CFC_Crabs

Made it on the TV again!!! 2 years in a row!!! 🍾

@TheRealFounding @Shedintears Not sure anything was “easily” done at the time. Hopefully you’ve read through the many replies I’ve made about this over the last 24 hours or so. Apologies for not wanting to rehash the convo but I’m about to start work. It’s Friday morning and looking forward to the weekend

@NotUncleColin @Shedintears This could easily have been arranged with a new proposal. RA never came back to us, so, presumably, it wasn't that much of an issue for him.

To all the Chelsea fans screaming for the Abramovich days. What did you do to him when he wanted to build a new stadium to secure the clubs future to be able to compete? CPO really turned out good for everyone ay. You get what you deserve. As much as it hurts, suck it all up.

@Shedintears @thedivine_mrs_s Great point and “hand on heart”, I’ve got no reply to this .

@NotUncleColin @thedivine_mrs_s If you knew London & long history of Battersea Power Stn after decommisioning yr "gut feel" would vanish. Over almost 40 yrs various plans for the site came & went but it stayed derelict, blocking the Thames path. Housing/retail was what local & London wide policy makers wanted.

@Shedintears @TheRealFounding Appreciate you finding this, brings back memories

@NotUncleColin @TheRealFounding This is fantasy. London wide & local authoritiy wanted Battersea Power Stn regenerated with housing/retail. Stadium there was nice idea (& at 2011 meeting it was clear many would have been ok with move there) but there is no bid would've been high enough. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…

@Shedintears The fact there were few suitable sites made me believe he’d have done whatever it took to win that bid by upping the offer. But if the council had no plans to approve then it was all a fantasy as you say. Sad times they were, as it would’ve been a turning point for us

@NotUncleColin CPO in 2011 made it clear we liked & trusted him but were unwilling to let shares go with no site. Some even talked abt limbo we'd be in if eg anything happened to him -only 15 yrs since sudden death of Matthew Harding. Abramovich couldnt find W/SW London site bc there isnt one.

@Shedintears Just read your pinned 🧵 & understand where you’re coming from. There’s no malice intended but there was frustration from my part. Still is to some degree, but it’s all history now. I started supporting from Chelsea from ‘98 so naturally there’d be a different perspective.

@NotUncleColin Some of us went through almost losing Stamford Bridge (& groundsharing with 'Fulham Park Rangers' at QPR's ground) before. It's why CPO was formed. 2011 vote was first & so far only test. Bates would have wasted his time/money setting it up if we'd rolled over. See my pinned 🧵.

@Shedintears You make a great point about trusting the US owners (I don’t). Difference is they’ve come in with clear intent to run the club sustainably and be self sufficient. Roman was only ever about winning, damn the expense. It’s why I trusted in his vision and he had my support.

@NotUncleColin Abramovich tried & failed to find another site so what would have been consequence if he'd been sanctioned while owning the freehold? Our US 'owners' - who've sold off so many bits of the club moreorless to themselves would own some very valuable land. Why should we trust them?

@thedivine_mrs_s @SnellGeoff Right place and time. We know he benefited greatly from the fall of the Soviet Union. Everyone has a story whether it’s successful or not. I respect you’ve had enough of the convo and will cease and desist. Thanks for your input and for caring enough to respond 👍

@NotUncleColin @SnellGeoff How do you think you become a billionaire Ogliarch in Russia? He isn’t a Hollywood actor. Do you seriously think “trusting in the process” would have worked out well with no plans & no planning permission? I’ve had enough of this conversation now. You are not comprehending.

@thedivine_mrs_s @GrocerJackUK @goalie59 Agree

@GrocerJackUK @goalie59 Rogers is pretty average too. I would not waste the effort on him.

Does anyone care?

@Lea_EFC 😂

😂😂😂

@SnellGeoff @Shedintears Was in jail.

@NotUncleColin @Shedintears Annnnnnnnnnd hes gone

@SnellGeoff @Shedintears Battersea was the one that got away. EC was a last hope effort but had the same issues. End of the day, CPO wanted to give up nothing and didn’t. Had they, we would’ve been in a completely different (and much stronger) position imho.

@NotUncleColin @Shedintears Youre waffling..EC was only put up for sale in 2019 by which time he had plan perm for rebuild at SB..the CPO only ask to transfer rights from current to new site but thats neg if the stadium is built..no owner of chelsea has ever bid for EC only battersea and lost out to housing

@SnellGeoff Yes that’s how I remember it however I felt he gave a verbal commitment to win Battersea and secure our future there. He needed certain conditions met first which CPO prevented. They didn’t trust him. He tried hostile takeover tactics which backfired. But his heart was in it.

@NotUncleColin He wanted the freehold without a commitment to a specific site or to remain within a 3 mile? radius of the existing site...in that basis he didnt get the # of votes and lots got upset at the tactics he used to trying to print more share certificates...if he'd had a site 100% pass

@Shedintears @thedivine_mrs_s See my other reply for my response to this. My gut feel at the time was he would’ve upped and won the bid provided he got backed by the fans . I still genuinely feel that way today.

@NotUncleColin @thedivine_mrs_s If you were right the 2011 CPO vote (& I was at that meeting) would have stopped Abramovich from bidding for Battersea in 2012 or sorting designs/consultation/planning permission for the new stadium at Stamford Bridge in 2015. It didnt. So your view from afar is badly mistaken.

@Shedintears @TheRealFounding Battersea was the one that got away. Roman lost bid but could’ve upped the bid and won it, had he been given the freehold on the bridge land to potentially recoup his outlay. He wanted to build flats on it to get some money back AFTER settling us in our new stadium. I’d do same.

@NotUncleColin @TheRealFounding Meeting was 2011. Abramovich bid for & lost Battersea in 2012. No evidence he tried for Earls Court. Consultation on his Stamford Bridge designs began 2015. Vote made no difference. CPO protect Chelsea FC. You'd like these 'owners' to sell it as they have other bits of the club?

@Shedintears Now that’s a big call I understand. You guys love the club as much as anyone and didn’t want to lose it. But look at the mess we are in now and still have the stadium issue to deal with. Many suggested they were happier in the old days when Chelsea were locally supported only. 🤷🏼‍♂️

@Shedintears Quid pro quo. In life you generally have to give something 2get something. At least in business anyway. My point was CPO didn’t want to give up anything, yet were happy for Roman to splash his cash. We should’ve signed over the rights to the leasehold and trusted the process 1/2

@thedivine_mrs_s At this particular point in time, I remember feeling quite resentful towards all the “legacy fans”, and there was a huge pushback from a lot of them towards us international fans saying why do we care - we don’t even attend games! This was the reason why… securing our future…

@NotUncleColin I was on the steering committee of SayNoCPO and I can assure you, especially with all the increasingly desperate dirty tricks they tried, that there would be flats on SB now & we’d be playing miles away had Roman won that vote.

@SnellGeoff @thedivine_mrs_s Yes this is exactly my thoughts as well. Rather than trusting in the process and giving him the power to do so (ala Wrexham now), many didn’t trust and in his motives and it’s since cost us big time down the line. Just my humble opinion/observation from afar.

@thedivine_mrs_s @NotUncleColin Wow thats fascinating ..I think at that stage there were still alot uncertain about Roman..given what he went on to do for us its mad to think your opinion is he was moving us god knows where which I think is the gameplan of Blueco.

@Shedintears @SnellGeoff You were spot on my friend. Just out of twitter jail now and catching up on all the messages! I’ve received a few!!

@SnellGeoff @NotUncleColin No, he's back out. No doubt as he's "longing for CFC London perspectives" he'll read what's been said & get back to us soon as. Probably...

@thedivine_mrs_s Okay I’ve just re-read. You’re suggesting he wanted the land without committing to anything first. From afar, that didn’t appear to be the case to me

@NotUncleColin You’re not reading what I’m telling you…