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The Chelsea Supporters Trust have said fans believe "the club have become a laughing stock both on and off the pitch" in a letter to owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali. The letter, released on Wednesday, slams Chelsea's administration and highlights several causes of concern for fans, and that the "feeling amongst Chelsea supporters in our opinion is at its lowest since the early 1980s." - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over Chelsea in May 2022 and have spent over £1 billion on signings since. "Our vision as owners is clear: We want to make the fans proud," Boehly said in a statement when the deal was confirmed. However, the letter from the Supporter's Trust indicates they are far from satisfied with how the club is being run. "The Chelsea Supporters' Trust regretfully believes that we are close to, if not already experiencing, a significant shift in supporter opinion that could result in irreversible toxicity, almost irrespective of results on the pitch," the letter said. "Unless the situation improves, this seems likely to manifest itself in more targeted chanting, especially at televised games, and quite possibly more organised, overt, and impactful forms of protest by some sections of the fanbase." The Trust also said a lack of communication on a range of issues is frustrating the fan base. "The current mood amongst supporters is critically low and cannot be ignored. The feeling that the club has become a 'laughing stock', both on and off the pitch, is growing," the letter added. "Supporters are saying that there currently seems a fast-growing lack of trust from much of the fanbase, especially matchgoers towards the board, partially due to severely limited communication. Many supporters have significant concerns about the short and long-term future of our football club." Mauricio Pochettino's side are 11th in the Premier League with 11 wins and 10 defeats. They are still in the running for a trophy this season and play Manchester City in the FA Cup semifinals in April. They were also beaten by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, with Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville branding the side "billion pound bottle jobs." However, the Supporters Trust said urgent engagement was required from the club on issues away from on field performances. "We believe that a greater sharing of your vision, including commercial ambitions, with the wider fanbase could be an appropriate way of starting to create a better understanding of what you are seeking to achieve. "Communicating how you are hoping to transition into operating on a more sustainable basis is vital if you wish to allay the widespread anxiety currently felt by supporters."
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