After Jesse Derry became the 33rd player to follow in his father’s footsteps by playing in the Premier League, we look back at the other Blues whose father or son have achieved that feat.
Having appeared in several cup games this season, Derry made his Premier League bow in yesterday’s defeat to Nottingham Forest. Sadly, his afternoon was cut short after a nasty clash of heads, but it was still a proud day for the Derry clan.
Jesse’s father, Shaun, played 53 times in the Premier League, mostly for Queens Park Rangers between 2011 and 2013. He featured against Chelsea on three occasions, winning two of those matches 1-0 and losing the other 6-1.
Jesse is not the only Chelsea player whose dad has also starred in the Premier League. Liam Delap’s father, Rory, was a regular in the competition for Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland and, most notably, Stoke City, where he gained a reputation for his fearsome long throw.
Seven of the first 13 goals Stoke scored upon their maiden elevation to the Premier League in 2008 were assisted by Delap as teams struggled to come to grips with his throw.
Liam made his Premier League debut in 2020, coming off the bench for Manchester City in a 5-2 defeat to Leicester. He now has 67 appearances to his name, including 26 in the blue of Chelsea.
From years gone by, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jack Cork are the two other Chelsea players to have followed in their father’s footsteps by appearing in the Premier League.
Shaun, the adopted son of Ian Wright, spent three years at Stamford Bridge between 2005 and 2008. In that time, he won the top-flight title, FA Cup and League Cup, scoring four goals in 82 league appearances before returning to Manchester City.
Jack Cork was a product of the Chelsea Academy and is the son of Alan Cork, who played 46 times for Sheffield United in the Premier League’s first two years. While Jack never represented our senior team, he forged a thoroughly successful Premier League career with Southampton, Swansea and Burnley, racking up over 300 appearances. He retired in 2024.
The other two former Chelsea players in this list watched with pride as their offspring emulated them by playing in the Premier League. Gus Poyet’s son Diego made three appearances for West Ham in 2014/15 and has since followed his father into coaching.
Paul Furlong was our record signing when we signed the striker from Watford in 1994. He left two seasons later having played 64 Premier League games and scored 13 goals.
His son Darnell made his Premier League debut two decades later, for QPR, and has just helped Ipswich Town get promoted back to the Premier League.