Dissatisfaction with Chelsea’s owners, Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, has sparked a sticker campaign at Stamford Bridge.
During Chelsea’s FA Cup match against Leicester City, stickers portraying the owners and director Jose Feliciano as clowns, labeled ‘Clownlake, three ring circus,’ were observed.
These stickers, found on official club signage, express a desire to reclaim the club from the current ownership.
Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has also warned the owners of potential organized protests and irreversible damage to the club’s reputation.
In a lengthy letter, the Trust voiced frustration, stating the club is experiencing its lowest point since the early 1980s.
Chelsea supporters trust (CST) letter
“The current mood amongst supporters is critically low and cannot be ignored,” said the CST. “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.”
Since being acquired by Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022, Chelsea has faced a tumultuous period both on and off the field.
Despite a hefty £1 billion spending spree in the transfer market, they find themselves languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Concerns arise over their compliance with Premier League spending regulations following reported losses of £90.1 million in their latest financial statements.
The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) has voiced frustration over escalating match-day expenses, such as shirt prices, cup game tickets, and program costs, alongside a perceived lack of communication between the board and fans.
CST letter was replied by Chelsea’s chief executive, Chris Jurasek, stating:
“Our aim aligns with yours: to secure a bright and successful future for Chelsea.
“To do so, there is a necessity to increase club revenue to put us on a par with our rivals and allow us to compete in both the Premier League and Women’s Super League, as well as in domestic and European competitions.
“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.”
Fans voiced discontent toward Boehly during the Brentford match, while the Chelsea Supporter’s Trust felt disheartened by a response from Jurasek, another Clearlake employee, regarding their concerns.
Chelsea has remained silent on their interactions with the Supporters’ Trust. However, the Trust’s chairman, Mark Meehan, extended a gesture of reconciliation to the board during an interview with BBC London on Wednesday evening.
Meehan said: “It was probably a way of offering an olive branch to the board and saying ‘look, it’s not good at the present moment in time, but there’s a lot of good happening and this is a retrievable situation’. We’re asking the club to work with us and perhaps even other supporters’ groups to improve the supporter-board relationship.
“The club, when the owners started, did say they want to be the trailblazers in fan engagement and they are doing a lot of good things already. We are complimentary of that. But we are saying they need to go further.
“It’s very much about opening up. Open up to the wider supporter base, be transparent, talk about your strategy, talk about your ambition. And we know there’s going to be financial challenges.
Chelsea supporters are adults, share them, have that adult conversation. Daniel Levy and Spurs can have an open meeting with Tottenham supporters. Why can’t Chelsea Football Club?”
Jurasek received criticism for allegedly calling supporters “customers” and reducing the bus subsidy for away travel.
