'Never mind, eh?' - Good-willed Stamford Bridge change divides Chelsea reaction

A new community-focused ticketing initiative from Chelsea has divided the club's fanbase after being announced this week.

The Blues are working with the club's Chelsea Foundation to bring more local residents into Stamford Bridge with a specific focus on members of the nearby community who have never had the chance to watch a match at the historic stadium.

A total of 500 tickets will be up for grabs via a 'My First Game' initiative, 30 tickets for each match played at the Chelsea ground by the men's and women's teams for the rest of the season. These tickets are to be handed out to residents living or attending school within a one-mile radius of the stadium and will be priced at £25 for adults and free for children.

Lord Daniel Finkelstein, Chelsea FC Director and Chair of the Chelsea Foundation said: "We are delighted to announce the My First Game initiative, which will see over 500 local residents being offered the opportunity to attend their first-ever match at the prestigious home of Chelsea Football Club. The scheme will potentially see over 250 children, who either live or attend school locally, attending their first match free of charge, helping to grow the next generation of match-going Chelsea fans.

"Chelsea Football Club has a home in the heart of south-west London, yet many local residents and communities will never step foot inside the stadium. The My First Game initiative is designed to change that."

Many Chelsea supporters have praised the idea when reacting to the news online, looking forward to welcoming more people from the surrounding area into Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea Supporters Trust said: "Despite the growing global success of the game, it is vital that those in our local community are supported and encouraged to attend fixtures at Stamford Bridge."

One fan added: "A great initiative, bringing community members to the bridge for their first match…. Definitely gonna be memorable for them."

However, some supporters have shared frustration at the idea. Competition for tickets at Stamford Bridge remains high and for those who pay for memberships and still miss out on games due to low availability, the freeing up of 30 tickets every match is a kick in the teeth.

One fan wrote on X: "Never mind the members who can’t get tickets, eh? Happy to take our membership fee, though not been able to buy a ticket for more than two games since the start of last season."

Another said: "How about seeing if the ones who pay for memberships can have a chance of getting a ticket?"

There is a total of 13 postcodes which can benefit from the new Chelsea scheme, which are -

• SW6 Fulham Broadway, London (0 miles from Stamford Bridge)
• SW6 Parsons Green and Walham, London (0.3 miles)
• SW10 Sands End, London (0.4 miles)
• SW6 Sands End, London (0.4 miles)
• SW6 Town, London (0.4 miles)
• SW6 North End, London (0.6 miles)
• W14 North End, London (0.6 miles)
• SW5 Redcliffe, London (0.6 miles)
• SW10 Redcliffe, London (0.6 miles)
• SW6 Munster, London (0.7 miles)
• SW10 Cremorne, London (0.8 miles)
• SW3 Cremorne, London (0.8 miles)
• SW5 Earl's Court, London (0.8 miles)

To apply, residents are asked to complete a form with their name and proof of address. So long as they have no ticket purchase history with the club, they are in with a chance of being allocated tickets.