Latest cfcuk Fanzine Article (132) from the CSG
Another One Bites the Dust!
Now that Andre Villas-Boas has been removed form the Chelsea manager’s job, it is fair to assume that the remaining years and months of his contract will be paid in full adding to the £64 million that has been paid to previous parties involved in managerial and coaching positions at the club during the Abramovich era.
It has been reported elsewhere that that figure equates to approximately 25% of match day revenue over the same period. How much more money will be paid out in the future and will it be the match going supporter who ultimately covers the cost through increased ticket prices? While the CSG welcomes the freezing of ticket prices for the 2012/13 season and the drop in prices for the champions’ league group games (if we qualify!) it should still be noted that
ALL tickets are considerably more expensive than they were last season. With the Leicester City FA Cup game becoming the second one in a row not to sell out the signs are not good for future home matches in cup competitions.
According to some financial observers and the club themselves, the underlying financial figures for Chelsea F.C. are quite good and remain on course to come within the guidelines laid down by UEFA’s financial fair play rules. It should, however, be noted that it may well require increased sponsorship deals and a stadium naming rights deal to ensure that the club stay within those guidelines without, hopefully, the need to increase ticket prices.
At the recent WBA away game a number of Chelsea supporters became annoyed with the West Midlands police officer who spent almost the entire match videoing the away fans. With no apparent signs of trouble being caused there was no visible reason for him to carry out the filming. One or two Chelsea supporters approached various police officers, including the one with the camera, to seek a reason as to why the filming was being done.
Several different nonsensical reasons were given to the frustrated fans.
The CSG has been given, by the Football Supporters Federation, a generic letter regarding this problem for supporters. The letter can be filled in with appropriate details of the match and be sent to the relevant police force with the hope that adequate answers are supplied.
If anyone wants a copy of the letter please contact us at the email address below.
The Birmingham FA Cup replay game presented different problems to Chelsea supporters both in and outside the ground. Outside there was the usual clampdown by police officers on so called “drunken” supporters. Several arrests were made with at least one fan convicted of an alcohol related offence. On top of a substantial fine he also received a three year banning order despite Home Office guidelines stating that banning orders should not be given for only alcohol related offences.
This was also despite the fact that 20 or so Man Utd fans had also been convicted of the same offence while trying to get into Villa Park earlier in the season and no banning orders were imposed.
Moves are under way by the Chelsea supporter to appeal the banning order with assistance from the FSF. Inside the ground there seemed to be an “elite” group of stewards who were not dressed in the usual high visibility jackets normally worn but had a blue uniform of their own. These particular stewards were seen to be quite aggressive in their approach to the Chelsea supporters at the front of the stand particularly following the “pitch invasion” by one of the fans, even returning a couple of times to have a go at one or two supporters some time after the incident.
A sign of things to come at grounds in Birmingham?
On a brighter note it was great to see Stamford Bridge rocking at he Napoli Champions League game and the supporters certainly played their part in what was one of the most memorable nights ever in the clubs history.
Love them or loathe them, the free flags given out do add to the spectacle of the occasion. If only the atmosphere could be like that for every home game!
Bright note 2……and the youth team go marching on, with a deserved win at Old Trafford in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup semi final.
At the time of writing, no date has been arranged for the second leg at Stamford Bridge but we hope a suitable date can be agreed that will enable as many Chelsea supporters as possible to attend the game and cheer on what is a very good, exciting Chelsea team through to the final.
Posted by Clff Auger – CSG Juvenile Rep
Article from the latest edition (132) of the cfcuk fanzine
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