Boxing Day football is one of the great traditions of English football, a custom that dates back to the mid-19th century.
While many of the older staples of English football have been replaced, Boxing Day football remains a favourite with fans across the country.
The 2024/25 season will be no different, with Chelsea supporters looking forward to an exciting London derby against Fulham.
What better way to wash down a turkey and mince pie than with a leisurely stroll down Fulham Road before watching Enzo Maresca's side take on their neighbours?
With the fixture list for the 2024/25 season announced this morning, we've taken a look back at some of the most memorable Boxing Day matches to date.
1996/97 – Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea
The trip to Villa Park in the mid-1990s was a trip few clubs were looking forward to, with the Blues travelling to the Midlands to face the team that had finished fourth the previous season and won the League Cup.
After Glenn Hoddle left for England, Chelsea had a new look under the management of the great Ruud Gullit, who also added soon-to-be club legends Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Di Matteo in his first season at the Bridge.
Zola's artistry would ultimately help Chelsea finish sixth (one place below Villa), win the FA Cup and claim the FWA Player of the Year award, and for the first or last time that season, the little genius would score match-winners for his club's third and fourth goals, although both came off big deflections and with the help of future Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Bosnich.
2005/06 – Chelsea 3-2 Fulham
Match schedulers often try to ensure that at least one of the festive matches is against a local team, so unsurprisingly, this West London derby is often played over the Christmas and New Year period.
The Blues had won 15 of their 17 Premier League games leading up to Boxing Day 2005 and were already top of the table after the third game of the season, a position they held throughout the season as they defended their title.
Goals from William Gallas and Frank Lampard gave them a 2-0 lead and it looked like another easy win for Jose Mourinho's side.
However, Brian McBride scored within the first five minutes and then Heidar Helgusson's penalty made it 2-2 just before the hour mark.
But two moments of real quality decided the match, as Joe Cole found Hernan Crespo on the run with a deep cross and then scored a superb volley on the run to secure the three points.
2007/08 – Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa
For some, Boxing Day is a day to laze around and take a nap after eating too many Christmas dinner leftovers, but those at Stamford Bridge on December 26th 2007 got no such chance.
Eight goals, three great finishes, three red cards, two penalties and drama right to the end: this was one of the great Premier League games.
Two goals from Sean Maloney (including a rare fumble by Petr Cech) put the Villains up 2-0 before That Knight was sent off and Andriy Shevchenko converted a penalty.
The Ukrainian icon scored a brilliant long-range equaliser before Alex added an emphatic third to give the Blues the lead for the first time in six games.
The momentum continued to shift as Martin Laursen equalised, Ricardo Carvalho received a red card for a two-footed charge and Michael Ballack made it 4-3 with a quality low free-kick with just three minutes remaining.
But the drama didn't end there. In added time, referee Phil Dowd adjudged Ashley Cole had handled the ball while blocking on the line, giving the left-back a red card, allowing Gareth Barry to score the eighth goal of the game.
2014/15 – Chelsea 2-0 West Ham United
Chelsea, on track for a Premier League and League Cup double, recorded another London derby victory on Boxing Day, beating West Ham United with goals from John Terry and Diego Costa.
In Jose Mourinho's second season back at the club, Chelsea took the top spot in the first week of the season and remained so throughout the season, except for a brief period in the second matchday.
Terry made it 1-0 just after the half-hour with a tap-in from Costa's drop, before Costa scored again in the second half with a stunning trademark finish.
But the reality is, without West Ham goalkeeper Adrian it would have been a total rout with the Blues besieging his goal throughout.
2016/17 – Chelsea 3-0 Bournemouth
No Kante, no Costa. But no problem. Antonio Conte's Chelsea started the game missing two key players and without any notable striker, yet looked at their strongest to set a club record with a 12th consecutive Premier League win at the Bridge.
The front three of Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro took some time to settle in on the day but ultimately ran wild against Eddie Howe's side.
Pedro curled a shot from outside the box, which then deflected into the goal, before Hazard converted a penalty to make it two.
Chelsea finished the season as champions for the fifth time, Conte won the LMA Manager of the Year award, Kante won the PFA Player of the Year award, Costa finished the season with over 20 goals and four Blues were named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Bournemouth were just the latest team to succumb to this excellent Chelsea team.
Chelsea's Boxing Day results in the Premier League era
1992/93 – Chelsea 1-1 Southampton (Newton)
1993/94 – N/A (lost 3-1 to Southampton on 27 December)
1994/95 – Chelsea 2-3 Manchester United (Spencer (pen), Newton)
1995/96 – Chelsea 1-2 Wimbledon (Petrescu)
1996/97 – Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea (Zola x2)
1997/98 – Chelsea 1-1 Wimbledon (Vialli)
1998/99 – Southampton 0-2 Chelsea (Flo, Poyet)
1999/00 – Southampton 1-2 Chelsea (Flow x2)
2000/01 – Ipswich Town 2-2 Chelsea (Gudjohnsen x2)
2001/02 – Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (Lampard)
2002/03 – Chelsea 0-0 Southampton
2003/04 – Charlton Athletic 4-2 Chelsea (Terry, Gudjohnsen)
2004/05 – Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa (Duff)
2005/06 – Chelsea 3-2 Fulham (Gallas, Lampard, Crespo)
2006/07 – Chelsea 2-2 Reading (Drogba x2)
2007/08 – Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa (Shevchenko x2 (1x penalty), Alex, Ballack)
2008/09 – Chelsea 2-0 West Bromwich Albion (Drogba, Lampard)
2009/10 – Birmingham City 0-0 Chelsea
2010/11 – N/A (3-1 loss to Arsenal on 27 December)
2011/12 – Chelsea 1-1 Fulham (Mata)
2012/13 – Norwich City 0-1 Chelsea (Mata)
2013/14 – Chelsea 1-0 Swansea City (Hazard)
2014/15 – Chelsea 2-0 West Ham United (Terry, Costa)
2015/16 – Chelsea 2-2 Watford (Costa x2)
2016/17 – Chelsea 3-0 Bournemouth (Pedro, Hazard, S. Cook OG)
2017/18 – Chelsea 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Morata, Alonso)
2018/19 – Watford 1-2 Chelsea (Hazard x2 (1x penalty))
2019/20 – Chelsea 0-2 Southampton
2020/21 – Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea (Abraham)
2021/22 – Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea (2x Jorginho (2x penalties), Lukaku)
2022/23 – N/A (beat Bournemouth 2-0 at home on 27 December)
2023/24 – N/A (beaten Crystal Palace 2-1 at home on 27 December)
