No, not for me. Not ever. It just feels important now because of the success they have bought with the proceeds of the fall of the former USSR. And at the same time, Woolwich are (unusually for them) struggling. The acid test for me is: if Chelsea's dirty roubles disappeared, and they returned to mid table obscurity - perhaps even the Championship, how would you feel about a game against them? For me, it would feel no different to playing QPR, Charlton or Millwall. A bit of edge because it is a London derby. But not the same as playing Woolwich, ever.
The NLD is known as one of the most famous big city derbies in Europe - perhaps the world; if Woolwich were ever to be relegated and we were to play them in the cup it would still be the grudge match for me. Which is remarkable given that one of the teams in the NLD doesn't even come from North London....
And while the likelihood of Russian money leaving Chelsea is low, it will be interesting to see if there is any capital flight as a consequence of the ongoing diplomatic row over the Salisbury poisonings.
.....but unlike they chav cunts they bought everything taken the easy option then tried to claim they're the best as city are doing now!
