“They’re not ‘killing’ your club” – Backlash from fans to Chelsea protest and Todd Boehly reacts

“They’re not ‘killing’ your club” – There has been backlash from fans to the Chelsea protest and Todd Boehly reacts to it.

Chelsea fans staged a notable protest before their Premier League match against Southampton this week, with the demonstration was primarily directed at the club’s ownership group, BlueCo, which includes co-owner Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Frustrated by the direction of the club under this ownership, supporters gathered outside the Bovril Gate at 6pm on Tuesday night, about two hours before kickoff, to voice their discontent.

Banners displayed messages like “You’re destroying our club,” “BlueCo, stop killing Chelsea. Get out of our club,” and “Wanted for crimes against Chelsea – Clearlake & BlueCo.”

One fan threw dollar bills in front of a cartoon image of Boehly with the caption, “Thanks Chelsea fans for making me richer,” highlighting the Vivid Seats controversy.

The march moved along Fulham Road, temporarily blocking traffic, though it remained peaceful with no arrests reported by the Metropolitan Police.

Chants included “We want our Chelsea back,” “BlueCo out,” and expletive-laden jabs at Boehly, alongside nostalgic songs praising former owner Roman Abramovich and past managers like Jose Mourinho and Thomas Tuchel.

But it seems a lot of other clubs’ fans said “They’re not ‘killing’ your club” with there quite the backlash to the Chelsea protest and also Todd Boehly reacts to it…

The message is clear! pic.twitter.com/xZvJt8AmvK

— Charlie Patrick (@charliepatrick0) February 25, 2025

Chelsea fans throwing dollars in their ownership protest outside Stamford Bridge… 🔵

(Credit – @kierangill_DM) #cfcpic.twitter.com/zAybrIIbfQ

— Fan Banter (@fan_banter) February 25, 2025

Speaking on Thursday at the Financial Times’s Business of Football Summit, Boehly said of the protest: “I just think it is par for the course.

“The sooner you learn you are not going to keep all the people happy all the time, the freedom shows up.

“We are just trying to execute a plan and recognise things aren’t linear, and we are trending in the right direction. The trend is moving in the right direction and that’s the thing that really matters.

“In June, it will be three years in charge. That’s not a lot of time, especially when you get to 50, 60 or 70 years old in life. It’s a whirlwind of activity and steep learning curve, but I think that’s also a good thing.”

FAN REACTION TO THE PROTEST:

@secondtierpod: They’re not “killing” your club. Reading have been on the brink for the last 3 years. Coventry had to play home games in other towns/cities for multiple seasons. Derby nearly went out of business 3 years ago. Birmingham spent several years not knowing who actually owned the club. West Brom had to take out loans just to keep the lights on at the club. Wednesday have an owner constantly undermining success with bizarre comments and not paying bills on time. Blackburn have had two managers leave in a year because of a lack of ambition. Cardiff are in £100m worth of debt. Fans of the “big 6” clubs are so out of touch.

@2022BenjiC:Imagine being a fan ofBuryScunthorpeSouthendCoventryReadingDerbyBirminghamPlus many many moreThat’s hardshipNot seeing a club spend a billion quidWith a 45000 seater stadiumWith 50 players signed onYou ain’t lived

@froggy0806: My club is sat 2pts from the drop zone and are on the verge of relegation down to the National League. We currently don’t have a manager and the chairman has lost the ability to make calculated decisions. You don’t know the meaning of what killing your club is 😴

@Alexcraiggh: Is this a joke? As a Coventry fan I have seen us play home games in 6 separate towns. Be relegated all the way down to League 2. Clubs such as Bury, Leyton Orient, Reading, Morecambe, Derby, Birmingham, Charlton, Blackpool have all been miss managed. But poor old Chelsea.

@Caprani14: The entitlement from premier league fans is laughable

@johnrobinson07: Bunch of bell ends and self entitled posh boys. Owners have spent 1.5 billion on players, paying all the bills, investing in the stadium. Rovers, Sheff Weds and Reading owners are really killing clubs not someone pumping in money galore.

@banksyofbay1: Bolton Wanderers we’re literally minutes from liquidation…played a game with the academy kids because we had no first team ……the kids had to get their playing kit that day from the club shop because our kit sponsor had stopped supplying kits #bwfc

@joshuanuttman1: They are currently in Europe and are competing for the Top 4 in the PL. Since lockdown Huddersfield have had 4 owners, a relegation, sold almost all of our best players and not properly replaced many of them, and 10 different managers have managed a minimum of 2 games #htafc

@Harleyrhys_: Bunch of entitled pricks. Any club in this country would love to have an owner willingly spending billions on players Look at Reading, then look at this lot and it’s very easy to identify which club’s actually in turmoil

@ChrisPage_Boz: A club who have spent over £1.15B on over 40 new players in just under 3 years and this is the fans response 🤦🏻‍♂️ I’m absolutely lost for words with this 🤦🏻‍♂️ The epitome of self entitled this. Embarrassing 🤦🏻‍♂️

@RShee23: So out of touch. My club Portsmouth were on the brink of liquidation not so long ago. Many fans didn’t know if they would have a club to support in the morning. Big 6 fans need to remember how lucky they are