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06 Sept 2025

Finn Harps embrace humour over Chelsea's 8-0 win, recalling their own historic loss

The Donegal club jokes on social media as Chelsea’s big win brings back memories of Finn Harps’ 12-0 loss to Derby County in the UEFA Cup in 1976

Finn Harps embrace humour over Chelsea's 8-0 win, recalling their own historic loss

General View of Finn Park, the ground where Derby County beat Finn Harps 4-1 back in 1976

Finn Harps jokingly took to X comparing Noah’s 8-0 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night to their own defeat to Derby County at the Baseball Grounds back in 1976, when they lost 12-0. 

Chelsea delivered a commanding performance in their Europa Conference League match, defeating Armenian team Noah 8-0 with Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku each scoring twice at Stamford Bridge, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Axel Disasi, and Mykhailo Mudryk also contributing goals.  

By halftime, Chelsea led by six goals, marking the largest halftime lead by an English team in a major European competition since Derby County's 9-0 lead against Finn Harps in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup. 

Finn Harps took to social media to joke about this saying: “A proud moment for the club this evening when the half-time whistle went and our record was safe.” 

READ NEXT: Death mourned of Finn Harps' first senior captain and goalkeeper John Young

The first game away in Derby saw Kevin Hector nail five goals past Gerry Murray, while Leighton James and Charlie George scored a hattrick each, with future Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch hitting home the 12th goal. 

In the home leg, Derby were 4-1 up with Harps scoring in the first minute when England international Roy McFarland kicking the ball accidentally into his own goal, but of course, Derby were too far ahead as they left Finn Park winners on a 16-1 aggregate.

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