Afc Chelsea ?

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

From CFC Net

I don't know about you, but I have become completely disillusioned with Chelsea, the club I once loved and top flight football as a whole. I feel I no longer belong at either, I’m no longer wanted or welcome. That I can no longer relate to either one as a genuine football or Chelsea supporter.

I feel out of place and a stranger at the 'new" Chelsea and football scene of today. Because lets face it, as an old school fan, even as a genuine new fan who supports the club in this new era, us working-class boys — who make up the very large majority of real genuine supporters — are being shown the door ever more by the powers that be at Chelsea and The Premier League.

They don't want us. We don't earn enough. We are too common and rough arsed. That is why they are changing the whole face of football and culture and changing it over from a mainly working-class sport to a new fashion scene for the glory hunting middle-classes and JCL tourist to latch on to.

The extortionate prices, putting them way out of reach from the average working man, the more-fashionable and comfortable all-seater stadiums with less atmosphere, being told to stay seated and behave more like a business man than a passionate football fan — because we don't want the excitement of football to be too boisterous do we in case we scare away the newbies.

Club magazines and matchday programmes being more like fashion magazines and old copies of Smash Hits rather than like football magazines, to appeal more to the middle-class and female college types, also being written with a middle-class mentality. And a website in foreign languages to attract people thousands of miles away to encourage them to come over and watch us and fill our gaff with even more glory hunters. All because the club wants to rake in more millions by going global.

Funny how these people have to be 'encouraged" to support Chelsea isn't it? That's why football has to change it's traditional culture to make it appeal to non-genuine newbies. Football fans my arse.

Yes, a ground full of English and foreign glory hunters really makes those few genuine boys feel at home at Stamford Bridge doesn't it? Still, sod the real supporters, as long as the Club and Premiership rakes in the millions eh.

Stamford Bridge is a theatre these days, not a football club.

I don't ever see them installing terraces in the stands at the Wimbledon tennis tournament or lowering the prices to encourage the working-classes to watch a traditionally middle-class game do you? So why does our football have to change?

So with my club and my game becoming more and more alien to me, I forever crave for the return of the real football scene, so I can enjoy going to Chelsea again.

This has led me to ask if it is now time for an AFC Chelsea? A chance for proper Chelsea supporters to start again and enjoy the traditional football culture and times once more. All be it on a much smaller scale of course but who wants it to be on a bigger scale if you can't enjoy it anymore?

Could a newly formed Chelsea be the answer?

We'd have to start at the bottom of course and work our way up but if AFC Wimbledon and FC United can pull it together I’m sure the Chelsea boys could.

I have glorious visions of us in a lower league with our own stadium in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea somewhere, even if just a 5-6,000 capacity ground to start off with.

Terraces at both ends of the pitch, our home end named The Shed of course.

Two seated side stands, exec boxes only in one of them which would be needed. Much cheaper entrance fees, our old lion rampant badge back, our own supporters bars with cheaper booze and grub, etc., our traditional Royal Blue shirts and shorts with white socks, our own merchandise with the proper Chelsea lion on, etc., genuine new and old Chelsea supporters around you and a great atmosphere to go with it.

And a team full of Englishmen to be proud of and who are not on 150k per week.

Everything would be much smaller but much more enjoyable in our eyes.

And who knows how many other sets of Premiership fans may follow suit? We could end up with a league full of AFC's from disillusioned Premier League fans, then the good times would really be back.

Of course, this is all a lot easier said than done and I certainly haven't thought through all of this properly at this stage. There would be many stumbling blocks.

But it's an idea that keeps nagging and nagging away at me and it would be interesting to see how many other people would be interested in getting the ball rolling, because I certainly don't intend to go back to 'new" Chelsea ever again.

Don Waring

Saw this on CFC net, and I can understand the point of view (must be of similar age!).

I can identify with the comments about the magazine as well. What a pile of glossy trash. Fine if you want to buy 'A charming Thames property for £2.5 million or any of the other ridiculous adverts for millionaires, or you want to laugh at a bar in Spain called 'Zolas place' -but where is the in depth football analysis ? -its 70% wanky adverts.

AFC Chelsea may be a bit far, but I can sympathise completely with the authors points.

[EskWeston 696]

Would be an awful idea. To go to that would show that you are more interested in having a pissup with your mates and "signing on the terraces" than you are in actually supporting your team.

Nothing on this earth would make me walk away from Chelsea, no matter how commercialised and souless it becomes - nothing will spoil my enjoyment of this club that much.

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

It's a step too far, but if there was a breakaway as in FC United i wouldn't be surprised. I can also empathise with the blokes points. I have to say I've been to Yeovil and bristol City as well this season and sad to say, the atmospheres been better there than quite a few Chelsea games.

Roman's an idiot sometimes, he's enough dosh not to worry about Chelsea being a 'profitable' company. It could be a fantastic club without all the tourists and slick yank style advertising...and still be profitable, and be idolised as a Saint, by real Chelsea fans.

[EskWeston 696]

It's a step too far, but if there was a breakaway as in FC United i wouldn't be surprised. I can also empathise with the blokes points. I have to say I've been to Yeovil and bristol City as well this season and sad to say, the atmospheres been better there than quite a few Chelsea games.

Roman's an idiot sometimes, he's enough dosh not to worry about Chelsea being a 'profitable' company. It could be a fantastic club without all the tourists and slick yank style advertising...and still be profitable, and be idolised as a Saint, by real Chelsea fans.

Atmosphere is secondary - being there to support my team is primary.

It wouldn't be good for the club to work like that though. Should anything every happen to Roman then we would be truly f**ked. Besides a bigger stadium and lower ticket prices would help solve a lot of problems. Lower priced cup games this season have generally had good atmospheres.

Besides as has been said countless times before, it's not just a Chelsea problem. It's a problem with Football and society in general.

[bombayblue™ 55]

and i could bet my arse, a lot of foreign fans would start supporting both the teams then what?

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

Nah , the tourists are attracted to Kenyons Kensington TV Stars.

Atmosphere is secondary - being there to support my team is primary.

It wouldn't be good for the club to work like that though. Should anything every happen to Roman then we would be truly f**ked. Besides a bigger stadium and lower ticket prices would help solve a lot of problems. Lower priced cup games this season have generally had good atmospheres.

Besides as has been said countless times before, it's not just a Chelsea problem. It's a problem with Football and society in general.

True which is why you have FC United and and My Football Club etc. Come on Esk, you'd just have to have AFC tatooed on front of 'chelsea' I'd like to see an AFC Chelsea, or other AFCs come to that, not that I'd switch alliances, just so its minor wake up call to the fat money men. Cunts that they are.

[EskWeston 696]

Nah , the tourists are attracted to Kenyons Kensington TV Stars.

True which is why you have FC United and and My Football Club etc. Come on Esk, you'd just have to have AFC tatooed on front of 'chelsea' I'd like to see an AFC Chelsea, or other AFCs come to that, not that I'd switch alliances, just so its minor wake up call to the fat money men. Cunts that they are.

It's not going to happen, the only time that will happen is when the bottom drops out of it and they are all left in the s**t. The TV revenue is their main income anyway, they couldn't care less about the fans in reality and thats the same for every club.

An AFC Chelsea wouldn't even be a blip on my radar - it's just not Chelsea.

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

It's not going to happen, the only time that will happen is when the bottom drops out of it and they are all left in the s**t. The TV revenue is their main income anyway, they couldn't care less about the fans in reality and thats the same for every club.

An AFC Chelsea wouldn't even be a blip on my radar - it's just not Chelsea.

.

Well theres already an FC United, so it has happened already. OK it might not have the same covererage as the Theatre of Shit. I dont think the author of the piece, Mr Waring is alone with his feelings

So if the clubs dont care about the fans -which I agree with -how much would you put up with ? or if you were priced out at say £150-£250 a ticket -which tourists and middle class opera goers would gladly pay, how long would you carry on with it ?

Chelsea till I die and all that, but at what point would you say fuck it, if you could only watch on TV ?

[True_Blue 469]

This article is quite a good read,but i belive it would be stupid to start a new club and leaving a beloved one behind just because we became a major succes and a popularity explosion in the world during the Roman Abramovich era.I wasn't around for as long as you FB and probably Esk since i am only 20 years old and been a supporter for almost a decade now almost half of my lifetime.You guys have probably more memories and expirience as fans than i do,or the rest of if we can call it ''younger'' generation of Chelsea Fans.Why should you as proper fans who supported our club as major factors to our succes to be deserted and try to make a new club,when there is a one you cared for all these years.Personally i couldn't care less about our major influence in the world of bussines and our global popularity.I know i've been there when we weren't ''big'' and when we played with players than were not payed massive fee's and wages like there are today,that makes my proud and i will always be proud to be a Chelsea fan now and for the years to come.Hope i can visit the UK in the near future and have a pint with you guys would be a massive honour.

Regards TB :thumbsup:

[EskWeston 696]

.

Well theres already an FC United, so it has happened already. OK it might not have the same covererage as the Theatre of Shit. I dont think the author of the piece, Mr Waring is alone with his feelings

So if the clubs dont care about the fans -which I agree with -how much would you put up with ? or if you were priced out at say £150-£250 a ticket -which tourists and middle class opera goers would gladly pay, how long would you carry on with it ?

Chelsea till I die and all that, but at what point would you say fuck it, if you could only watch on TV ?

If i could only watch it only TV then that is what i would have to do! How can i have an association with another club? Even if it is all Chelsea fans moving over, i am not in it for the fans.

To me the logic of "i want standing, singing and hardcore support at football" is all well and good. But what about the Football? That is what we are all in it for at the end of the day. You would end up going to a game standing and singing and watching a team no better than most of the people in the bloody stands...

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

This article is quite a good read,but i belive it would be stupid to start a new club and leaving a beloved one behind just because we became a major succes and a popularity explosion in the world during the Roman Abramovich era.I wasn't around for as long as you FB and probably Esk since i am only 20 years old and been a supporter for almost a decade now almost half of my lifetime.You guys have probably more memories and expirience as fans than i do,or the rest of if we can call it ''younger'' generation of Chelsea Fans.Why should you as proper fans who supported our club as major factors to our succes to be deserted and try to make a new club,when there is a one you cared for all these years.Personally i couldn't care less about our major influence in the world of bussines and our global popularity.I know i've been there when we weren't ''big'' and when we played with players than were not payed massive fee's and wages like there are today,that makes my proud and i will always be proud to be a Chelsea fan now and for the years to come.Hope i can visit the UK in the near future and have a pint with you guys would be a massive honour.

Regards TB :thumbsup:

Likewise TB. I suppose the only thing I can compare it with would be a long standing Serbian club pricing out ordinary Serbs, making the stadium all seater, and flying in rich Yanks and Japanese.

At least the Italian clubs have the fans having a say in how the club is run, and chelseas fans forum although has had a small effect, tends to fall on deaf ears most of the time.

[Elliott 7]

I can sympathise with the author, but the thing that bothers me is that he is attacking Chelsea for this change when it is instead just a trend we have seen since the introduction of the Premier League. According to a page I found on the Liverpool University website, it was Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur who originally initiated the idea of a Premier League by threatening to split away from the Football League if they didn't get a greater share of TV revenue. Then of course Sky came along with their millions upon millions and it all just spiralled into what we have today.

It's basically now a choice between supporting a top team with top players and paying through the nose for it, or going to a local or small club and having a drink and a laugh whilst barely watching some average joe's lump a ball attached to some sticky mud in the air. Of course, for a Chelsea fan, this is a choice between sticking with your expensive capitalist club, or betraying them, and this idea of an AFC Chelsea is a compromise between the two, to get over such a suggestion as betrayal. But that's what it is in my eyes. I'm Chelsea, and I'll be staying that way, first and foremost. In the future I could toy with the idea of going to watch my local team, which would currently be Kerry Dixon's Dunstable Town, but that's only obviously if I had some mates in the same frame of mind and I don't see that happening at the moment.

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

If i could only watch it only TV then that is what i would have to do! How can i have an association with another club? Even if it is all Chelsea fans moving over, i am not in it for the fans.

To me the logic of "i want standing, singing and hardcore support at football" is all well and good. But what about the Football? That is what we are all in it for at the end of the day. You would end up going to a game standing and singing and watching a team no better than most of the people in the bloody stands...

If football continues the way it is we'll have cheerleaders, £1m a week players, rule changes etc (Just listen to Blatter). I can see football being reborn by people who care about the game, maybe with not as much coverage or money.

The current Chelsea FC started in the Rising Sun pub -a few regulars, in 1905. They were shit for the first 10 years. Absolute rubbish until they got to an FA semi in 1915 or something. Clubs have to start somewhere.

No ones asking you to switch allegiance, but I can see why people are getting fucked off.

[EskWeston 696]

If football continues the way it is we'll have cheerleaders, £1m a week players, rule changes etc (Just listen to Blatter). I can see football being reborn by people who care about the game, maybe with not as much coverage or money.

The current Chelsea FC started in the Rising Sun pub -a few regulars, in 1905. They were shit for the first 10 years. Absolute rubbish until they got to an FA semi in 1915 or something. Clubs have to start somewhere.

No ones asking you to switch allegiance, but I can see why people are getting fucked off.

It will never get as far as becomming that bad that it will have to start from scratch. Things are already getting to the point where poor attendances and poor atmospheres are massive topics for debate around all clubs and in the media. A point will come where a compromise will have to be made.

But at the end of the day as long as Chelsea is still kicking a football around on the pitch i will be supporting them, Cheerleaders and big salaries or not.

[bombayblue™ 55]

clubs would really struggle without the money.. and for that they would have to have a sugar daddy if they are to start from scratch this day... also to survive even in championship they would have to adhere to the stadium laws laid down by the FA, don't get me wrong greg, i can only try and imagine how you and that guy and other feel but it wouldn't work and what about this chelsea fc? will you disconnect from it completely? what if it reaches the Cl final, wouldn't you watch it? what if jose returns after AFc forms? wouldn't you be tempted to return?

if you are talking about supporting both clubs, trust me mate, i discussed about it when FC united was formed with the Mumbai fans and they all said they'd follow both clubs, then what, AFC wouldn't let tourists in? based on what passports?

[Fulham Broadway 16,980]

Aroop mate, I'm not going anywhere, just highlighting disaffection.

Why do clubs need a sugar daddy ? FC United have sponsors FC Barcelona is owned by the fans

[bombayblue™ 55]

but then mate, can you see FC United getting anywher even close to becoming a regular Championship team? barca are different cos they already had a set-up in times it worked..

i'm sorry but its just that as much as i'd like to see peoples' club everywhere, i don't think a peoples club formed now would work just as well as one without a rich owner..

[EskWeston 696]

but then mate, can you see FC United getting anywher even close to becoming a regular Championship team? barca are different cos they already had a set-up in times it worked..

i'm sorry but its just that as much as i'd like to see peoples' club everywhere, i don't think a peoples club formed now would work just as well as one without a rich owner..

FC United will never get anywhere near the Championship!!! They are right down the bottom of the league totem pole which is where an AFC Chelsea would have to start, and like i said wouldn't be any better than you or me

I would guess the attendance at FC United is awful now after the innitial hype all the people who were right behind it have quietly gone back to old trafford without even a second look at FC United.