Heart or Head

Many things change over the course of a lifetime, jobs, careers, partners, homes etc., the only thing you never change is your football team.  I was adopted, and never really did much with my dad, however he did one thing that has had an ever lasting effect on my life.  He took me to Stamford Bridge for my first football match back in 1967 nearly 45 years ago, and I have been a loyal Chelsea fan ever since.

During the course of those 45 years, I guess like many others, I have had a pretty eventful and sometimes traumatic time, and the one constant thing has been watching Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, through bad times, and more recently good times.

Whatever’s been going on in my life, marriage, the birth of my children, divorce, career change, marriage, divorce again, then breakdown, before what is very definetly my final marriage, so much upheaval and change, but always the one constant has been going to watch my beloved Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.  For me, like so many football fans  I suspect, watching my team has played a major part in my life.

When Roman Abramovich took over from Ken Bates I had very mixed emotions.  The uncertainty of Chelsea’s future was replaced by a different kind of uncertainty.  I decided I would reserve my judgement on the takeover, and just wait to see the actions of Roman Abramovich, after all, as the old saying goes, ‘actions speak louder than words’ – not that there have been many words  from our current owner.

Ken Bates was, and is still, a controversial figure, and people were either for him or very much against him.  Personally, there is no doubt in my mind that he saved C.F.C., and we may well have not continued to exist in the way that we did if it were not for old grey beard.  There is no doubt in my mind he had C.F.C.’s best interests at heart, though I would concede not all Chelsea fans would agree with me.

It could be argued when the Shed was torn down and the ground redeveloped, it was the beginning of the end for the Chelsea I grew up with, and obviously the club changed beyond all recognition within a very short space of time with Roman’s takeover.

The current attempt by Roman to buy back the C.P.O. shares has forced me to think a great deal about my feelings for the club, and there is no doubt in my mind it has divided opinion amongst my fellow Chelsea fans , some of whom have already become entrenched in their views.  I do hope that whatever the outcome we can all respect each other’s opinions, and unite behind the club we all love.

That said, I personally really don’t know what to think.  I, like many other long term fans have a lot of memories invested in Stamford Bridge, and my heart tells me it’s not that easy to want to leave there and move on, something which I suspect younger and newer fans could accept more easily.  However my head tells me that Chelsea must seek a new home if we are to compete with the elite in the future. My head also tells me Roman is doing what’s best for our club and it is the only realistic option.

My problem is because  of my personal experience with Messrs. Buck and Gourlay,  I have some nagging doubts.  Practically, I don’t understand the sudden rush which leads to  lack of time for a proper debate around the buying back of  the C.P.O. shares, but more deeply than that for me, it requires a huge leap of faith, to put my trust in a man who to my knowledge has said nothing to the fans since he bought the club, and who by the way, is currently engaged in a legal battle which could see him lose as much as a third of his wealth, if the papers are to be believed.

And finally,  most of all, C.P.O. was put in place to ensure Chelsea’s future was secure.  If that scheme is removed, how secure is our future ?  I don’t know the answer, these are just questions going through my mind.

Tony Russell