All posts by Lucy Caton

News

Chelsea Megastore Survey

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With the Fans’ Forum due to meet with Nike on October 17 to discuss what we see as the poor range of merchandise available in the Chelsea Megastore, we are asking you to give us your thoughts on the subject. Members should have already received an email inviting you to respond, but in case you did not receive it. You can reply by clicking this link:
 
 
Your views are important so that the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust representative can pass on the input we receive from you to the club. Please help us by answering the following questions – your opinion counts!
Please respond by the end of Sunday 14th October so we can collate your views in time.
Elections, Meetings, News

Advance Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2018-19 and Notification of Board Elections

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Chelsea Supporters Trust logo

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust Advance Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2018-19

  1. By order of the Chelsea Supporters Trust (CST) Board, notice is hereby given, that it is the intention of the CST to hold an AGM and an election for the board of the society for the 2018/19 season.
  2. The AGM will take place on the weekend of 18/19 August 2018. The date will be confirmed once fixtures scheduled for that weekend are announced. The AGM will take place on the alternate day to the Chelsea fixture. The venue for the AGM will be The Hollins Suite, Stamford Bridge.
  3. The agenda for the meeting, along with motions to be voted upon, will be announced no later than Monday 6th August 2018. 
  4. A number of motions will be put forward by the Board. There is also an opportunity for members to propose motions from the floor. A person wishing to propose a floor motion must:
    1. Be a fully paid-up member of the Chelsea Supporters Trust;
    2. Send the motion in writing by email to secretary@chelseasupporterstrust.com by no later than 2300 BST on Friday 3rd August 2018;
    3. Ensure that the motion is seconded by two (2) paid-up members of the CST. The names and email addresses of the proposer and the seconders must be included in the email;
    4. All motions from the floor must be in accordance with the aims and objectives of the CST and must not act to the detriment of the CST.

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust Notice of Election

  1. The Board Election will coincide with the CST Annual General Meeting which will occur on the same date. 
  2. Voting for the election will commence in the form of an online poll following the close of the AGM and will continue for two weeks thereafter. 
  3. The election will be overseen by an independent Electoral Management Group (EMG) consisting of the CST Secretary, a member of the CST and an independent representative. For details on election policy, please contact the Trust Secretary by emailing secretary@chelseasupporterstrust.com. 
  4. There will be nine (9) positions to be elected onto the Trust Board. Candidates will be elected without portfolio and the Board, once elected, will decide on the positions to be held by each elected Board Member. 
  5. A person wishing to stand for election must:
    1. Be a fully paid-up member of the Chelsea Supporters Trust;
    2. Be nominated by one other fully paid-up member of the CST;
    3. Complete a nomination form correctly and accurately, following the guidance outlined on the form;
    4. Submit a candidate statement which will serve as a manifesto and be circulated to all members of the CST eligible to vote;
    5. Return the nomination form and candidate statement no later than 2300 BST on Friday 3rd August 2018. Any nomination forms returned after this time will not be admitted.
  1. Decisions over the validity of nominations shall be a matter for the EMG. Any decision by the EMG not to accept a nomination as valid will be notified to the candidate as soon as practicable, whereupon the candidate may, if appropriate, take steps to rectify the situation.
  2. The decision of the EMG is final. Any complaints made to the EMG concerning the result of the election must be made no later than three working days after the close of the poll. Any complaint after this time shall not be admissible.

Completed nomination forms should be returned to the Chair of the EMG via email secretary@chelseasupporterstrust.com or by post to

Chair of Electoral Management Group, Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, C/O 11 St. Catherine’s Road Winchester Hampshire SO23 0PP
No signatures are required if emailing, but name and email address of both candidate and nominator must be stated and it must be sent from same email address as the one registered on the candidate’s CST membership record.

Related Downloads:

CST election nomination form 2018-19

Election Policy 2018
News

Making Your Voice Heard, Over Land, Sea and Parliament!

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On Wednesday 6 June, Chelsea Supporters Trust joined other trusts from across the EFL and Premier League to discuss safe standing with Labour’s Shadow secretary for Sport, Dr. Rosena Allin-Khan MP.

Whilst the Labour party traditionally has not held a pro safe standing stance, over the last few months it has been undertaking a consultation of fans groups, safety experts and clubs.

This meeting culminated in the end of the consultation, culminating in Labour announcing today at QPR’s stadium, that it will be in favour of safe standing in football.

Henry Fowler, member of the Chelsea Supporters Trust board and campaign lead for safe standing welcomed this commitment from the Labour Party.

“For many years Chelsea Supporters Trust and others have led the way in this debate, including surveying supporters on safe standing annually since 2013.

In 2014, we surveyed members solely on safe standing and 96% said they were in favour. Over the last four years this percentage has stayed between the low 80s to mid 90s in favour of seeing safe standing at Stamford Bridge. We welcome Labour’s support, joining others in Westminster, to help pressure the government into introducing safe standing soon.”

Many supporters representatives agree it is vital that clubs have the autonomy to consult with fans about the best way to further safe standing and appreciate that we must work with the government in their recently announced review into the all seater stadium policy.

Chelsea Supporters Trust chairman, David Chidgey said

“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust welcomes this encouraging news for the campaign for safe standing. The majority of supporters clearly want safe standing, as do many clubs, but in order for it to become reality the Government need to be persuaded. Political engagement with and support for safe standing is therefore vital in order for this to happen. The Chelsea Supporters Trust will continue to do everything we can to represent supporters views about this important issue with the hope that safe standing can be accommodated in stadia as soon as possible”

There has never been a better time to join the CST and be part of a fans group that makes your voice heard.

You can join today as a voting member for £5 via: https://chelseasupporterstrust.com/cst-membership/registration/

News

Joint Statement from Chelsea Supporters Trust
 and Manchester United Supporters Trust

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F.A. Cup Final Ticket Prices

On Saturday our loyal fans will be supporting their teams at the FA Cup Final. Most will already have provided their support at more than 20 games over the season and some will have done so at up to 50 games across the country and in Europe. All will have invested a considerable chunk of their hard earned income in their loyalty and passion.

Regrettably the majority of those fans will be paying an outrageous £115 or £145 for their tickets, courtesy of an unprecedented imposed price hike of over 30%. At a meeting with a delegation of supporter groups from the then semi-finalist clubs in April the FA told us that it’s immediate financial commitments precluded it from revisiting prices for this season’s final, but agreed to undertake a further review for next season.

From next season the FA’s coffers will be boosted significantly by a ‘transformative’ new broadcasting deal for the FA Cup itself, as well as new improved deals with major sponsors. While most of this will rightly be invested into grass roots football, it is not unreasonable for a small element of that windfall to be invested in the regular fans whose vocal and visual support creates the spectacle that those broadcasters and sponsors have invested in.

On Saturday our respective supporters will be fierce rivals, but after the match, whoever wins, we will be united with all supporter groups in holding the FA to account to set an example as the game’s regulator, and to consult with us to reinstate and preserve a fair deal for fans.

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust

News

Take Part in the Chelsea Supporters Trust Annual Survey

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The sixth annual Chelsea Supporters Trust survey is now available online.

In order for the Trust to operate on a mandate that is a true representation of Supporters’ views, we need to know how you feel about the core issues affecting the Club. By carrying out this survey every year, the Trust is able to track supporters’ concerns. Where appropriate, questions have been dropped and new ones included.  In addition to regular topics, subjects this year include safe standing, VAR, and the proposed winter break.

Members have been emailed a link to the survey (please check junk mail folders if you have not received it). You can also access the survey on the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CST_Survey2018

As in previous years, the results will be presented to the Club. Your opinions really do make a difference! You can read about responses to previous surveys in the survey section of our website.

News, Statements

FA RESPONDS TO FAN REPS CALLS OVER CUP PRICING

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Following the meeting last week between senior FA executives and fan representatives from the teams competing in this season’s FA Cup semi-finals regarding ticket pricing for the semi-finals and final, the FA has confirmed a number of changes to its previous approach.

  • Concessionary tickets will now be charged at £25 off the full adult rate for categories A and B for this year’s final. Concessions for categories C and D remain at £10 off the full adult rate.
  • The FA has committed to review the price bandings behind the goals in Level 1 of Wembley stadium, in collaboration with fan representatives, for the 2018-19 semi-finals and final in recognition of the contribution fans in those areas make to the spectacle and atmosphere.
  • There is a commitment to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a more accessibly priced family area for the 2018-19 semi-finals and final.
  • The FA has committed to keep prices in line with inflation until 2021.

The movement on concessions for this year’s final is to be welcomed, as is the commitment to address the wider issues we raised ahead of next year’s competition. We are obviously disappointed that the other decisions taken for this year’s competition will stand, meaning fans face significantly higher costs. And while the pledge to keep future price increases below RPI until 2021 is progress, we still believe tickets are priced too high and that ticket price inflation has been too steep. The FA’s income from sponsorship and broadcasting linked to the FA Cup will increase significantly from 2018-19 and we expect to see some of that invested in loyal fans whose support is vital for the spectacle that those sponsors and broadcasters are investing in.

Football ticket pricing is not an ordinary competitive market. It is a monopoly and the FA, as the game’s regulatory body, should be setting an example by rewarding fans’ loyalty.

What we are encouraged by is the FA’s acknowledgement that this year’s decisions should not have been taken without proper consultation with supporters. And so we welcome the commitment to discuss pricing for subsequent competitions properly with supporter groups.

The test of that commitment will come as discussions play out. The FA now has the chance to set the standard for genuine consultation that enhances the reputation of the FA Cup, a competition fans continue to hold dear.

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust

Southampton Fan Groups

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust

News, Statements

FAN REPS MEET WITH FA EXECUTIVES OVER CUP PRICING

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On Monday 9 April, fan representatives from the Clubs competing in the FA Cup semi-finals along with FA Council supporter representative, Katrina Law, met with FA CEO, Martin Glenn and senior FA executives to discuss the increase in pricing for this season’s FA Cup semi-finals and final.

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, Southampton fan groups and Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust had previously released a joint statement questioning the need for the increases on the back of record broadcast and sponsorship deals and calling for a rethink.

The opportunity to meet with FA decision makers for a constructive and frank discussion was welcomed, as was the acknowledgement that future dialogue should ideally take place before decisions directly affecting fans are made, where possible.

The fan reps have asked that the FA consider a number of measures to reduce the impact of ticket price increases on supporters at this season’s final. With sales already concluded and tickets already printed for the semi-finals, there was no opportunity to revisit the pricing policy for the games scheduled for the 21 and 22 April at this stage.

The FA has committed to explore the viability of those measures and to respond within the next ten days. We’ll make further comment after receiving that response.

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust

Southampton Fan Groups

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust

News

Club to Host Say No To Antisemitism Event

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As part of the Chelsea Football Club’s ongoing Say No To Antisemitism campaign, the Club is hosting a Holocaust survivor at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 27th March to meet supporters’ groups. The Club is delighted that Mala Tribich MBE has agreed to share her experiences, followed by a question and answer session.
 
The event will be held in the Champions Club from 6pm to 8pm and the Club would like to invite members of fan groups to the event. Food and a drink will be provided.
 
If you would like to attend, please email enquiries@chelseasupporterstrust.com with all requests for tickets no later than Thursday 22nd March at 5pm. Please include the name of any guests you are bringing as well as any dietary or accessibility requirements. Those who are allocated tickets will be contacted by representatives from the Club.
 
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook
News, Newsletters

Newsletter – Winter 2018

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Welcome to the ‘winter’ newsletter. We hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year and are managing to keep warm in the bitter winter weather. Mind you, if you read the press at the moment it might make you hot under the collar with Chelsea apparently in crisis and about to part company with Antonio Conte, in spite of being 4th in the league, in the FA Cup and with Barcelona to play in the Champions’ League (correct at time of writing!). Crisis, what crisis?

You can download the newsletter and read it here:

CST Newsletter Winter 2018 Final

News

Tour of Brompton Cemetery with Rick Glanvill this Saturday

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This Saturday, 10th March, marks the 113th anniversary of the founding of Chelsea Football Club. To mark the occasion, Chelsea Supporters Trust has organised a guided tour of Chelsea F.C. related graves with club historian Rick Glanvill, followed by wreath laying at the Mears family memorial.  

The tour is open to all Chelsea Supporters Trust members. If you’re not already a member, please take a look at our Membership page to find our more about which levels of memberships are available or sign up on the day. If you’d like to attend, please meet at the Visitors Centre at 12.15pm (this is located near the West Brompton station end of the cemetery).

If you’re not able to join us on Saturday, you can download your own walking guide of the Chelsea F.C. related graved located in Brompton Cemetery from the Official Website.  Chelsea Supporters Trust also organises regular visits to the cemetery to maintain the Chelsea graves – information about when these take place are posted on Twitter and Facebook, so make sure you follow us if you’re interested!