Chelsea sale: John Terry backs consortium aiming for 10 per cent fan-owned stake
The True Blues Consortium is aiming for a 10 per cent stake to be owned by the fans; ex-Chelsea captain John Terry and former women's player Claire Rafferty back the proposal; Roman Abramovich is looking to sell Chelsea with bids submitted by a Friday deadline
Sunday 20 March 2022 13:34, UK
John Terry will attempt to protect Chelsea's "history and heritage" by joining the True Blues Consortium aimed at handing supporters a 10 per cent ownership in the Stamford Bridge club.
Former Chelsea captain Terry has backed the True Blues Consortium's bold plans to levy funds to buy a stake in Chelsea through a community offering.
Chelsea fans would be able to buy into the setup from as little as £100, with the True Blues Consortium aiming to work with the club's eventual new owners on buying a share in the club.
Terry and former Chelsea women's player Claire Rafferty have put their names to the consortium, with True Blues chiefs having made contact with Raine Group, the bank overseeing Chelsea's sale.
- Goldman Sachs advising Todd Boehly group on Chelsea bid as deadline passes
- Chelsea end Boro's FA Cup run to reach Wembley again
Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the Stamford Bridge freehold, and the Chelsea Supporters' Trust have backed the plan in principle.
The True Blues Consortium would elect one representative to sit on Chelsea's board and decorated former skipper Terry has been impressed with the ambitious plans.
"Chelsea has been such an important part of my life for 22 years," said Terry.
"I want to see the club's history and heritage protected as we go into a new era with like-minded people who have the same long-term vision of building the best football club in the world and understand how important our DNA is.
"Having met with and heard what the True Blues Consortium is about, I know they understand. They're a group of lifelong Chelsea fans and season ticket holders who have created a concept that will complement and assist any preferred bidder running the club while adding fan connection and engagement with the board.
"This innovative structure is designed to be inclusive of all Chelsea fans and protect our club.
"I'm thankful for the Chelsea Pitch Owners and Chelsea Supporters' Trust's time and support on this and we hope we will be welcome investors into the club's new structure."
Rafferty, meanwhile, spoke exclusively to Sky Sports News about her reasons for also getting involved in the True Blues Consortium
"It is a fan-led consortium and the idea behind it is to maintain the legacy of the club giving a potential 10 per cent buy-in that could be attached to any successful bidder and in collaboration with the supporters' trust, the Pitch Owners, former players, with an independent chairman or woman," said the former Chelsea Women left-back.
"And that will enable the fans to buy in at a minimum stake of £100 and potentially have their say with an elected board member.
"We just want to make sure the fans are represented and heard, but obviously it would be down to the successful bidder, but the idea behind it is to ensure the DNA of the club is fully represented with the new owners when they come aboard."
Rafferty made more than 100 appearances for Chelsea between 2007 and 2018 and is keen for whoever buys the club to keep investing in Emma Hayes's Women's Super League champions.
"For me, I do not think there has been enough noise about the impact on the women's side of things and I just want to make sure the fans from the women's perspective are heard," she added.
"Also, I want to make sure that the investment is maintained on the women's side, the last thing we want is for all the hard work to be undone.
"And also the equal representation, we are not just talking about the women's side, we are talking about academies, we are talking about all the other fan clubs that are involved in what makes this club such an important club to this league."
Roman Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2 amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian-Israeli billionaire was sanctioned by the UK Government last week, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Vladimir Putin.
Abramovich's UK assets are all frozen barring Chelsea, with the Blues operating under strict Government licence.
Raine Group's deadline for bids to buy Chelsea passed on Friday night, with a host of serious parties lodging their candidacy.
Saudi Media Group also met the deadline, with more bids also understood to have been lodged.
