Imagine you were an aston villa fan reading this thread.

I have never been more engaged with the team than this season really. Scary at times, but nice to feel that there is only one club in my heart, and only ever will be.  

 

Often at this point in previous seasons, you had the feeling that we were cruising towards our objectives, and it was easier to take the eye of the ball. Now, we're either stuck in the middle of the PL, or get a run going and start snapping for the upper end of the table. It will be a fantastic finish, and I think we will loathe the league ending in May because we probably will be playing really well when it does.  

 

As for the CL, that is a roll of the dice at this point, and always will be.

 

Wow, that's the complete opposite of how I feel. Good on you though.

 

In previous seasons this is where I'd be tense all the time, where every result dictated how your week would be. I'd even get excited about the Youth Cup run in but seeing players just constantly loaned then released takes a bit of the fun out of it. Now our season is over bar the FA Cup Emirates Cup(?) which I think we might actually win and I can't wait for the summer to come when we start to rebuild....hopefully.

 

Seriously though, it's heartening to see some people enjoying this season.

 

Imagine you were an aston villa fan reading this thread.

 

True.

I do care that we smash man city and the mighty spuds in 2 of our last 3 home games but if required drop points to Leicester so they win the league!

 

Some have left this forum (most notably Chippy) because they're fed up with the way the club is functioning by those in high places......................................................................................some more sensible emotions

 

I think that you will find that a lot of old members have left this forum, including Chippy, more because of the quality of the posting of most of the massive influx of new members, and the enormous air of entitlement expressed by a whole load of people in here, and attitudes to winning, players, buying and selling which are diametrically opposite to the views held by a lot of older members.  I'm not saying either are right or wrong, just that there is a distinct atmosphere, particularly this season, that one only needs to visit the match day thread to pick up on.  And that atmosphere and sense of entitlement has driven away many of my good friends, and some not so good, but missed just the same.

Just thought I'd ask since a few of us have been saying this over the last few weeks. 

 

A bit of background. Raised as a Chelsea fan, been going since 1991 (hence the name), been a member since 1993, season-ticket 1995 and been going ever since. But in recent months I've found myself caring less and less about the matches and becoming more and more disillusioned with what the club's doing. That might not be news to some of you since I've made those feelings known and if that's offended or upset you then I apologise and this thread probably won't change that perception.

 

But ever since Roman took over we've been told that we were nothing but a rich-man's plaything and that was easy to brush off as jealousy. There was still so much that you could relate to at the club and specifically on the pitch. We had JT and Lamps who were important, because they represented a lot of the lads who went to the matches. Jose was key to that period too because he helped to define who Chelsea would be in the post-Roman era. We were hated because of the money and he taught us how to deal with it with a swagger, although I know not everyone liked that.

 

But now we've lost most of that and in the Summer we'll lose JT and there's no replacement in any sense of the word. Off the pitch the club barely communicates with the supporters and seems to have no idea what we're about. 

 

Maybe I'm just getting older but I'm just interested to know if I'm alone in this or if people still feel the same about the club. For me, so much has changed, so much has been disposed of unceremoniously and even the people who go to matches have changed, although you could say that's the case everywhere.

 

But last night I realised I didn't care about the result because it had no real consequences. We're not on some journey with a group of players like we were in 2006, 2008 or 2012. This isn't them doing it for the club. This is just a random collection of players who want to win the CL for personal glory and maybe I'm naive to think that it was different with Didier, Frank, Robbie and JT in 2012. 

 

I think maybe what it comes down to is that there's a lack of soul at the club right now and it's horrible to think that maybe all those bitters back in 2004 were right about what we would become. I hope I'm wrong.

 

So basically you have supported the club in what can be described as the better seasons for us since 91. The opening seasons drew you into the game with a few good cup runs, followed by some scintillating football in the late 90s. We have gone on to witness events I never thought I would do in my lifetime with trophies galore culminating in winning the champions league. We have been one set of fortunate buggers to have a very rich man pump in shed loads of his money for our enjoyment as well as his own. Yet the first poor season by our recent standards you whinge. How do you feel supporters of most of the other clubs go on, they turn up week in week out, knowing that the best they will see in the season maybe  a good performance against one of bigger clubs but with all probability they will be in a relegation fight? They support their club. History tells us that the good times in football don't last forever, teams have periods of dominance and then fade off. This may or may not be the end of our good period, this season though will make our next success a little sweeter and appreciate it more. Yes everyone of us will have a moan from time to time, when things happen we don't agree with but at the end of the day we support the club, its in our blood

So basically you have supported the club in what can be described as the better seasons for us since 91. The opening seasons drew you into the game with a few good cup runs, followed by some scintillating football in the late 90s. We have gone on to witness events I never thought I would do in my lifetime with trophies galore culminating in winning the champions league. We have been one set of fortunate buggers to have a very rich man pump in shed loads of his money for our enjoyment as well as his own. Yet the first poor season by our recent standards you whinge. How do you feel supporters of most of the other clubs go on, they turn up week in week out, knowing that the best they will see in the season maybe  a good performance against one of bigger clubs but with all probability they will be in a relegation fight? They support their club. History tells us that the good times in football don't last forever, teams have periods of dominance and then fade off. This may or may not be the end of our good period, this season though will make our next success a little sweeter and appreciate it more. Yes everyone of us will have a moan from time to time, when things happen we don't agree with but at the end of the day we support the club, its in our blood

 

Actually we were pretty average for my first couple of seasons unless you're counting the Makita Cup success (and I did in those days) and even before I was coming to the club regularly we were middling so it's not like I chose (because it's a family thing) to support this club because I expected (or felt 'entitled', to use the word of the day) anything.

 

In fact it was made clear to me how special 1994 was. Let's not pretend that we weren't going places before 'a very rich man pumped in loads of his money' because we were. I got to see us in Europe long before Roman had even heard of us.

 

But you seem to think this is all about trophies and it's not. Even when we were poor, I could relate to players like Wisey or Gav, or the youngsters who came through like Shipperley, Newton etc. It still felt like our club and even though some people didn't like Bates, you tended to know where you stood with him and what his plans were.

 

As I said in my first post which I wouldn't blame you for not reading, it's about the soul of this club and what it still means to the average supporter. That's what I'm concerned about. If we don't win a trophy for however long, I don't mind but what I care about is having something of the club I had passed on to me from my father and uncle to pass on to the next generation.

 

Hope that makes it clearer.

So basically you have supported the club in what can be described as the better seasons for us since 91. The opening seasons drew you into the game with a few good cup runs, followed by some scintillating football in the late 90s. We have gone on to witness events I never thought I would do in my lifetime with trophies galore culminating in winning the champions league. We have been one set of fortunate buggers to have a very rich man pump in shed loads of his money for our enjoyment as well as his own. Yet the first poor season by our recent standards you whinge. How do you feel supporters of most of the other clubs go on, they turn up week in week out, knowing that the best they will see in the season maybe  a good performance against one of bigger clubs but with all probability they will be in a relegation fight? They support their club. History tells us that the good times in football don't last forever, teams have periods of dominance and then fade off. This may or may not be the end of our good period, this season though will make our next success a little sweeter and appreciate it more. Yes everyone of us will have a moan from time to time, when things happen we don't agree with but at the end of the day we support the club, its in our blood

 

Exactly!  I said the same in a similar thread recently (I can't remember which one - ah just checked, how could I forget it was the Boaring Boaring Chelsea one).  Aston Villa, Newcastle, etc have season upon season of winning no trophies only the (very) occasional victory against a rival to keep them going.  That's what being a fan is about.  Yet some people here are throwing their toys out of the pram as soon as we're not steamrollering our way to a trophy.  

 

I know that it's galling to pay £50-60 on a ticket and come away frustrated but there's no certainty in football.  But to say you don't care about the results any more is just baffling to me!  

 

Ages ago I'd agreed to go to the cinema without checking what day we were playing so couldn't see our match last night but the last thing I did before the film started, and the first thing I did when it ended, was check the score.

Good thread which has got me to post for once.

I think one of the main issue is the players , As you said in your first post we could relate to the likes of JT , Lampard etc as we knew they would fight 100% for the club and we could count on them to get us through the touch patches. Having them around and others from that era made you proud as a Chelsea fan and made you look forward to games knowing we always had a chance.

When you have players , like Fabregas , Oscar , Pedro etc it makes us all pine for players like Essien , Drogba , Cech etc. I am not saying they are bad players they are just not what i call Chelsea players. We now seem to enter big games with the underdog status which is what i would like to think is something Roman and the board is unhappy with. The main issue is we haven't progressed maybe it was the conflict in style choices from Roman wanting attacking football and not getting the right mix with the players and managers.

I have been reading Drogba's new book and you can see from his words the unity and belief that era of players had and how they wanted to win everything in a Chelsea shirt , the fact that Lampard was one of the sole reasons Drogba stayed says alot. 

I am extremely happy that it was in my lifetime we saw this group of players. 

 

Nowadays i have lower expectations but still hope for us to do well. Missing out on the CL won't stop me watching games or not caring as much but i do feel we have been spoilt over the last few years so we kind of now expect CL football and to be challenging for the PL every year.

All i want is a team that trys and i will be happy its when you can tell they don't care when it gets to me.

Actually we were pretty average for my first couple of seasons unless you're counting the Makita Cup success (and I did in those days) and even before I was coming to the club regularly we were middling so it's not like I chose (because it's a family thing) to support this club because I expected (or felt 'entitled', to use the word of the day) anything.

 

In fact it was made clear to me how special 1994 was. Let's not pretend that we weren't going places before 'a very rich man pumped in loads of his money' because we were. I got to see us in Europe long before Roman had even heard of us.

 

But you seem to think this is all about trophies and it's not. Even when we were poor, I could relate to players like Wisey or Gav, or the youngsters who came through like Shipperley, Newton etc. It still felt like our club and even though some people didn't like Bates, you tended to know where you stood with him and what his plans were.

 

As I said in my first post which I wouldn't blame you for not reading, it's about the soul of this club and what it still means to the average supporter. That's what I'm concerned about. If we don't win a trophy for however long, I don't mind but what I care about is having something of the club I had passed on to me from my father and uncle to pass on to the next generation.

 

Hope that makes it clearer.

Mate if you've watched us since 91 you really haven't seen us being truly poor. How do you think we felt when the great side of the seventies was systematically disassembled? When we blooded a young skipper only for him to be sold off a few years later to ManU. sh*t happens, there will be new heroes to cheer on in the future as there was then. 

If your really fed up, give your season ticket to someone for a few games, I'm sure you'll get a lot of takers on here who aren't lucky enough to be able to get one. You may then return more enchanted , full of hope or leave the game completely. 

I think that you will find that a lot of old members have left this forum, including Chippy, more because of the quality of the posting of most of the massive influx of new members, and the enormous air of entitlement expressed by a whole load of people in here, and attitudes to winning, players, buying and selling which are diametrically opposite to the views held by a lot of older members. I'm not saying either are right or wrong, just that there is a distinct atmosphere, particularly this season, that one only needs to visit the match day thread to pick up on. And that atmosphere and sense of entitlement has driven away many of my good friends, and some not so good, but missed just the same.

Sorry but couldn't be that Life happened? As many grew in age they lost interest, chasing careers, health, family etc. Just don't agree what is being posted or sacking of a manager is enough to make someone leaving a forum he/she enjoys being on.

Mate if you've watched us since 91 you really haven't seen us being truly poor. How do you think we felt when the great side of the seventies was systematically disassembled? When we blooded a young skipper only for him to be sold off a few years later to ManU. sh*t happens, there will be new heroes to cheer on in the future as there was then. 

If your really fed up, give your season ticket to someone for a few games, I'm sure you'll get a lot of takers on here who aren't lucky enough to be able to get one. You may then return more enchanted , full of hope or leave the game completely. 

 

Again, I recognise that I've been lucky but I can only really compare to my experience of relating to the club. Because you've got more experience let me ask you this - do you feel as close an affinity to this club as you used to? Do you think the soul of this club, whatever you want to define that as, is what it was? I don't personally and that has nothing to do with results.

 

What I don't think is all that helpful is for people to say to those who are a bit disenchanted (because I don't think I'm the only one), just leave then. That's not what you say to a fellow supporter because we are all part of something bigger than ourselves....although if we are saying that then maybe the soul really has gone out of the club because if it doesn't reside within the supporters then it's gone for good.

 

Exactly!  I said the same in a similar thread recently (I can't remember which one - ah just checked, how could I forget it was the Boaring Boaring Chelsea one).  Aston Villa, Newcastle, etc have season upon season of winning no trophies only the (very) occasional victory against a rival to keep them going.  That's what being a fan is about.  Yet some people here are throwing their toys out of the pram as soon as we're not steamrollering our way to a trophy.  

 

 

Sorry if I didn't make it clear but it's not about results. In fact it's pretty much the exact opposite where rather than being totally preoccupied with the bad results, I'm actually becoming rather ambivalent to any result.

 

Again, this is about feeling an affinity, a recognition with the club in it's current guise. The worry that we may well be fulfilling the comments of rival fans that we're nothing more than a rich man's plaything or a soulless, plastic club.

 

I've said before that I'd be fine, maybe even excited, if the club said to the fans that because of the stadium we need to cut back so what we're going to do is give the young players a chance. There you've got the beginnings of a new identity for the team and a new set of heroes that people can get behind.

 

What I think is more likely is that we buy for want of a better word, mercenaries in the hopes of maintaining some form of competitiveness but with no real direction forward. 

 

But just to reiterate, it's got nothing really to do with results and everything about the identity of this club and how we seem to be scrapping things that the supporters not only cared about but truly loved.

I can sympathise.

It's difficult to keep emotionally investing yourself when you disagree with a lot of off the field goings on.

The current squad is probably the least charismatic and likable since I've been watching Chelsea (since 96) so it makes it that little bit harder to invest in them.

This, this and this.

Again, I recognise that I've been lucky but I can only really compare to my experience of relating to the club. Because you've got more experience let me ask you this - do you feel as close an affinity to this club as you used to? Do you think the soul of this club, whatever you want to define that as, is what it was? I don't personally and that has nothing to do with results.

 

What I don't think is all that helpful is for people to say to those who are a bit disenchanted (because I don't think I'm the only one), just leave then. That's not what you say to a fellow supporter because we are all part of something bigger than ourselves....although if we are saying that then maybe the soul really has gone out of the club because if it doesn't reside within the supporters then it's gone for good.

 

 

 

 

  I actually lost a lot of affinity to the game on the whole when all seater stadiums were imposed on us. I carried on going for a few years longer but then something happened within my life and I no longer went, having been to grounds up and down the country. I still love the game and the club, football though is a changed beast now to what it was, the fans are secondary and no longer seen as the lifeblood of the game.The game itself lost its soul a long time ago to what it was. Again I say you either accept the changes or move on to something else, I can assure you that throughout your life there will be ups and downs and Chelsea are just one of them.

Strangely I've gone the other way. The last 2 or 3 years I've just lost interest more and more, yet this year as we are in a new situation I've gained interest, and even a sort of masochistic enjoyment.

I think that you will find that a lot of old members have left this forum, including Chippy, more because of the quality of the posting of most of the massive influx of new members, and the enormous air of entitlement expressed by a whole load of people in here, and attitudes to winning, players, buying and selling which are diametrically opposite to the views held by a lot of older members.  I'm not saying either are right or wrong, just that there is a distinct atmosphere, particularly this season, that one only needs to visit the match day thread to pick up on.  And that atmosphere and sense of entitlement has driven away many of my good friends, and some not so good, but missed just the same.

I have discovered the matchday thread is a vehement pool of hissing vipers, tainted with glory and will whore for more!

We are not at 40 points yet, so of course I care.  Even once we get to 40 points, I will still care.  I always do.  Maybe the nerves nad anxiety will be slightly less, but I always care.  It's never only ever about today.  You have to care about how our players look, who is failing, who is developing, who could go, here do we need strengthening.

 

If you truly support a club, then you always care.

i still care as much as ever, i have found this season quite exciting and no where near as stressful as last season when we were trying to stay on top and win it.  I think every result we have had this season has been massive !! And what is going to happen next? new manager and back up at the top? or are we going to drop out? never a dull moment if you ask me and maybe do us fans some good in the long run, by not taking  things for granted.

Edited February 17, 201610 yr by luckywerthers

I care as much now as i did 50 years ago,im a Chelsea fan ffs.

Strangely I've gone the other way. The last 2 or 3 years I've just lost interest more and more, yet this year as we are in a new situation I've gained interest, and even a sort of masochistic enjoyment.

I think that nihilistic streak is in a lot of us, i was no fan of Jose so i was also hoping we might implode, maybe to to the degree we did, but a litttle blood letting doesn't harm the macabre masochism we harbour...

Supporting your team through thick and thin, is either in your blood or it's not.........

I count myself Lucky to have been born into a Family of Chelsea supporters and that's the way it will stay until I die.

I have loved football and Chelsea fc, ever since ! As a 5 year old, I remember watching Pele playing for Brazil v Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, on a tiny black n white tv screen.

My First live match, was aged 9 in 1962 v charlton away (we were in the old second division at the time).

I remember being very disappointed when the chairman (Joe Mears) was persuaded by money to transfer one of the best all time goal scorers ( Chelsea youth product.....Jimmy Greaves ) to AC Milan and then to rub salt into the wound, a year later...... he signed for Tottenham.

During the 60's, Chelsea fc And most others teams were mainly home grown youth, we always played with a swagger and entertained, we suffered losing F A cup semi finals in 1965 and 1966, ..........then when we finally made the final in 1967, we all got excited,,,,,,,,only to loose against Tottenham !

Yes the same Tottenham that had " one of our own - Jimmy Greaves scoring against us at Wembley for Tottenham " THATS WHY WE HATE TOTTENHAM "

We came back in 1970 with a great team ......finally winning the F A cup against the original Dirty Leeds and in 1971 we beat Real Madrid to win the ECWC

Then in 1972 we went down hill big time.......lost to Stoke in the League cup final (that is Stoke city only ever trophy ) our best 2 players, Osgood and Hudson fell out with the manager, they were transferred and we won nothing until 1997 ( except for the full members cup ! )

So what's going on now is a walk in the park, compared to what went on back in the old days.

Come on Chelsea !

disconnection - same with fans from most top clubs, in the last decade as more and more money has poured in and the premier league's gone truly global and corporate boxes multiply 

the context of owners, clubs and the players has all shifted away from what a lot of us grew up with - an affordable and brilliant day out win , draw or lose - even for school kids (me in the 70s).

 

as Iv'e been over in CA since 1988 I still really enjoy going to games when I'm back over, despite all of the issues and other bollox swirling around, so the clubs run like a circus, nothing

any of us can do, so we moan a bit and have to bear it, and grin when we win and life goes on. No matter what I still want Chels to win, and am disappointed if they don't - but luckily apart

from June and July there's always another competitive  match on the horizon, what more can we ask for?

Im a lot more content now than I was earlier in the season.

I care about us now and want us to win each and every match by as many goals as possible.

I remember being worried we were going to go down to Division 3 in the early 1980s.

 

Yes Division 3.

 

That's why my school work suffered in my fourth year in secondary school,

 

My excuse and I'm sticking to it

Edited February 18, 201610 yr by erskblue

I don't have the same feeling for the current group of players, especially after this season. Some examples:

Hazard - comes back overweight, already with his head at Madrid or even PSG.

Costa - comes back overweight, throws bib at the manager while he was the latest player to be benched.

Oscar - saved himself for the worldcup. He never cares when it matters.

Many of the players are just mentally weak or simply don't care, no matter who your manager is, how can Chelsea be 16th? You should be fighting for the fans and club.

The only players I have a connection with are Willian, Azpi, JT, Cahill and Zouma.

Pedro and Cesc still have a Barca/gunners taste on them.

The current of crop of players just don't feel like real Chelsea players, a little bit like ManCity. We will find out who asks for a transfer coming summer if we don't have CL football next season.

Edited February 18, 201610 yr by jk88