Fulham Broadway 17,362 Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 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. Its true its symptomatic of football as a whole , and not just Chelsea. With satellites roaming space its an ideal opportunity to bring SW6 or Yernited to Mongolia and Tasmania, and ''buy a shirt while you're at it''. I wouldnt see AFC Chelsea as a ''betrayal'' more a protest, just similar to watching Chelsea and Chelsea reserves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aesthetic Relic 301 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) Wasnt the DC United thing set up because of the uproar from fans who werent happy with the Yanks coming over and taking control. They saw it as the soul being ripped out of the club. I dont think thats happeneing at Chelsea. Football moves with the times and we had to do what everyone else was doing to keep in touch. Thats the way football has become. Lifes a bitch, but I'll always be Chelsea. If the time comes when something like an AFC does happen I will keep an eye on their results, but Chelsea will always be my priority. Quad-Blue doesnt roll off the tongue as easily Edited January 21, 2008 by Tri-Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott 7 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Well Ollie I think with Wimbledon, MK Dons were no longer Wimbledon FC, to just uproot to another town 50 miles away is a great shame and I don't know if I would follow Chelsea if they did that. If they kept the same name, maybe I would, but it would be a massive blow. The big change in football is it has changed from a professional sport to a business. Both times, revenue making was important, but before money was made to build football teams that will win trophies, now money is made for the sake of making money. People talk of the soul going from their clubs and that is where it's gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie 4,400 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 even if chelsea moved 50 miles, i would still support them because they are still the same team, that will probably never happen to us tho thankfully. its impossible supporting someone else whatever the circumstances are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskWeston 696 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Chelsea FC started at ''the bottom of the League totem pole'' as do all clubs. Actually we was elected straight into the second division in 1905 My point is though what reason can there be for the change of clubs? What are you going to get better at a newly created club? Because it certainly won't be the football. Football has changed, we all know that and it will change again and maybe next time not for the worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulham Broadway 17,362 Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 Actually we was elected straight into the second division in 1905 My point is though what reason can there be for the change of clubs? What are you going to get better at a newly created club? Because it certainly won't be the football. Football has changed, we all know that and it will change again and maybe next time not for the worse. Lol werent there only two divisions South anyway ? My point is they started off as basically a pub team, not Ruud Gullitts allstars. I'm not sure the author is advocating a switch btw, just highlighting a disaffection with the way the clubs gone. Just a guess, but if it did happen there'd be a lot more fans than FC United, as theres a huge concentartion of alienated Chelsea fans in one area -the South East. Uniteds fan base is generally all over the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeCFC 45 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I too can sympaphise with the author but an AFC Chelsea is clutching at straws.Wimbledon only reformed because the club moved away from it's South-West London roots to Milton Keynes,therefore completely losing their identity.i don't think Roman and/or Kenyon would even think of doing that with Chelsea.At least i hope not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott 7 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Lol werent there only two divisions South anyway ? My point is they started off as basically a pub team, not Ruud Gullitts allstars. I'm not sure the author is advocating a switch btw, just highlighting a disaffection with the way the clubs gone. Just a guess, but if it did happen there'd be a lot more fans than FC United, as theres a huge concentartion of alienated Chelsea fans in one area -the South East. Uniteds fan base is generally all over the shop. Well they didn't quite start off as Ruud Gullits all-stars, but they were more than a pub team too. We got some high profile players of the time, such as Fatty Foulke in goal, and this was because we already had a stadium. Our beginnings were not normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
changingman2000 35 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I can see exactly what the author is driving at, I've been feeling like that since Roman spat his dummy out and binned Jose, just because he wasnt a yes man......Thats when the club became a standing joke in my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misschief 24 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 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... I wouldnt go as far as the whole AFC thing but on the other hand there is more to it than just whats going on on the pitch. It shows just how much the game's changed when all the trimmings that go with it are suddenly regarded as irrelevant. Yes, ultimately its about the football but surely its everything else that makes the football worthwhile? Its the 'standing, singing and hardcore support' that creates the atmosphere. If youre saying the atmosphere doesnt matter, then they might as well play behind locked doors and charge us all for watching quietly at home with our cups of tea. How many times have we heard the crowd referred to as 'the twelfth man?' What's wrong with enjoying everything else that goes with matchday - the obsessive rituals (that most of us wouldnt even admit to for fear of changing the outcome of the game), the beer before, during and after, the all singing all dancing days when we were actually allowed to enjoy a game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott 7 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 The trimmings of a club are even more important than ever misschief, its just that the trimmings have changed from the singing and the atmosphere to the money and the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misschief 24 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 The trimmings of a club are even more important than ever misschief, its just that the trimmings have changed from the singing and the atmosphere to the money and the money. Yeah well, I know thats how it is these days but money's never been my god so I won't be worshipping the changes anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironhorse 0 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Hi I am another who has felt chelsea off the pitch has been out pricing the working man & its been going on a long time , i my self started going chelsea in about 72-73 as a young boy , enterance was 50p and the fee has gone up to now £55 a game , but for me there has been times i have to stop going being a working class , out of work or the new job would not cover , rent gas elec food the loan for a car and chelsea , until we grow older get a good job & can afford the dear tickets for a while , each time the club wants to make more till it affects me again , so i am picking my games as i cant afford & at home cfc seems a place that is no1 on all holiday days out for every nation as to hear people talking english is getting rare , but is it wrong !!!! not to the people who run cfc its big bucks comming in , i , you , & the ordinary fan will be pushed out , And do you know people who you knew at cfc who felt the same , understand , but will not stop going until affects them personally as its a dog eat dog world , i used to drink with chelsea fans in the 90s some rich season ticket holders ( sth ) & some working class , when there was talk of making a stand & writing to cfc or protesting outside the ground , nothing was done or said by the sth , but to my surprise or not !!!!! the same fans were moaning about tickets & get together & protest as it now affects them !!!! they have got older the money is tight they have a daughter getting wed , & to pay a mortgage and other bills , You me and cfc management dont care as its another seat for the big buck yanks japan china ussr french italy & the rest . so all the talk of what if , shall we , can we , its out of order , will stay in the pub or talk zone like this , but i know where you are comming from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskWeston 696 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I wouldnt go as far as the whole AFC thing but on the other hand there is more to it than just whats going on on the pitch. It shows just how much the game's changed when all the trimmings that go with it are suddenly regarded as irrelevant. Yes, ultimately its about the football but surely its everything else that makes the football worthwhile? Its the 'standing, singing and hardcore support' that creates the atmosphere. If youre saying the atmosphere doesnt matter, then they might as well play behind locked doors and charge us all for watching quietly at home with our cups of tea. How many times have we heard the crowd referred to as 'the twelfth man?' What's wrong with enjoying everything else that goes with matchday - the obsessive rituals (that most of us wouldnt even admit to for fear of changing the outcome of the game), the beer before, during and after, the all singing all dancing days when we were actually allowed to enjoy a game? I am not saying that the atmosphere and everything else that goes with Football is not important or irrelevant, of course it is a very important part of the match day experience. What i am saying is that should a AFC Chelsea situation arrise you are basically deciding to choose between atmosphere/match day experience or the Football, and i would go with the football everytime. Because that is why i got into this in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulham Broadway 17,362 Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Hi I am another who has felt chelsea off the pitch has been out pricing the working man & its been going on a long time , i my self started going chelsea in about 72-73 as a young boy , enterance was 50p and the fee has gone up to now £55 a game , but for me there has been times i have to stop going being a working class , out of work or the new job would not cover , rent gas elec food the loan for a car and chelsea , until we grow older get a good job & can afford the dear tickets for a while , each time the club wants to make more till it affects me again , so i am picking my games as i cant afford & at home cfc seems a place that is no1 on all holiday days out for every nation as to hear people talking english is getting rare , but is it wrong !!!! not to the people who run cfc its big bucks comming in , i , you , & the ordinary fan will be pushed out , And do you know people who you knew at cfc who felt the same , understand , but will not stop going until affects them personally as its a dog eat dog world , i used to drink with chelsea fans in the 90s some rich season ticket holders ( sth ) & some working class , when there was talk of making a stand & writing to cfc or protesting outside the ground , nothing was done or said by the sth , but to my surprise or not !!!!! the same fans were moaning about tickets & get together & protest as it now affects them !!!! they have got older the money is tight they have a daughter getting wed , & to pay a mortgage and other bills , You me and cfc management dont care as its another seat for the big buck yanks japan china ussr french italy & the rest . so all the talk of what if , shall we , can we , its out of order , will stay in the pub or talk zone like this , but i know where you are comming from Some good points. The club couldn't give a fuck whether its Dave from Sussex whos scraped the admission together or Mitushi, a rich tourist from Japan , who's loudest noise throughout the game is the click of his Sony digicam. People just see it from a me, me, me perspective without looking at the wider picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskWeston 696 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Some good points. The club couldn't give a fuck whether its Dave from Sussex whos scraped the admission together or Mitushi, a rich tourist from Japan , who's loudest noise throughout the game is the click of his Sony digicam. People just see it from a me, me, me perspective without looking at the wider picture. At the end of the day all the club sees is how many seats they have sold. Attendance is not an issue at the moment so there isn't much chance of ticket prices going down, what incentive do they have? Attendance was an issue for CL group games and cup games and they reduced the ticket prices for those so they are at least doing something. You name me one club in the world who actually looks after their fans as number 1! Even clubs like Barca and Real Madrid who are owned by the fans have massive ticket prices, again because they always sell out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fulham Broadway 17,362 Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Many Italian clubs look after the fans as they're frightened of repercussions. The Premiership is probably the worst league in the world for disregarding its real fans. Arrogance borne out of guaranteed TV money. Its like I said, its a football wide issue, no harm in having a moan about it though. And as iron horse said , it usually just amounts to forum or pub talk, until the clubs push the fans too far, when as you say they have to lower ticket prices for some games, as the adverts in the Evening Standard arent working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_kura 0 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 just like the game vs rosenborg at home. the rich people seem didnt care to watch that game as it is low key game while the passionate working class were being priced out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironhorse 0 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Some good points. The club couldn't give a fuck whether its Dave from Sussex whos scraped the admission together or Mitushi, a rich tourist from Japan , who's loudest noise throughout the game is the click of his Sony digicam. People just see it from a me, me, me perspective without looking at the wider picture. Hi Yes you have got it and mr mitushi & the like are staying cfc hotels , shopping at cfc megastore & eat at resturants , so that 1 game they get £300 £400 £500 or more , and next week its mr redneck from usa , just as rich Where from the likes of you and me they get a £55 ticket £3 programme and mabey another £10 on food Dont take rocket science to work out , who they court But is it wrong !! as the club is there to make money , to buy the best players etc From me i am being priced out , but as a money business cfc are are world wide now !!! so hands together for mr kenyon But i do hope they think of us the poor relation in the mega rich fan saga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheStylishKidInTheRiot Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 (edited) I was brought up to support Chelsea FOOTBALL CLUB and i always will unlike some of the people posting on here Chelsea has and always will be my first love. I could never go and support AFC Chelsea it just wouldnt be the same Edited January 27, 2008 by TheStylishKidInTheRiot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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