Moody Blues, large hearts and little leadership
Forty Chelsea fans slept out in the cold at Stamford Bridge last Saturday raising money for two local homeless charities. The club opened the East Stand, the fans filed in, laid cardboard on the terrace floor, sleeping bags on top, and settled back for some chat, some sleep and a night under the stars. You could form a good team from the former players who sent video messages of support to the fans, including Carlo Cudicini, Glen Johnson, Robert Huth, Erland Johnsen, Graeme Le Saux, Scott Minto, Gus Poyet, Kerry Dixon, Tore Andre Flo and Kenny Swain. The former centre-back, Gary Chivers, even joined the 40 for the annual Chelsea Sleep-Out.
The wider Chelsea community contributed to a substantial five-figure sum raised for the Stoll Foundation, helping veterans, and the Barons Court Project. It showed the big heart still at Chelsea, fans thinking of others, helping out. Such initiatives go on at all clubs. The Chelsea Sleep-Out just felt particularly well-timed given events at the club.
As the fans bedded down, they could have been forgiven for thinking what on earth was going on upstairs? Is anyone actually in charge there? Is there any leadership, moral or otherwise? This is far from exclusively a Chelsea issue, as much a reflection on trends within the Premier League. The elite division has become far more about the pursuit of personal gain, whether financial or ego, than principles. But it is a theme most obviously being played out at Chelsea. The Americanisation of English football takes place while local fans help the disadvantaged in the surrounding community. It’s a sport of two halves…