The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust [CST] has called on the Premier League to reverse an "unacceptable" decision to reschedule an away trip to Wolves on Christmas Eve.
It has now been confirmed that Chelsea will travel to Molineux for what will be the first Premier League fixture staged on Christmas Eve since 1995.
The move has been met with fury by the CST, who described the rescheduling as “totally unacceptable”.
In a statement, the CST said: “It is totally unacceptable that Wolves v Chelsea has been scheduled for Christmas Eve.
“Since rumours began to circulate on this issue, the Chelsea Supporters' Trust has been clear that selecting this kick-off time will place another hurdle in the way of many matchgoing supporters.
“Not only could this lead to staffing issues at Molineux, but holiday transport timetables will further inconvenience supporters.
“The Chelsea Supporters' Trust will formally request that the Premier League properly consults supporters on this issue and that they reverse this decision.”
The CST, Wolves fan group Wolves 1877 Trust and the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) all wrote to the Premier League on Tuesday about the match but have yet to receive an explanation. Wolves supporters have also condemned the move.
The Premier League has made special provisions to play the match at 1pm GMT, rather than the typical 2pm kick-off time on a Sunday, to help travel for supporters.
Chelsea's full festive fixture list has been revealed, with the traditional Boxing Day match at home to Crystal Palace moved back 24 hours to 7.30pm on December 27.
They also face Manchester United, Everton, Sheffield United and Luton in December.
The FSA said the Wolves rescheduling is “a new low point in putting the interests of football broadcasters over those of matchgoing fans”.
