Former Chelsea defender and FA Cup winner John Dempsey has died age 78, club confirms

John Dempsey was an intimidating presence in a Chelsea shirt.John Dempsey was an intimidating presence in a Chelsea shirt.
John Dempsey was an intimidating presence in a Chelsea shirt. | Getty Images
Chelsea FC has paid an emotional tribute to one of their former players who has died at the age of 78.

Irish defender John Dempsey helped the Blues lift both the FA Cup and European Cup during his playing days in the 1960s and 70s. A tall, imposing centre-back, he was signed to Stamford Bridge for £70,000 - a whopping fee at the time.

Playing 207 games for Chelsea, Dempsey actually scored seven goals in that time, being famed for getting into the box for corners and heading the ball into the net. But his most famous goal came in the 1971 European Cup final against Real Madrid.

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The ball fell to Dempsey, who hit what Chelsea described as “one of the crispest volleys seen from a Chelsea player” - it was also the winning goal for the Blues in Greece that night.

John Dempsey was an intimidating presence in a Chelsea shirt.John Dempsey was an intimidating presence in a Chelsea shirt.
John Dempsey was an intimidating presence in a Chelsea shirt. | Getty Images

In a tribute to the Republic of Ireland international, a club statement said: “All at Chelsea send our heartfelt condolences to John’s wife Trish and all his family and friends at this difficult time.

“Brought up in Kilburn, young aspiring footballer Dempsey had been taken by his father to watch Chelsea and Fulham on alternate weekends. He had even been in the crowd when the Blues won the league for the first time in 1955.

“No side challenged Chelsea more in the physical side of the game than Leeds United, but Dempsey and his colleagues gave as good as they got in the 1970 FA Cup final on the bumpy Wembley turf, and then in Manchester in the replayed game, to bring home that trophy for the first time.

“The Blues back-four defence of Dempsey, Webb, Ron Harris and Eddie McCreadie was considered the most solid the club had fielded up to that point.”

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