Chelsea protests gather pace this week with more fans potentially ready to get involved

"All protests are made up of people with a wide range of demands or wishes"

Chelsea fans are planning a protest for this Tuesday night’s home game against Southampton, and it appears to be gathering a bit more pace.

Some of the ‘big’ accounts on social media are potentially going to be getting involved with the promotion, which will see it gather more traction regardless of what you might think of some of these names.

I have spoken with one of the first Chelsea fans to start planning and organising this protest, FFulbright and he tells me that it is natural for protests to be made up of people with a wide range of demands or wishes.

Fulbright goes to games and of course will be there this coming Tuesday night.

He says:

‘I don't really speak for all fans, but I know I speak for those I speak to at games and lots on this platform; the reasons behind the protests are total lack of ambition to win on the pitch and a disregarding of Chelsea’s long established match-going fan-base and gas lighting communications off the pitch.

‘All protests are made up of people with a wide range of demands or wishes. As somebody who teaches some History, you'd rarely find a protest where everyone is aligned in their desired outcome. Some have an impact, some don't, it largely depends on how many demonstrate their frustration and whether the powers that be care.

‘There are four groups I've seen on the protest. Those of us that have seen enough of Eghbali and want him gone. Those that want BlueCo altogether gone (I don't necessarily dislike Todd Boehly personally). Those who sneer and can't be bothered to do anything about the current direction of the club. And those who still genuinely believe this model will work (madness). Then there's the big social media accounts i personally believe have used the protest for engagement and interactions rather than supporting change for our club.

‘I expect maybe 40-80 to attend realistically. There's been big support for it online, but among the match-going fan-base there is a feeling of apathy and acceptance of the mess we're in and that's the environment that allows Eghbali and Winstanley to persist with their nonsense. I doubt in those numbers we'd have any impact. So I'm asking match-going fans once again - are you happy with the direction of our club? If not, turn up and support the protest.’

I personally believe that with some of the bigger accounts promoting it online, if that happens, would see numbers grow. One big account is going

I think most of what he has said here also is more than fair.

Will it make a difference? Who knows. But even if the club see this, see reactions on sites like ours and online, and see the overall general fan view around, then maybe, just maybe they might look to tweak the model even slightly, or make some big decisions in recruitment and look at who is making these decisions in recruitment.

Because fans have a powerful voice, and fans are listened to by the club. They hear us all.

I’ll back and support this protest, but obviously I cannot be there. But I’ll happily promote it as long as it is done right and does not involve Xenophobia, racism, quarrelling, and anything else that devalues what the purpose is supposed to be.

Le’ts see how it goes on Tuesday, but it looks like the community here are also pretty keen for me to support it and for us as a community to support it.

I did some polls yesterday….

• 44% FULLY back the protests

• 24% back it ‘a bit’

• 67% of our community wishes to see SPTC back the protests

It also sounds like quite a few of you are going to be going to the protests tomorrow, which is great.

Be safe, be smart, be peaceful, but get those voices heard.

Simon Phillips