Thank You Roman.

Statement from Roman Abramovich - best owner ever. No contest. It has been nearly three months since I announced my intention to sell Chelsea FC. During this time, the team have worked hard to find the right custodian for Chelsea FC that would be best positioned to successfully lead the Club into its next chapter. The ownership of this Club comes with great responsibility. Since I came to Chelsea nearly twenty years ago, I have witnessed first-han

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Statement from Roman Abramovich

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January 9Jan 9

2 minutes ago, axman2526 said:
You can take it as goading if you want, but what I have said has stayed the same for these past 4 years.

But in reality Ax, its a pointless and inaccurate comment.

The Salisbury poisonings occurred in March 2018
In June 2018 Roman withdrew his visa renewal following questions being raised by the UK government that he found intrusive.
At the same time he took Israeli residency and stalled the massive expansion development of the club (quite rightly as he could even reside here)
The club then continued to operate under Bruce Buck over a four year period during which the club were subject to to transfer embargo due to proven shady dealings primarily surrounding the Kakuta signing (that turned out well didn't it), as well as a worldwide lockdown, during which we won the CL.
Roman, along with 6 other Russian oligarches were sanction in 2022 following the Russian invasion. (the country was largely up in arms over the reporting of the invasion of Ukraine).
Having very nearly gone to the wall the club was then sold to the reportedly only group that physically stumped up the dough by the deadline.
Since then many of us have been highlighting how sh*t this "project" is and what is really going on, but just as many wanted to believe that there is an achievable route to success.

At which point during these course of events should us men have picked up our pitchforks and our lady folk burnt their colllective bras to march on the club to protest our misgivings to our largely absent owners.

angry mob on Make a GIF

Even this 17 Jan protest will, by its very nature, be disjointed and presented by a minority. Granted banners inside the ground, pitch demonstrations etc are all trespass and can be prosecuted but a far more effective method would be if there could be a truly unified demonstration similar to the minutes applause that the ground sometimes does of its own accord. If at 15 minutes each home game the entire ground were to start chanting the "You've Killed our Club" chant it would be more effective as it would get airplay, especially if it were without profanity and would be coming from up to 40,000 voices as one.

January 9Jan 9

49 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:
But in reality Ax, its a pointless and inaccurate comment.
The Salisbury poisonings occurred in March 2018
In June 2018 Roman withdrew his visa renewal following questions being raised by the UK government that he found intrusive.
At the same time he took Israeli residency and stalled the massive expansion development of the club (quite rightly as he could even reside here)
The club then continued to operate under Bruce Buck over a four year period during which the club were subject to to transfer embargo due to proven shady dealings primarily surrounding the Kakuta signing (that turned out well didn't it), as well as a worldwide lockdown, during which we won the CL.
Roman, along with 6 other Russian oligarches were sanction in 2022 following the Russian invasion. (the country was largely up in arms over the reporting of the invasion of Ukraine).
Having very nearly gone to the wall the club was then sold to the reportedly only group that physically stumped up the dough by the deadline.
Since then many of us have been highlighting how sh*t this "project" is and what is really going on, but just as many wanted to believe that there is an achievable route to success.
At which point during these course of events should us men have picked up our pitchforks and our lady folk burnt their colllective bras to march on the club to protest our misgivings to our largely absent owners.
Even this 17 Jan protest will, by its very nature, be disjointed and presented by a minority. Granted banners inside the ground, pitch demonstrations etc are all trespass and can be prosecuted but a far more effective method would be if there could be a truly unified demonstration similar to the minutes applause that the ground sometimes does of its own accord. If at 15 minutes each home game the entire ground were to start chanting the "You've Killed our Club" chant it would be more effective as it would get airplay, especially if it were without profanity and would be coming from up to 40,000 voices as one.

I don't feel it is a pointless or inaccurate comment mate.

I appreciate your response and the points you have listed. If I may reply.

I haven't, and won't, say we should have done anything in 2018 and around what you pointed out happened then. It is still very saddening to look back upon that costing us our "cathedral of football" but nothing we could or should have done.

Regarding what happen to Roman and, more importantly, the club in 2022 I do firmly believe our core fanbase should have been out protesting against government, and I feel we let ourselves down by not doing so.

Only 1 year prior to that our core fanbase let Roman know the plans to change the football landscape with the super league was not acceptable.

1 year late the government took action that could have wiped our club out. Supporters could not even buy tickets to attend matches.

Their actions were such a blunderbuss approach with no consideration to what it did to thousands upon thousands of their own people, putting jobs at risk as well as the existence Of a historical, top level team, that I believe should have been met with protests and resistance.

While personally I don't believe Roman did any of the things they accused him of regarding putins war I know he is not a Saint and bent/broke football rules like most others in the game likely do.

Protesting in his name I understand could not have been done, but for the club and what a place it was put in I do think could and should have happened.

Roman was the owner but the supporters are the land lords. I hear what you are saying. What the government said, the lies and fear the spread, meant the majority could not speak up, or feel they should speak up, for Roman. We could have for the club and each other though, is how I feel.

The Boehly Babes, OTL and WhiteWall
3

January 9Jan 9

13 minutes ago, axman2526 said:
I don't feel it is a pointless or inaccurate comment mate.
I appreciate your response and the points you have listed. If I may reply.
I haven't, and won't, say we should have done anything in 2018 and around what you pointed out happened then. It is still very saddening to look back upon that costing us our "cathedral of football" but nothing we could or should have done.
Regarding what happen to Roman and, more importantly, the club in 2022 I do firmly believe our core fanbase should have been out protesting against government, and I feel we let ourselves down by not doing so.
Only 1 year prior to that our core fanbase let Roman know the plans to change the football landscape with the super league was not acceptable.
1 year late the government took action that could have wiped our club out. Supporters could not even buy tickets to attend matches.
Their actions were such a blunderbuss approach with no consideration to what it did to thousands upon thousands of their own people, putting jobs at risk as well as the existence Of a historical, top level team, that I believe should have been met with protests and resistance.
While personally I don't believe Roman did any of the things they accused him of regarding putins war I know he is not a Saint and bent/broke football rules like most others in the game likely do.
Protesting in his name I understand could not have been done, but for the club and what a place it was put in I do think could and should have happened.
Roman was the owner but the supporters are the land lords. I hear what you are saying. What the government said, the lies and fear the spread, meant the majority could not speak up, or feel they should speak up, for Roman. We could have for the club and each other though, is how I feel.

Respect

axman2526
1

January 9Jan 9

What has happened to the ‘Roman Empire’ banner? Is it fan owned? Could it make a triumphant return to the Bridge?

January 9Jan 9

12 minutes ago, The Boehly Babes said:
What has happened to the ‘Roman Empire’ banner? Is it fan owned? Could it make a triumphant return to the Bridge?

BlueCo banned it.

January 9Jan 9

2 minutes ago, axman2526 said:
BlueCo banned it.

You can’t ban a Chelsea fan (or banner)

On a serious though if there were… let’s say 2/300 like minded individuals all within that area, those paid ‘security’ will struggle, it could stay up for long enough if it was unfurled at KO to at least be broadcast which would send the message…

January 9Jan 9

Assume Stamford Bridge is chock full of CCTV these days and that if BlueCo were so minded they could identify all fans displaying banners they don't like and ban them from the ground, cancel season tickets etc etc ?

January 9Jan 9

4 hours ago, axman2526 said:
I believe there should have been protests against what the government was doing to our club.
Would have it stopped what happen? not likely no, but would not have been the first time a group protested against unfair government treatment nor the last.

I don't think fans knew what to do at the time. It was so early in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and everything felt like it was moving at 100mph. Anybody speaking up would have been seen as a Putin sympathiser. I think it's different to a Super League situation for example, that was strictly football matters, it's very easy to band together and voice your discontent, but political situations like Russia and Ukraine is a lot different.

January 9Jan 9

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:
You can’t ban a Chelsea fan (or banner)
On a serious though if there were… let’s say 2/300 like minded individuals all within that area, those paid ‘security’ will struggle, it could stay up for long enough if it was unfurled at KO to at least be broadcast which would send the message…

I've always wondered about things like this. The stadium is owned by the CPO, so how does BlueCo even have any say on who or what gets banned at the stadium? Surely these kinds of decisions need to go through the CPO first.

January 9Jan 9

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:
You can’t ban a Chelsea fan (or banner)
On a serious though if there were… let’s say 2/300 like minded individuals all within that area, those paid ‘security’ will struggle, it could stay up for long enough if it was unfurled at KO to at least be broadcast which would send the message…

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:
Assume Stamford Bridge is chock full of CCTV these days and that if BlueCo were so minded they could identify all fans displaying banners they don't like and ban them from the ground, cancel season tickets etc etc ?

They've done it at Strasbourg too

January 9Jan 9

14 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:
I've always wondered about things like this. The stadium is owned by the CPO, so how does BlueCo even have any say on who or what gets banned at the stadium? Surely these kinds of decisions need to go through the CPO first.

Hmm is it the stadium? I thought the CPO owned the pitch not the stadium. @Boyne ?

January 9Jan 9

26 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:
I don't think fans knew what to do at the time. It was so early in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and everything felt like it was moving at 100mph. Anybody speaking up would have been seen as a Putin sympathiser. I think it's different to a Super League situation for example, that was strictly football matters, it's very easy to band together and voice your discontent, but political situations like Russia and Ukraine is a lot different.

Fair enough Scott. Perhaps I have become more dogmatic over this issue in the past few years. Though I did still feel strongly about it at the time too.

January 9Jan 9

25 minutes ago, axman2526 said:
Hmm is it the stadium? I thought the CPO owned the pitch not the stadium. @Boyne ?

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/chelsea-pitch-owners-what-and-why

Boyne and axman2526
2

January 10Jan 10

14 hours ago, axman2526 said:
Hmm is it the stadium? I thought the CPO owned the pitch not the stadium. @Boyne ?

@axman2526 apologies for the delay in replying. @Sexyfootball Thank you for answering the question. It would be interesting if the club's owners called in the loan and the impact that would have on the club's relationship with the CPO and the fans.