So whose smart idea was that? With new owners poised and waiting, there has been much speculation around which Chelsea executives will be asked to stay on. At least we now know who they don’t need.
Whoever had the brainwave to issue arguably the most tone-deaf statement in the history of football can begin clearing their desk now.
Chelsea are under siege and that brings out the best in fans. So when even the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust distanced themselves from the club’s demand to have the Middlesbrough FA Cup tie played behind closed doors, it is obvious Chelsea gravely misjudged the mood. They withdrew the request but, by then, the damage was done.
How dare Chelsea lecture anyone on integrity, given the root cause of their problems?
Why would anyone have wanted Middlesbrough’s fans penalised for what was clearly Chelsea’s issue? Why would Chelsea executives have wanted Steve Gibson and his club bearing the brunt of sanctions when they actively tried to help Chelsea by extending deadlines for the sale of tickets?
No wonder Gibson was furious and pinned the blame on Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck. Having the charming, popular Buck as his face to the world helped Roman Abramovich enormously. But, if responsible, he overplayed his hand here.
How dare Chelsea lecture on integrity, given the root cause of their problems. How dare they project themselves as victims.
Why would they want Middlesbrough’s fans penalised for what is clearly their issue
If Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck is responsible for this request, he’s overplayed his hand here
They picked the wrong fight with Gibson, too. He’s a local owner, very popular with Boro’s fans and protective of their interests. This FA Cup quarter-final is a sell-out and one of their biggest games in recent memory. How dare Chelsea try to deny them that day.
A wider issue, of course, is that it is ridiculous that the Government has still found no way for Chelsea to sell tickets and have the money kept in a trust for their new owners.
If Chelsea had merely made that point they would have merited sympathy. They didn’t. They wanted the fans locked out. Not just Middlesbrough’s, either — the 600 Chelsea loyalists that bought in advance would also have been absent. Shouldn’t they have been Chelsea’s priority?
This FA Cup quarter-final is a sell-out and one of Boro’s biggest games in recent memory – how dare Chelsea try to deny them that day
One last point. It is not a 10-hour round trip by coach to Middlesbrough. It’s a train to Darlington and £30 in a cab. We presume Chelsea have two team buses, yes?
One picks them up from the training ground and takes them to King’s Cross. The other drives to Darlington station and takes them to the hotel, then the match and back to the station again.
And if there’s no London train running on Saturday evening, it’s either a long coach journey home or a second night in the hotel and back the next day. Now you know what it’s like for the fans. Enjoy Middlesbrough, all.