Chelsea make gesture to fans after "totally unacceptable" Premier League move
Chelsea will put on free travel for supporters who want to attend their Christmas Eve fixture at Wolves.
The decision to alter the schedule and play a match on December 24 has been met with huge backlash. Fans, especially those in the away end, will have to travel huge distances at a time when public transport will be limited due to the time of year.
As a result Chelsea will provide transport to and from the game, which was originally set to be played on December 23. It has now been moved to the day after and will kick-off at 1pm as the Premier League plays its first game on Christmas Eve since 1995.
The Blues said in a club statement: "The club is aware that transport options are more limited than usual on this date, as it is a Sunday and also Christmas Eve. As a sign of appreciation for fans making this trip, Chelsea Football Club will be offering free travel as a goodwill gesture to anyone who purchases a ticket."
The decision to move the fixture has been immensely unpopular with fans and the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust said: “It is totally unacceptable that Wolves v Chelsea has been scheduled for Christmas Eve.
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"Not only could this lead to staffing issues at Molineux, but holiday transport timetables will further inconvenience supporters.”
Mauricio Pochettino has experienced a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge and suggested that England's festive plans are behind the fixture move. "It is difficult because it is not easy to change," he said. "We need to accept we are in England and it is different to the rest of the world. Even if I am not happy, we need to try to be in our best level and accept a situation we cannot change."
Chelsea's Christmas plans have been altered and they will now play on Christmas Eve (Getty Images)Chelsea's trip to the Midlands begins their packed festive schedule with the Blues then hosting Crystal Palace on December 27. Three days later they travel to Luton Town before a break for a fortnight.
The Premier League has scheduled two games for New Year's Eve, albeit they are both 2pm kick-offs. One of those is a London derby with Fulham playing Arsenal and the other is Tottenham's clash with Bournemouth. Liverpool against Newcastle is the only New Year's Day fixture, but the 8pm kick-off could hamper Magpies supporters.
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