Chelsea F.C. fans blast Ted Lasso and owner over a modest alteration to a real-life banner at Stamford Bridge was made when the hit TV drama Ted Lasso chose to honour a fictional character over Blues great Ray Wilkins.
Chelsea Online News:
Chelsea fans have blasted owner Todd Boehly and those responsible for creating the popular TV show Ted Lasso after a banner honoring a Blues legend was changed in an episode of the program.
In a recent episode, one of the main characters, Roy Kent, returns to Stamford Bridge and is honored by the fans as a Chelsea legend in the show. A banner with the words ‘They Don’t Make Them Like Roy Anymore’ is unveiled at the Stadium, a spin-off from the current tribute to the late Ray Wilkins on display at Stamford Bridge.
Ray Wilkins died in 2018 from a cardiac arrest, and a banner was unveiled in his tribute, referencing Frank Lampard’s phrase “They don’t make them like Ray anymore.” Chelsea fans are outraged by the banner change, which they see as extremely disrespectful.
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In the popular sports-comedy series, Lasso is the star, and AFC Richmond, a fictitious Premier League team, plays Lasso. Although in the show Roy Keane is a Chelsea hero rather than a Manchester United legend, Lasso serves as the manager, and Kent is reportedly modeled by Roy Keane.
In the third series, Kent is honored when he returns to Stamford Bridge in his capacity as Richmond’s assistant coach. Yet Chelsea supporters are outraged about how the concert changed from being a true tribute to Wilkins.
The Chelsea Supporters Trust tweeted in reference to the incident, writing: “This is a banner paid for by supporters to commemorate a Chelsea legend: Ray Wilkins. Many supporters have seen this edit to be disrespectful and we have expressed our disappointment to club officials. We expect that CFC will address this in due course.”
Outraged by the alteration, fans have also taken aim at Boehly for allowing the change to be made. One fan said: “Disrespecting Ray Wilkins for marketing is another blunder under the Boehly regime.”
Ray Wilkins spent six years playing for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where he made more than 200 appearances. He later returned to the team to serve as assistant manager. Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink, and Carlo Ancelotti were among the coaches that Wilkins worked with.
Wilkins won three FA Cups and a Premier League title during his playing career while at Chelsea. He also held season tickets at Stamford Bridge and continued to attend games even after leaving the team.