 Docherty built a new team around the group of talented young players emerging from the club 's youth set @-@ up and Chelsea challenged for honours throughout the 1960s , enduring several near @-@ misses . They were on course for a treble of League , FA Cup and League Cup going into the final stages of the 1964 – 65 season , winning the League Cup but faltering late on in the other two . In three seasons the side were beaten in three major semi @-@ finals and were FA Cup runners @-@ up . Under Docherty 's successor , Dave Sexton , Chelsea won the FA Cup in 1970 , beating Leeds United 2 – 1 in a final replay . Chelsea took their first European honour , a UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup triumph , the following year , with another replayed win , this time over Real Madrid in Athens . 
