Chelsea's first black player Paul Canoville gives 'big fat anti-racism NO' to Ricketts family bid

Paul Canoville has joined Chelsea fans in rejecting an approach by the Ricketts family to buy the club following their father Joe's leaked emails that brandished 'Muslims as his natural enemy.'

The family, who also own the Chicago Cubs baseball team were among those who submitted an offer to buy the Blues off sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich before last Friday's 8pm deadline in what has been termed 'a comprehensive offering'.

Tom Ricketts, 56, chairman of the Cubs, is fronting the bid being co-financed by Ken Griffin, 53, who runs a Chicago-based hedge fund, Citadel, and has a fortune of around £20billion.

Soon after the bid was revealed though, Chelsea supporters were left outraged at the Ricketts' involvement after leaked emails from 2012 resurfaced where their 80-year-old father having made a number of controversial comments about race - saying 'Muslims are my enemy', describing Islam as a 'cult' and laughing at racist jokes.

Canoville, Chelsea's first black player, has now aired similar concerns and rejected the approach.

He said on Twitter: 'So I’ve seen and heard enough. I’m backing Chelsea Supporters Trust and saying a big fat anti-racism NO to the Ricketts bid!! #NoToRicketts'.

One stunned Chelsea fan claimed he would 'sever ties' with the club if the Ricketts were to take charge after Joe Ricketts' comments came to light.

'The Ricketts family must not be allowed anywhere near @ChelseaFC,' wrote another supporter, while one raised concerns that muslim footballers Hakim Ziyech, N'Golo Kante and Antonio Rudiger would soon leave if Ricketts took charge.

'If the Ricketts family takeover you can say goodbye to Rudiger, Kante and Ziyech from the very start.'

'I do not want to Ricketts Family to own Chelsea Football Club at all after seeing those comments,' another post read.

The Ricketts family were also described as 'racist bigots' by a Chelsea fan on social media, adding: 'They shouldn't even be considered for Chelsea ownership.'

The emails - dating back to 2012 and seen by Splinter - show Ricketts saying Muslims are 'his enemy' because of 'their deep antagonism'.

'Christians and Jews can have a mutual respect for each other to create a civil society. As you know, Islam cannot do that. Therefore we cannot ever let Islam become a large part of our society,' Ricketts says in the email.

'Muslims are naturally my (our) enemy due to their deep antagonism and bias against non-Muslims.'

In other emails from around 2012, Ricketts shares several links to conspiracy theories which claim President Obama has a secret past as a gay sex worker and drug mule, and is actually a Muslim.

'My impression is that the President [Obama] is more sympatric to Muslims than Christians/Jews,' Ricketts says.

'We are a Christian country and I feel like this is just a continuation of the assault on Christianity in America. My feeling (sic) are that I don't like it.'

He also says in one conversation with his son Pete Ricketts, the current governor of Nebraska, he believes Islam 'is a cult and not a religion' and that it is 'based on "kill the infidel" a thing of evil.'

Since making the comments, Ricketts has apologised for his words and insisted they 'didn't reflect his value system'.

'I deeply regret and apologize for some of the exchanges I had in my emails. Sometimes I received emails that I should have condemned,' he said in a statement.

'Other times I’ve said things that don’t reflect my value system. I strongly believe that bigoted ideas are wrong.'

In a separate statement, his son Tom - co-owner of the Chicago Cubs - distanced himself from his father, writing: 'My father is not involved with the operation of the Chicago Cubs in any way.

'I am trusted with representing this organization and our fans with a respect for people from all backgrounds. These emails do not reflect the culture we've worked so hard to build at the Chicago Cubs since 2009.'

Ricketts is the patriarch of the Ricketts family that purchased a 95 per cent stake in the Cubs in 2009. Born and raised in Nebraska, Ricketts made his fortune as the co-founder of brokerage firm TD Ameritrade.

Beyond their Cubs ownership, the Ricketts family is also well known for their influence in the world of conservative politics.

On Wednesday the Ricketts family confirmed news that they would be pursuing their interest in buying Chelsea before Friday's deadline, stressing they understood the need for investment in the playing squad, respecting the club's traditions and its supporters.

A spokesman for the consortium said: 'The Ricketts Family, owners of the Chicago Cubs, can confirm they will be leading an investment group that will make a formal bid for Chelsea Football Club this Friday.

'As long-time operators of an iconic professional sports team, the Ricketts Family and their partners understand the importance of investing for success on the pitch, while respecting the traditions of the club, the fans and the community.

'We look forward to sharing further details of our plans in due course.'

Canoville's claims come after the head of the Chelsea Chicago Supporters Club, Brian Wolff - who is also a Cubs season-ticket holder - has warned a Ricketts family takeover would spell bad news for the club.

The fan group have raised doubts about whether the family could deliver more success on the pitch, and claim that the club remaining at their Stamford Bridge home could even come under threat.

Mr Wolff also cited the controversies regarding their political beliefs - as well as their redevelopment of the Cubs' stadium Wrigley Field, the project for which Tom Ricketts said at one stage had gone 'around 100 per cent' over budget - as reasons for concern.

'As the Head of Chelsea Chicago Supporters Club, and the Chelsea Fans' Forum Overseas Representative, I've had a unique position hearing what supporters in Chicago and worldwide have said regarding the Ricketts family's bid for Chelsea,' he wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

'I can report the vast majority of opinion has been of universal disdain.

'The Ricketts' political donations, fundraising and support for candidates who do not share the inclusive views of Chelsea Football Club and its supporters are wholly inconsistent with 19 years of fantastic work done by the club and the Chelsea Foundation, most notably as a leader in committing to a living wage and efforts to protect and promote equality for BAME and LGBTQ+ communities.

'Their ownership of Chicago Cubs baseball and redevelopment of Wrigley Field raises serious doubts whether they will build upon the club's success on the pitch, and also the continued existence of the Chelsea Pitch Owners and the goal to keep Chelsea Football Club playing at Stamford Bridge at our forever home.

'On behalf of countless supporters worldwide, I urge you to reject their bid for ownership of Chelsea Football Club in favour of others who will commit to not only building upon the last two decades of investment in players and infrastructure, but equally important, the investment in supporters and the values we hold dear.'