There was an unbridled roar of celebration that echoed around a largely quiet west London and scenes of jubilation among the couple of thousand supporters. And it was en route news broke that Chelsea had decided to pull out of the competition. It was a request that fell on deaf ears but the police did eventually manage to shift the crowd down Fulham Road to the Britannia Gate. In addition to trying to placate fans, he also urged them to move so the team coaches could enter the stadium.
People were taking notice of us."įor many Chelsea supporters, the protest – which took place on this day 12 months ago – was also a homecoming. After Petr Cech spoke to fans, the buzz ramped up massively. In the space of minutes, the attendance and the noise increased dramatically. I remember turning up early and being one of a few around the area at that point. "We all hated the idea and didn't want to be associated with it. "From minute one, the togetherness of the protest was clear to see," remembers Scott Clayton, football.london editor. I feel like we talk a lot about issues and what frustrates us about modern football, but this was a chance to actually do something and act. "Being able to fight against more than just opposition to a terrible idea, but what I personally care about as a supporter was important. "I personally felt a real sense of danger to everything I held dear about the club I've loved and the club that has been such a huge part of my life since the age of five," football.london writer Daniel Childs recalls. READ MORE: Chelsea's forgotten German star who rejected Barcelona, bested John Terry and quit at just 24 That night's Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion had become an afterthought, an annoyance even given supporters appeared intent on denying the players entry to the stadium. "Let the people sort it out." And in the offices at Stamford Bridge, that is exactly what was happening at a frantic pace. He was viewed as just another member of the club hierarchy who was complicit in a decision that threatened to tear apart the fabric of English football. All the former goalkeeper had achieved in his playing career meant little at that point. So the Chelsea legend strode towards the hostile crowd that had gathered outside of Stamford Bridge to protest against the club's reckless and ultimately short-lived decision to sign up to the European Super League.Ĭech was booed by supporters, many of whom had arrived an hour earlier, as he approached. It was shortly after 6.15pm that Petr Cech decided to take action.