The Dark Side & Their Bus

[White Noise]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23828344-chelsea-faithful-look-set-to-miss-out-on-another-victory-parade.do

Chelsea faithful look set to miss out on another victory parade


Simon Johnson


27.04.10


Chelsea have admitted they may not hold a traditional parade at the end of the season even if they win the Double for the first time in the club's history.

Carlo Ancelotti's side are on course to achieve the impressive feat as they are one point ahead of Manchester United in the Premier League with two games to go and face relegated Portsmouth in the FA Cup Final.

It has become customary for teams to celebrate winning major silverware with their supporters by putting the players and coaching staff on an open-top bus and driving through the area surrounding their stadium.

But Chelsea, who angered fans when they didn't fulfil the custom after winning the Carling Cup and FA Cup in 2007 or the latter in 2009, could disappoint them again.

On the previous two occasions, the logistical problems of organising the event were blamed, with the club seeming to point the finger at Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

For example, last year Chelsea were unwilling to pay the £250,000 cost of cancelling the parade at short notice if they lost the Cup final.

However, it appears there is a different obstacle this year. Chelsea have already begun talks with the council over holding one on 16 May, the morning after the Cup final.

The majority of the players are required to report to their country's respective World Cup squads within a few days of the match at Wembley taking place and some have further to travel than others.

It shouldn't be a problem for the English contingent for they are flying out from London to a training camp in Austria with the rest of Fabio Capello's men on the Monday but it may be harder for the foreign stars to attend.

Standard Sport understands there is a good chance it will be postponed if too many players are unavailable.

But Chelsea are very keen to stress that the preliminary discussions they have held with the local council at this stage are a necessary step to take and should not be seen as overconfidence regarding their chances of winning either the Premier League or FA Cup.

A club spokesman said: "It's only prudent to plan ahead for the possibility of a large scale event should the club be successful this season. Due to the timescales involved in authorising the required licences and permissions, it's important to give local authorities sufficient lead time to plan effectively."

Chelsea would become only the seventh team in the history of English football to claim both prizes in the same season and the fans have urged the club to ensure a parade takes place if they succeed.

Darren Mantle, who is a spokesman for cfcnet, said: "To win the Double for the first time in our history would be an amazing achievement and we would want to show our appreciation to the players and the manager. They have got to try as hard as they can to make it happen.

"When Chelsea held the last parade after winning the League in 2006, over 100,000 people turned up. It will be even bigger this time if they do it. A lot of fans will miss out on seeing the games so it is a chance for them to join in the celebrations."

[AlFayedsChequebook]

"To win the Double for the first time in our history would be an amazing achievement"

*Shudder*