Tom Ricketts, the face of the Ricketts family's attempt to buy Chelsea, has said that they will 'redouble' their efforts to persuade supporters that their stewardship of the club would have diversity and inclusion at its heart.
Groups that have been successful in making the next stage of a Chelsea takeover started to emerge on Thursday evening with consortiums led by US billionaire Todd Boehly and Sir Martin Broughton being the first released. The status of the Ricketts' bid has remained uncertain, with some reports suggesting they had missed the cut, but they have not specifically commented on their progress. Raine Group, the US-based merchant bank overseeing the process, have previously said they would make the list of preferred bidders public.
However, in a statement released on Friday afternoon, Ricketts' seemed to suggest that door remains open for them to persuade supporters. Chelsea fans have made their feelings clear about any bid from the family, with a #notoRicketts campaign launched on social media. The pushback started due to historical racist comments made.
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Nevertheless Chelsea's supporters' trust engaged in dialogue, as they had with other prospective owners, and met the Ricketts family this week. The Chelsea Supporters' Trust made clear their opposition to any bid from the Ricketts family progressing. The group noted they remain unconvinced over Ricketts' ability to run an 'inclusive, successful club' in a statement.
It appears that Ricketts has been unperturbed by the pushback, and he praised the passion of Chelsea fans, announcing his intention to demonstrate the commitment his family have to working with fans to protect the heritage of the Blues.
Ricketts' statement read: "My family and I are very grateful to all of the fans and supporters' groups who took time to meet with us this week and share their passion and concerns for Chelsea Football Club. It's clear you have nothing but the best interests of the club at heart. We have listened to all of your feedback - including from the Chelsea Supporters' Trust - and are grateful that the door is still open for us to demonstrate our commitment to working with fans to protect the club's heritage. It is now up to us to redouble our efforts and clearly lay out a vision for our stewardship of the club with diversity and inclusion at its heart."
