Chelsea pledge free tickets and travel for Everton-bound fans
Blues fans' trip to Everton will be funded by the club
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Friday, 04, Apr 2008 11:43
Chelsea have announced plans to use the TV money from their rearranged game away to Everton on April 17th to fund free tickets and travel for their fans.
In an unusually generous move, the west London club have pledged to assist their supporters, who will be required to attend two Premier League matches in 72 hours due to broadcasting commitments.
The fixture was controversially moved last week so Sky could screen the clash at Goodison Park live on Thursday, just three days after the Blues face Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have appealed publicly against the decision, saying it would cause inconvenience for their supporters - who have also only recently returned from a trip to Istanbul for the Champions League quarter-final against Fenerbahce.
The club also claims it gives their rivals in the title race an unfair advantage because Chelsea's players will be forced to play twice in quick succession while other clubs are able to rest and recuperate.
The west Londoners have conceded that despite "very strong representations" it is "unlikely" they will succeed in having the fixtures changed, and so have released the following statement to their fans.
"Under these circumstances Chelsea FC believes it would be inappropriate to profit from the television fee for this match as per normal," the statement reads.
"This decision has been taken due to the unique circumstances of this one-off case.
"Instead the fee will be used to purchase the available away tickets at no charge to our supporters and to procure as many trains and/or coaches as possible needed to get them to the game and home safely, also at no charge."
The statement concluded: "Once again the club would like to reiterate our strong opposition to the decision to switch the game on sporting integrity, fan and precedent grounds."
Fans who have already bought tickets for the fixture will be refunded, the club confirmed.