{"id":7659,"date":"2026-05-12T20:54:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T20:54:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=7659"},"modified":"2026-05-12T20:54:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T20:54:55","slug":"chelsea-fans-to-protest-before-fa-cup-final-with-clear-message-for-owners-blueco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=7659","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea fans to protest before FA Cup final with clear message for owners BlueCo"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_a88635\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Chelsea are looking for their fifth permanent manager of the BlueCo era and supporters will make their frustrations heard ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">16:06, 12 May 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 20:08, 12 May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37146305\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The logo \/ badge of Chelsea FC is seen on branding as supporters wave flags during the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Chelsea and Leeds United \" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146305.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2273259030.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146305.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_GettyImages-2273259030.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146305.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_GettyImages-2273259030.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146305.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2273259030.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Chelsea fans will protest this weekend\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Chelsea fans will protest this weekend<cite aria-label=\"Image: James Gill\/Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: James Gill\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Angry Chelsea fans are taking their protest to Wembley in an FA Cup final first.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Supporters group Not A Project CFC are planning a peaceful march down Wembley Way before the showpiece final with Manchester City on Saturday. It will be a first because surely no set of fans has ever protested against their club\u2019s ownership even after reaching the FA Cup final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But that shows the level of disillusionment and unhappiness towards the club\u2019s BlueCo ownership Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly. They expect thousands to support them and they also plan to turn their backs in the 22nd minute of next week&#8217;s Premier League match against Tottenham which signifies when the current owners took over in 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Lifelong Chelsea fan David Cook, 34, who is one of the main organisers of the group, said: \u201cIt\u2019s such an iconic walk up Wembley Way and it will be something of a first. Last time we organised something completely different to march with Strasbourg fans before the Manchester United game and we wanted to do something different again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! <\/strong>Latest Blues news and more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/p>\n<article class=\"Teaser_teaser__XImzE OpinionTeaser_teaser-opinion__u0ZfS\" data-testid=\"opinion-teaser\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37144234\">\n<div class=\"Teaser_cover-wrapper__VVV7O\" data-testid=\"opinion-teaser-image\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37144301.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s540\/0_GettyImages-2274451800.jpg 540w\" media=\"undefined\" data-testid=\"source-element\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37144301.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s650\/0_GettyImages-2274451800.jpg 650w\" media=\"undefined\" data-testid=\"source-element\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37144301.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s948\/0_GettyImages-2274451800.jpg 948w\" media=\"undefined\" data-testid=\"source-element\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37144301.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s650\/0_GettyImages-2274451800.jpg\"\/><\/picture>\n<p><label data-testid=\"label\" class=\"Label_label__pFaDj Label_secondary__nOPjT label--section-color\"><span data-testid=\"label-text\" class=\"Label_text__tRLWj\">OPINION<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"OpinionTeaser_content-wrapper__TVVPL OpinionTeaser_large__m6_Lk\">\n<div data-testid=\"teaser-author\" class=\"TeaserAuthor_author__h_bIR TeaserAuthor_large__QjYde\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article29005477.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s338a\/0_XeP_QnMx_400x400.jpg\" alt=\"Author avatar\"\/><span class=\"TeaserAuthor_author-name__YmKL2\">Felix Keith<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI know it will look strange to some supporters. You reach the FA Cup final and it\u2019s a sign of success. But this is about how the club is being run. This is our club, we are passionate and we support our team. We want it back. Visually it will have a huge impact. We hope to make a big impact and an impact big enough to have an impact so potential BlueCo investors can see what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Chelsea fans have voiced their anger towards the owners during recent games and turned on Eghbali and Boehly because they believe they are running it as an investment rather than a football club. Blues supporters were used to huge success in the previous years under Roman Abramovich who also invested in the local community, academy and was championed by fans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">After winning the Club World Cup, the Europa Conference League and getting into the Champions League, this season is heading towards mid-table mediocrity and they are up against City on Saturday who will be red-hot favourites. Cook added: \u201cWe have lost faith in the ownership. From managerial appointments, treating academy graduates badly and trading them as assets while selling bits of the club to themselves, this is all wrong.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37146314\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37146314\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fans walk down Olympic Way prior to the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Chelsea and Leeds United  on April 26, 2026 in London, England\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146314.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2273268570.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146314.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_GettyImages-2273268570.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146314.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_GettyImages-2273268570.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37146314.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_GettyImages-2273268570.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Wembley will play host to angry Chelsea fans\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Wembley will play host to angry Chelsea fans<cite aria-label=\"Image: Alex Pantling\/Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Alex Pantling\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a project for them. That\u2019s the protest. We have always produced and promoted our own young players. Now we sell them. You need stability. We had two big managers. Mauricio Pochettino did quite well and then Enzo Maresca did very well. But they reached a point where they questioned the ownership &#8211; and they were gone. Suddenly Liam Rosenior comes in. Who will take it now?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cMy worry is that when Chelsea won the Club World Cup, is that the owners and sporting directors saw it as vindication. In the past, we would have seen it as a stepping stone. This club has been used to winning Premier League titles and European Cups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cNow it\u2019s all about the business plan and turning over players. Of all the players signed last summer, maybe the only quality player signed was Joao Pedro. If we are to go forward as a club then we need BlueCo to sell.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The group are assembling at Wembley Park Tube station from 1.30pm on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Chelsea co-owner Eghbali acknowledged mistakes recently but insisted they are determined to take the club forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He said: &#8220;I think we&#8217;ve done a few things right, a lot of things right. We&#8217;ve got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take (it ) to the next level, to be consistent over time. We recognise we need balance. You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><em>Join our new WhatsApp community<\/em> and receive your daily dose of <em>Mirror<\/em> <em>Football<\/em> content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don&#8217;t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you&#8217;re curious, you can read our <em>Privacy Notice.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chelsea are looking for their fifth permanent manager of the BlueCo era and supporters will&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7659"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7659\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}