Chelsea was humiliated at home to Aston Villa, losing by 1-3 to end any lingering aspirations to the Premier League title.
Boos resounded round the Bridge with cries of "Bring back Hiddink" ringing in the ears of players and coach Andre Villas-Boas.
This was a forgettable day for the home side that had the temerity to take the lead through a Didier Drogba penalty.
The visitors responded through Stephen Ireland before Stilliyan Petrov and Darren Bent secured all three points - their first win at the Bridge since 2002.
The first chance of the game fell to Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor, on seven minutes, but his scuffed header from a Marc Albrighton, right wing cross inched wide of Petr Cech's goal.
A Raul Meireles half volley from the edge of the penalty area, which went high over Bradley Guzan's crossbar five minutes later, was the home side's first foray of note towards goal.
A quick breakaway on19 minutes by the home side, inspired by Meireles, left Daniel Sturridge, wide on the right. The opportunity to drift inside and release a trademark left-footer, but again, the ball sailed high over the crossbar.
.A minute later and Didier Drogba tried his luck from outside the area.
This time his curler was but inches wide of the far post.
The Blues took the lead on 22 minutes Richard Dunne upended Drogba in a clear penalty decision.
The Ivory Coast striker ignored Juan Mata's appeal that as designated penalty taker he should take it.
Instead he stepped up and scored his 150th Chelsea career goal by slotting the ball low under the body of Guzan.
That goal put Drogba level on the goal-scoring stakes with Peter Osgood and Roy Bentley. Drogba then pointed to the spot in order to honour Osgood where the ashes of the Chelsea legend lies buried.
But the lead was short-lived as the Blue’s inability to keep a clean sheet continued.
Charles N'Zogbia, on 28 minutes, zipped past Paulo Ferreira on the left before cutting the ball back to Stephen Ireland.
The midfielder took a first-time shot on goal which John Terry blocked on the line. But the ball fell back to him and he tucked home easily from six yards out.
Terry was booked for flattening Agbonlahor on the halfway line two minutes later.
An inspired run and byline cross by Drogba saw the ball fall to Mata as Chelsea went in search for a quick goal. But the Spain midfielder's left footer was blocked by Stephen Warnock.
The Blues started slowly in the second half and should have conceded a goal on 52 minutes. Another quick break saw Villa's N'Zogbia pass to Albrighton who in turn fed the ball to Agbonlahor.
The striker raced towards goal with only Cech to beat. Thankfully for the majority of the 41,332 crowd the goalkeeper was equal to the task, getting a fingertip to the striker's attempted curler.
In search of some inspiration, Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas brought on Frank Lampard on 57 minutes replacing Oriol Romeu. Fernando Torres entered the fray on 62 minutes replacing Daniel Sturridge. The Spain striker's first touch, 30 seconds later, resulted with him rattling the crossbar with a vicious right-foot from 30 yards out.
Chelsea had a half decent shout for a penalty turned down by ref Mark Halsey, when, on 66 minutes Richard Dunne appeared to handle Ashley Cole's flicked pass.
Chelsea made their final substitution with 15 minutes remaining when Jose Bosingwa replaced Paulo Ferreira. The move was almost inspirational as the Portugal defender left fly with a fantastic left footer from just on the edge of the Villa area. Guzman did well to tip the ball over his bar for a corner.
Villa boss Alex McLeish made two changes on 78 minutes, bringing on striker Bent for N'Zogbia and Gary Gardner for Albrighton. Villa had a double shout for a penalty turned down with eight minutes remaining but it did not matter as Villa took the lead straight after.
A fine ball by Ciaran Clark bisected the home side's defence and in-running Petrov was unmarked.
He took a fine one touch to set himself up before ramming home a low left-footer across Cech's path and into the far corner of his net.
Worse was to follow three minutes later when Lampard's cross-field pass was intercepted by Ireland who race through before passing to Bent who coolly slotted home past the hapless Cech for Villa's third from eight yards out.
As soon as the whistle was sounded, boos echoed round the ground, which Roman Abramovich currently in the West Indies celebrating New Year must surely have heard.
Teams: Chelsea, Cech, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Mata, Drogba, Meireles, Ferreira, Sturridge, Terry. Subs: Turnbull, Lampard, Torres, Malouda, Bosingwa, Kalou, Hutchinson. Aston Villa: Guzan Warnock, Dunne, Collins, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor, Albrighton, Petrov, Clark, Cuellar. Subs: Marshall, Hutton, Bent, Delfouneso, Bannan, Weismann, Gardner