The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) has sent a furious letter to the club’s owners demanding major changes amid concerns the Blues have turned into a “laughing stock”.
Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have overseen mass spending since their takeover of Chelsea in May 2022 but the results on the pitch have fallen well short of expectations. The Blues finished 12th in the Premier League last season and currently find themselves 11th with 11 games remaining in the 2023/24 campaign.
“The current mood amongst supporters is critically low and cannot be ignored,” the CST wrote in a letter to Chelsea’s ownership group. “The feeling that the club has become a ‘laughing stock’, both on and off the pitch, is growing.
“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust regretfully believes that we are close to, if not already experiencing, a significant shift in supporter opinion that could result in irreversible toxicity, almost irrespective of results on the pitch.
“Unless the situation improves, this seems likely to manifest itself in more targeted chanting, especially at televised games, and quite possibly more organised, overt and impactful forms of protest by some sections of the fanbase.”
Among the biggest concerns was a rise in matchday costs which the CST argued has gone against original pledges from the owners.
“We were informed that only once all commercial revenue streams were exhausted would the club hit the pockets of the supporters,” the letter continued. “Supporters are frustrated and angry that this pledge has been broken.”
The CST added: “The current feeling amongst Chelsea supporters in our opinion is at its lowest since the early 1980s.
“While this may be expected with our current run of form and position in the league table, a significant number of supporters that we speak to are quick to express concerns that the lack of any public-facing vision from the new ownership has led to an overwhelming sense of helplessness, frustration, and deep concern.
“Supporters are saying that there currently seems a fast-growing lack of trust from much of the fanbase, especially matchgoers towards the board, partially due to severely limited communication. Many supporters have significant concerns about the short and long-term future of our football club.”
Chelsea’s chief executive officer Chris Jurasek responded to the letter, denying a lack of communication from the club was behind any souring feelings.
“Without question, we want to ensure we engage with our supporters regularly to provide them with clear lines of communication and a significant level of transparency,” Jurasek added.
“With the establishment of the Fan Advisory Board, who liaise with the club on a regular basis, we are confident that there is a great deal of shared discussion and an intention to work closely with a number of key stakeholders. In addition, the frequent Fans Forum Meetings representing our stadium accessibility, women’s and men’s team highlights the strong level of communication between Chelsea Football Club and its supporters.”
