European Super League: Chelsea protests speak for fans everywhere

Those running Chelsea Football Club, on behalf of Mr Abramovich, have been given notice that the ones who pay their money have a new way of making their voices heard - says David Johnstone.

David Johnstone

The Chelsea supporters who attended protests outside Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night spoke not only for themselves, but for all those who follow teams up and down this country as well as those abroad.

Readers of cfcuk, supporters of the We Are The Shed group, members of the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, and also shareholders in Chelsea Pitch Owners, gave the Chief Executive Guy Laurence and Chairman Bruce Buck a ‘bloody nose’ this week.

Their presence on the streets outside the ground alone highlighted the dissatisfaction and, indeed, the total rejection of the farcical plans of those who were behind the now ill-fated European Super League.

Now, those running Chelsea Football Club, on behalf of Mr Abramovich, have been given notice that those who pay their money, give up their time and also eat, sleep and live for their side, are now motivated and have learned a new way of making their voices heard.

Chelsea Fans

As the late Matthew Harding once said: the people running Chelsea are merely the custodians and should act for the benefit and on behalf of the people who support the club.

Unfortunately for a couple of members of the Board, they are now in the sights of the supporters who smell blood and are demanding resignations.

Whether the people concerned will have the grace and indeed the courage to fall on their swords is another question.

However, the Fulham Road supporters have now been emboldened and will become even stronger as they seek equity in their treatment, the price they’re asked to pay for tickets, and a host of other club-led decisions that are regularly made with no consultation with the supporters.

I look forward to the new power that the supporters have now discovered they have and hope that radical change in a few key areas comes about as quickly as possible.

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About the Author

David JohnstoneLondoner David Johnstone is a home, away and European away Chelsea supporter and has missed just six matches since 2001 (although he’s quick to state there are plenty of other supporters with better attendance records than him).

He has been involved with the fanzine scene at Chelsea since around 1991 and started the ‘cfcuk’ fanzine in 1999 which was, until Mr Abramovich bought the club in 2003, named ‘Matthew Harding’s Blue And White Army’.

David was also responsible for forming both the Chelsea Supporters’ Group and the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust which are the main two bodies that represent the followers of Chelsea FC and take their concerns to those running the club.

A founder of the highly regarded Chelsea FanCast weekly podcast (but is no longer involved) and responsible for the crowd surfing banners and supporter displays that are seen in the Matthew Harding Stand at Stamford Bridge on matchday.

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