Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon is celebrating his 59th birthday today.

Dixon spent nine years as a striker at the Blues and is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever wear the shirt.

As part of the celebrations, VAVEL takes a look into his career at Stamford Bridge.

  • The early days

Dixon began his footballing career at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, but was eventually released by the Lilywhites.

He then joined Reading in 1980 where scored 51 times in 116 appearances, before signing for Chelsea three years later for £175,000.

Fans were hoping that Dixon was to be the signing that helped the Blues to return to the First Division.

In his first season, he was the league’s top scorer with 28 goals and helped the Blues to be crowned Champions of the Second Division, and thus promoted to the top flight.

  • Return to the top

Chelsea’s first game back in the First Division was away at Arsenal, where Dixon scored a superb volley in a 1-1 draw at Highbury.

It proved to be another successful campaign for the striker as he finished as the joint top goal scorer with 24 goals alongside Leicester City’s Gary Lineker.

The Blues then struggled to stay in the First Division and were soon relegated back to the Second Division.

However, Dixon was the hero once again and helped send Chelsea straight back into the top flight as they finished Champions for the second time in the 1988/89 season.

  • Moving on

Chelsea’s return to the First Division was a huge success as they finished 5th, with Dixon scoring 26.

He eventually left the Blues in 1992 when he joined Southampton, and finished his career at Basildon United.

His 193 goals during his nine years at Chelsea have made him the club’s third all-time top goal scorer behind Bobby Tambling with 202 and Frank Lampard with 211.

He will forever be an icon at Chelsea and will go down in history as one of the club’s greatest ever players.