Martin Booth

When Chelsea fans protested against the European Super League outside the Bridge on April 20, 2021, at least club legend and performance advisor Petr Cech had the minerals and conscience to step into the throng to talk/plead with them. Different cause to now. And also to who now at Chelsea will communicate with protesting fans? Who do fans actually respect in the building? Disconnect between fans and owners is deeply damaging - and growing. Supporters are understandably angered by BlueCo’s naive stewardship of their club, the lack of experience in the dressing-room, dug-out, recruitment department and boardroom. They rail against wretched results seeing them fall from the Champions League spots. They are concerned about the prospect of ticket price rises and, they fear, the focus on tourist and corporate fan over so-called legacy fans, the ones who were there in the bad times. Home and away. They fear the heart and soul being ripped out of their club - their club - and replaced by a US-made cash register.  BlueCo has to respond. No more spin. Be real, be genuine, be more open to fans before the marches escalate into people voting with their feet, leading to rows upon rows of empty seats. It’s not too late. Communicate properly, directly. Boehly and Eghbali are intelligent individuals, successful in business but they are new to the tricky currents of English football. They have to listen, they have to learn otherwise they’re going to lose all remaining credibility and lose a limo full of cash. #CFC