‘I’ve been going to Stamford Bridge for 50 years… no more, I’m done’

A ‘gutted’ Chelsea fan has told talkSPORT he won’t go to another game at Stamford Bridge following the club’s decision to sack Frank Lampard as manager.

Blues legend Lampard was dismissed by Roman Abramovich on Monday, with the club owner releasing an incredibly rare statement announcing the former midfielder’s exit.

Abramovich paid tribute to one of the Blues’ greatest-ever players and said it was a ‘very difficult decision’ to axe ‘an important icon of this great club’.

But the Chelsea hierarchy were ruthless in another statement, as it was revealed the decision to let Lampard go was because the coach had ‘left the club mid-table without any clear path to sustained improvement’.

Chelsea currently sit ninth in the Premier League, 11 points behind league leaders Manchester United, and there was huge pressure on Lampard to deliver this season after spending £200million on new players last summer.

But Alan the Blue says ‘enough is enough’ after the Chelsea icon’s departure, revealing he is ‘done’ with watching his team play live – when fans return, of course – after 50 years of regular visits to Stamford Bridge.

And he pointed the finger directly at Abramovich for his trademark hiring and firing of managers, saying he has ‘driven a wedge’ between the club and its supporters.

“I’m absolutely gutted,” Alan told talkSPORT host Jim White.

“The mistake was made by the board appointing him in the first place.

“He’s leaving a better manager than when he arrived; he’s learned a lot and he will become a very good manager, I’ve got no doubt about that.

“It’s probably done me now, 50-odd years I’ve been going up the Bridge and I think that’s me finished.

“The people that appointed Lamps in the first place did it to try and keep us happy, and it did, they achieved that, but they’ve put the wedge back again now.

“There’s a lot of feeling that enough is enough, of this chopping and changing. Thanks Roman, I still support you, but I do question your methods.

“I won’t stop supporting the team, but actually physically going, I think that’s probably it, this has done it now.

“The soul is being kicked out of football, it’s too business-like and people like myself who go for the day just to enjoy the football and the social side of things, it’s been killed off.”

talkSPORT brings you LIVE commentary of Chelsea’s next two matches, against Wolves on Wednesday and at home to Burnley on Sunday