Chelsea - Death Threats? Where's Your Proof?!

I can take criticism as well as anybody. It comes as part of the Chelsea-supporter package. It is, to coin a club slogan, in the blood. Part of the DNA. You have to get used to being slated by every man and his dog, and this week has been no different.

We went to the Camp Nou and played dirty, over-physical, anti-football. We were thuggish, criminal, and an altogether disgrace to the beautiful game. Am I bothered? Not in the slightest. We had a game-plan, each player carried out his role to perfection, and we came away with a brilliant 0-0 draw.

We're also a bunch of diving, moaning, whining, referee-beating thugs, who show about as much regard for the Respect campaign as 'Big' Sam Alladyce shows for child obesity. Am I bothered? Again, not at all. It's funny how others abuse and harangue officials just as much, if not more, than us, but it's Chelsea who the sports writers and television pundits pick out as damaging the game.

Don't forget that we're filthy rich, funded by a Russian whose money is as illegitimate as Iran's nuclear programme. Our ridiculous spending sprees from summers gone by have acted to ruin football as we know, and love, it. We've single-handedly caused extravagant wage packets and inconcievable transfer fees. It's all our fault. But are we bothered? Are we heck! Money's all part of football these days, and United have been out-spending everybody else for years and years.

However, there does come a point when people, most notably the press and the media, can go too far. And there does come a point where you feel you've got to, as a Chelsea supporter, stand up and defend the club.

We've had to put up with all this 'death threat' rubbish before. Allegedly, Anders Frisk received dozens of sinister threats against himself and his family, which forced him to retire from the game. This episode, of course, led to an official from UEFA dubbing us as the 'enemy of football.' However, to our knowledge, no 'threats' were ever put forward to be investigated by the authorities. The press had happily dragged the name of our club, and our supporters, through the mud, on the basis of pure fabrication. Although, as we all know, mud sticks, and still to this day people bring up the Frisk death threats.

Then we come to the more recent case involving Wednesday's referee (can we call him that?), Tom Henning Ovrebo. According to the media, Ovrebo was 'bundled into the back of a silver Mercedes outside Stamford Bridge' and 'whisked away to a safe-house' after Wednesday's game, as officials feared for his safety. The press were all too happy to jump onto the bandwagon, reporting of 'death threats from Chelsea supporters.' But I'd like to know what exactly establishes a death threat.

If I sit here now and say I'm going to book an easyjet flight to Oslo next week, hunt down Mr Ovrebo, and brutally murder him, does that constitute a threat to his life? Will the authorities be reading this editorial and come hunting me down? Because, basically, that's all these 'death threats' boil down to; a Facebook group set up minutes after the final whistle on Wednesday evening, and a few mindless morons, purporting to be followers of our club, boasting on internet forums that they would 'happily do time' for dealing with the Norwegian. I'm not convinced. And neither, it appears, are the authorities.

The British police have issued a statement saying that they have had no complaints from either Ovrebo or UEFA regarding the alleged 'death threats', as have Norwegian police. It appears that the only people fuelling these 'death threats' are people in the pro-Barca media.

The press' reports of the situation have been laughable. Headlines such as 'Chelsea blunder ref Ovrebo is smuggled home after death threats' are wholly untrue, misleading, and damaging to the club. Yes, UEFA officials decided to change his flight back home, but these measures were only taken as a precuation. As for the part-time psychologist having 'gone underground in fear of angry Chelsea fans who had sent him death threats on the internet', well that's just a ridiculous lie. The referee is staying away from his family home for a few days, but that has as much to do with the media intrusion into his life as anything else. In fact, Norwegian police have stated that the squad car outside the referee's house is not due to fears over his personal safety, but to keep the press away. Ovrebo himself does not appear to come across as a man 'fearing for his life', as the press would put it. On the contrary, he is looking forward to returning to the field next week, telling Norwegian television, "I`m ready for the game next weekend ... I`m not shocked."

Obviously, when your home address is posted onto the internet, then it becomes a cause for concern, but I hardly think you can shove the blame for that onto Chelsea supporters. How on earth would they have got their hands on the official's personal details??

Of course, death threats are serious stuff, but so are allegations of them. The press feel they are untouchable, and can label Chelsea supporters with whatever tag they feel like. We'll ferociously condemn anybody connected to Chelsea Football Club if they're found to have been acting in a threatening manner against Tom Ovrebo or his family. But at the moment, there is absolutely no evidence of that whatsoever, and we'll stand up and fight in the name of the club and us supporters against this blatant media tarnishing.

Diving, cheating, boring Chavs we may well be, but criminals of that breed we most certainly are not! And until the newspapers have any evidence to back up their ridiculous claims, we'd kindly ask them to keep their beaks shut!

CAREFREEE!!

For the very latest Premier League odds

For massive weekly jackpots - Play the Football Pools Online

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.