**Simon Jordan has labelled Chelsea a “plastic club” and claimed they “weren’t much of a club” prior to being bought by former owner Roman Abramovich.**
The ex-Crystal Palace owner was speaking on Talksport during a discussion about efforts to improve the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and head coach Enzo Maresca [**urging fans to get behind the team.**](https://www.westlondonsport.com/sport/maresca-urges-chelsea-fans-to-back-players)
Jordan said: “There is an element of Chelsea fans that are part of an era that’s got entitlement attached to it.
“Chelsea before Abramovich had dalliances with success but weren’t much of a club, were they? They were King’s Road peacocks rather than dominant forces in English football.
“They are a bit of a plastic club. They’re manufactured. Roman Abramovich decided to fly over, looked at Tottenham, didn’t do a deal, then alighted upon Chelsea and decided to pour endless amounts of money designed to create success for Chelsea that wouldn’t have come organically as a result of their presence in English football.”
Jordan also suggested that the problematic end of the Abramovich era, which came after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed on the Russian billionaire as a result, should itself have created a louder atmosphere at the Bridge.
He said: “You would have thought Chelsea, after an existential threat, after being told by the world that as a result of Abramovich and his relationship with Putin, and the sanctioning of the club…you would have thought there was of a galvanisation of the (fan) base, but that’s Chelsea fans for you.”