The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) board regretfully acknowledges the Statement from Roman Abramovich (2.3.22)
The CST would like to express our gratitude to Mr Abramovich for his affection, passion and dedication towards Chelsea FC. His support has brought us unparalleled success during his tenure. Chelsea supporters will never forget all he has done for our club. Thank you, Mr Abramovich.
The Trust recognises the importance of the unprecedented and generous decision to not ask for any loans made to the club to be repaid and the decision to use the proceeds of the sale in a way that will benefit the victims of war in Ukraine. We are deeply saddened and shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent loss of life.
We stand with the people of Ukraine.
With regards to the future – we sincerely hope that any new owner(s) have the long-term prosperity of Chelsea FC and its supporters as their primary focus. Chelsea has a rich history and a strong winning ethos, any potential takeover should be made to further develop this and not simply as an “investment opportunity.”
It is also imperative that any new owner(s) meet and surpass the requirements outlined within the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test.
The role of Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) has become even more important given recent events, and the CST would strongly urge all supporters to purchase a share.
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/cpo/buy-a-share
We will meet shortly with the CPO to discuss any potential future scenarios and to ensure that the CPO & CST are aligned entirely.
This is a constantly changing situation and we will continue to seek urgent clarification on matters from Chelsea FC.
We sincerely hope that any new ownership will have an open dialogue with supporters and fully consult with supporters organisations when making decisions.
Supporters must be put first in all decisions that are made.
On Behalf of The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust Board
