Chelsea fans make Fan Advisory Board requests amid Todd Boehly's Graham Potter sack plan

Chelsea have launched the initiative to help the club be “pioneers in fan engagement”, but supporters have some concerns

Chelsea have launched a new Fan Advisory Board as part of a pledge to be “pioneers of fan engagement”. The FAB will be made up of six supporters, with the club looking to identify three fans via an open application process to join the three places reserved for their Supporter Advisors to the Board.

The statement revealed how the club hopes the new initiative will “engage in discussion, exchange information and share insights on potential decisions that impact Chelsea FC supporters”. Its focus will be on Chelsea’s “strategic vision and objectives, as well as medium- and long-term decision making”.

They will meet at least three times a year with Chelsea board members, while additional senior club executives will also be in attendance. While this seems a wholly positive move for the club to make, concerns have been raised by some quarters.

On Twitter, @ijustbetrollin suggested: This won’t work unless it’s made up of a mix of international and English fans. Otherwise, the “advice” will be based on the personal interests of some people.

@Abubaka88149861 agreed with the notion that the FAB must be a global affair to be truly representative, as they asked: “Where and where are these fans drawn from? Because Chelsea have a global following.”

Meanwhile, @Unfathomable_96 was optimistic about its potential benefits: “Hope our input will be valued and respected and turn out to be of great impact.”

For others, the announcement did little to distract from the ongoing situation surrounding the team’s performances on the pitch. Many took to social media to say how they were expecting a different announcement amid the continuous speculation surrounding Graham Potter’s future.

The FAB was something Chelsea’s owners wanted to implement from the moment they took control of the club. For those interested in applying to be on the board, the application deadline is Friday March 24, with the first term of service for FAB members being three years.