In recent weeks, there have been countless things to criticise the club and the board for, but this is one thing they should very much be applauded for
Things have rarely been as toxic around Chelsea football club as they are right now.
The fans are protesting before games, the team have lost six games in a row, nobody knows who the manager will be next season, nobody knows what the squad will look like, and so on and so forth.
Many fans are extremely angry, and rightly so. The club are four years into the BlueCo era, and they could possibly be on for a second bottom half finish in that time. It was actually on this day, three years ago, where Chelsea mathematically secured their Premier League survival. In May.
Although things were somewhat better in the two subsequent seasons, they certainly were not perfect, and things have reverted to type this season. The board and the club are under more scrutiny than ever before.
Well, it is clear they are making a conscious effort to try and appease the fanbase. Indeed, as the club have confirmed that official coach travel for the final game of the season at Sunderland has been reduced from £50 to £15.
They confirm that the coach will leave Stamford Bridge at approximately 7am, and Newport Pagnell at approximately 8:30 am, with the times to be confirmed on your final itinerary via email, three to five days before the game. The game kicks off at 16:00 BST. All tickets will be digital.
Although we can argue about their intentions or ulterior motives behind this gesture, it is certainly something that will help fans out either way. Particularly considering tickets for the FA Cup final, just eight days before, will not be cheap either.
Plus, there is a game - at home to Spurs - inbetween the games, so it is not a cheap time for fans. The coach ticket prices being subsidised means it will most certainly be the cheapest method of transport to the game, certainly for any fans in the South East anyway.
So, although they may well just be doing it for their own gain, it certainly will be useful for some supporters. Nevertheless, the demand from fans, you feel, will depend a lot on the aforementioned FA Cup final the week before. If the team can defy the odds and pull off an upset, there will be a greater incentive to cheer the boys on for the final game of the season.
If, as expected, the team loses against Manchester City, there may not be many fans wanting to go the final game of what will have been a completely and utterly miserable season for everyone involved. Well, let's see.
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