Climbing the Chelsea Hil
Regular price
€25.99
Climbing the Chelsea Hill is the gripping story of Ken Shellito, the first and only Chelsea manager to enter the job after rising through the ranks at Stamford Bridge. After joining as ground staff at 15, he turned professional in 1957. He played 123 senior games as a full-back and won England honours before a knee injury ended his playing career at age 23. Undeterred, he joined the coaching staff and became first-team manager of Chelsea after 22 years at the club. Later, Ken left the UK to coach and manage in his new home of Malaysia. Sadly, he died there aged 78, in 2018. In this authorised biography, Ken lays bare all the highs and lows of his unique footballing journey. His anecdotes - some harrowing, others hilarious - shine a light on an era when football was all about the teams, their fans and the camaraderie among players. It paints a fascinating portrait of how the game was played at the start of Ken's career and how it evolved into today's commercialised era of glitz and glamour.
Nick Atkinson, who was born and bred in the UK, met Ken after moving to Malaysia. Nick describes himself as 'in the right place, at the right time' when he first encountered Ken in 2009 and was asked to help with his story. 'Ken spoke and I wrote,' he says. 'Ken was such a special guy, we laughed so much, and I'm very sad that he isn't here to share his story.' Nick feels sure the book will form part of Ken's remarkable legacy.