Walter Otton’s debut novel, The Red Hand Gang, was published at the end of 2012 by Gate 17 Books to a flurry of excitement among Chelsea media circles. It’s fair to say it’s not your run-of-the-mill football book. In fact football is only part of the story. The novel starts with a journey on the Underground, and the motifs that will reappear throughout the book soon become apparent. To be…
Going Forward Together – Chelsea Supporters Trust Launch
After several months of hard work dealing with the legalties behind such an endeavour, the Chelsea Supporters Trust will be formally launched at 17.45pm on Saturday 9th February 2013 (after the Wigan game). The launch event will take place at the CIU club, 71 Britannia Road, opposite the West Stand entrance, and a few doors away from the old So Bar, and will be attended by Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon….
The Loan Report: January 28 – February 3
The January transfer window ended this week with only one Chelsea youngster departing on deadline day, but with a total of 24 players plying their trade away from Stamford Bridge, there’s always plenty to catch up on, even in this quieter week in terms of action and incident. In the wake of Peter Odemwingie’s unfortunate shenanigans, Romelu Lukaku seems entrenched as West Brom’s first-choice striker, but despite starting both of…
Chelsea Pitch Owners AGM Report
Meeting Report The 2013 Chelsea Pitch Owners AGM was held in the Harris Suite, Stamford Bridge at 11am on 30th January 2013. Chairman Steve Frankham declared the meeting open as a quorum of Directors were present and made an unfortunate early Freudian slip, telling the assembled shareholders (around 100) that he planned to ‘induce’ the new Directors, Charles Rose and Sean Jones QC. Mr Frankham also created early controversy when…
Under-18s: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United
Chelsea remain unbeaten in Elite Under-18 competition after coming back from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United on Saturday. Both teams qualified for the top eight in impressive fashion and so it was always likely to be a high-quality clash. Despite freezing cold weather, fierce winds and a bog of a pitch the two sides put on a good show and although Jack…
Cech and Courtois: A Conundrum
There are problems, and there are so-called ‘first world problems’. You know the drill; which latest technological advancement to purchase, what to do when your wireless internet drops for five seconds, that sort of thing. At Chelsea Football Club, they too face decisions of this nature now and then, and chief amongst them is what to do about their goalkeeping situation. They’re blessed to find themselves in the luxurious position…
NextGen Series: Ajax draw sets up Barcelona date for Chelsea
Chelsea’s Under-19 team secured safe passage through to the knockout stages of the 2012-13 NextGen Series with an Islam Feruz-inspired 3-3 draw away to Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday evening. In what was by far their most impressive result in the competition so far, Alex Kiwomya gave the youngsters an early lead but it was immediately cancelled out by a Jordi Bitter strike. Feruz then took over with two strikes either…
Swedish Teen Suljic To Join Chelsea
It’s approaching that time of the year where clubs are working to formalise their youth team intake for next season. Part of that process is considering which overseas imports are of requisite quality and potential to add to the home-grown crop, and Chelsea have been active on that front throughout the season. News has emerged this week that Swedish defender Ali Suljic will join up with the FA Youth Cup…
The Loan Report: January 21-27
Chelsea’s trio of loanees at Vitesse Arnhem headline this week’s Loan Report as they helped their temporary club to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Ajax on Sunday afternoon. Tomas Kalas, Patrick van Aanholt and Gael Kakuta all started in the top-of-the-table clash and played the full duration of a match which was essentially a must-win fixture for Fred Rutten’s men if they were to maintain chances of a title chase…
Decline of the Roman Empire?
Since Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea FC in the summer of 2003, with reports claiming the club was just days away from bankruptcy, he has enjoyed the virtually uncritical adoration of the Stamford Bridge faithful. That’s not to say that there haven’t been periodic rumblings of discontent. Jose Mourinho’s departure in September 2007 was the subject of some, albeit muted, criticism. Before, during and since the infamous CPO EGM in…