While not wanting to sound like John Cleese in Monthy Python, what has Roman (Abramovich) ever done for us?

That is, apart from; paying off the large Euro-loan that was due, taking Chelsea Football Club to the next level, buying a succession of world class players (and the odd duff one – not Damien, he was great), our own training ground and one of the best in Europe or the World, three Premierships when I never thought I’d live to see one, a Champions League final (again, I would never, ever have dreamed this would happen), and so much more.

All these wondrous ‘gifts’ yet so many of those naughty, thankless irks who bought the odd £100 share seem not to trust our knight in shinning armour!

That’s fine for all those who have 100% trust in Roman, his heirs and, when the time comes (and it will come), whoever they sell Chelsea Football Club to. Some of us have slightly longer memories or heed that quotation “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.

Prior to the Ken Bates era, Chelsea Football and Athletic Club was founded by Gus Mears. The club remained in the same family from 1905 until the mid 1980’s when circumstances and maybe poor judgement conspired against the family owned club which was now deep in debt. The club was sold to Ken Bates, but the freehold of the land was effective sold off and traded between property developers.

Love or hate the guy (and there’s plenty in each camp), what you cannot deign is that Ken’s belligerent bull-dog spirit to save ‘our’ club and of course his investment in it, eventually saved Stamford Bridge as the home for the club and quite possibly the actual existence of Chelsea Football Club.

Like virginity, you only need to say yes once and it’s gone. You can not recoup what you had. Likewise the CPO vote. Think very hard.

Why do we need to rush into a yes in three weeks time? Why can’t we ask questions, have time to consider the answers, offer any alternative proposals and maybe decided in a few months? Why does it have to be the way Bruce Buck and Ron Gourlay want it and want it now?

The sale of Chelsea Stadium Ltd to the club and the effective closure of the CPO is a big issue. Do not take it lightly and do not be rushed into by the personalities involved. A no vote doesn’t mean a no never, it can be considered a ‘not sure yet’, ‘maybe later’ or a ‘yes but’ vote.

Even if you think ‘yes’ is right, why not vote no to allow better bargaining power for the shareholders trying to get the best deal for the club and the supporters?

Don’t get caught with your knickers down, hold on to your ha’penny!

Following Chelsea over the years has brought many highs and lows, but one of the strangest set of memories for me goes back over forty years to the 4th round in January and February of 1969.

Over the previous four seasons we’d reached the sixth round, two semi-finals and lost to T*tt*nh*m in the first all-London final.

Dave Sexton was manager having taken over from Tommy Docherty fifteen months earlier. Chelsea were riding high in the top division although January had given a blank return in the league.

Having disposed of Carlisle at home with goals from Bobby Tambling and Peter Osgood, I huddled around the cheap transistor radio on the Monday lunch-time at school … “Preston North End will play … number eight … Chelsea.”

The long train journey to and from that Lancashire mill town were split by a pretty unremarkable game with the Match of the Day cameras balanced on scaffolding over a small grim stand (unlike our palatial Shed!) followed by the rush home to catch the goalless highlights on the box. Well, surely it would be a simple task to dispatch the northerners at the Bridge on the following Wednesday?

It had all seemed so simple, but whilst leading 2-0 with goals from Birchenall and Hutchinson the floodlights failed. Cue the usually offers of ‘two bob’ for the meter while we waited and waited, but no, the match was abandoned. We’d have to re-play the replay.

There was no choice, thousands of schoolboys came to the same conclusion; ‘hop the wag’ – play truant for the Monday afternoon rearranged fixture. But what travesty was happening. Preston scored and despite continual Blues pressure the 90th minute approached and we were on our way out.

“On the pitch” was the whisper, “get the game abandoned – Spurs have done it before, so can we.” Now remember that this was before the advent of “added time” and Fergie’s watch hadn’t even been made yet, but unbelievably in the 94th minute, Webby gets the equaliser – great, it’s going to be extra time!

Yet it wasn’t, because in the 97th minute Charlie Cooke grabs another. The incredible tension transformed in the space of three minutes to unbelievably joy.

What a game in a marvellous season, we didn’t win anything, but we stuffed United 4-0 at Old Trafford, newly promoted QPR 4-0 at the loft and Webby hit his first goals for the club in a hat-trick at Ipswich. Portents of successes were to follow very soon.