horse, Chelsea FC – Five famous fives, Chelsea FC – All-time record goalscorers, Wikipedia – George Hilsdon, Wikipedia – History of Chelsea F.C. (1905–1952).