Chelsea apologise for unfinished Stamford Bridge work leaving fans without seats

Nizaar Kinsella

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Chelsea apologise for unfinished Stamford Bridge work leaving fans without seats image

Chelsea have apologised to their angry supporters after failing to complete work on adding rail seating at Stamford Bridge.

It means some fans will miss the opening match of the season against Crystal Palace despite having season tickets.

Issues in the Matthew Harding Lower Stand mean Chelsea's stadium won't be quite full for their opening Premier League game of the season.

What have Chelsea said?

"We realise we have let these supporters down and sincerely apologise for the fact this has happened," read a club statement about the seating issue.

"If you are a season ticket holder you will receive a pro-rata refund for the match plus a refund of any reasonable pre-booked travel costs. Affected members will receive a full refund, plus a refund of any reasonable pre-booked travel costs.

"All affected season tickets holders and members will retain loyalty points for this match. In addition, after discussions with the Fans Forum and several supporter groups, affected season ticket holders and members will also receive a complimentary ticket to one of the first three home Champions League Group stage games this season.

"You will be contacted at the end of next week regarding the process for redeeming this.

"When we embarked upon this project we had detailed plans to complete it on time and written undertakings from the manufacturer they could meet the schedule. Everyone at the club is very upset that we weren’t able to achieve this and recognise that we should have done."

How have supporters reacted?

The Chelsea Supporters' Trust (CST), which is the biggest fan organisation at the club, has spoken of their anger.

"The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust is angered and frustrated that a number of supporters with season tickets have been let down by CFC and their contractors," a statement read. "This is the first Premier League game with full capacity in over 17 months and it is unacceptable that deadlines have not been met.

"We understand the contractors used have previously encountered delays on a similar project. As with the decision to join the Super League, this again calls into question the extent to which the club undertakes due diligence with their decision-making process.

"We appreciate that supply and delivery issues have caused delays, however it is totally unforgivable that supporters have been left in this position.

"The club committed in the spring to do better for their supporters and stated that they wanted to rebuild a connection with supporters after the Super League fiasco. It is really poor that the first opportunity to do so has tarnished."

Further reading

Nizaar Kinsella

Nizaar Kinsella Photo

Nizaar Kinsella is a Chelsea correspondent with experience covering international football at the World Cup and European Championships. He is a trusted voice within the Chelsea community, attending almost every game and having spent many years doing so. Coverage on Goal.com has seen him invited onto CNN, BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport and BeINSports to comment on the turbulent world of the Stamford Bridge club. He previously worked for the Daily Mirror and BBC Radio Manchester, as well as a period working in the UK charity sector.