Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has weighed in on the growing trend of football fans feeling increasingly entitled, pointing to the backlash against Todd Boehly at Chelsea despite his heavy investment in the club.

“Football fans are increasingly feeling entitled, demanding perfection from owners regardless of their investments. At one time, owners were rarely part of an average supporter’s thinking. But the mentality has shifted to the point where it feels those who run clubs exist simply to be castigated and criticised,” Jordan stated.

Chelsea fans have protested against Boehly’s ownership despite the American billionaire spending billions to revamp the squad. Jordan finds this criticism baffling: “Now there are marches protesting Todd Boehly at Chelsea, who has put billions into his club and is therefore accused of spending too much! I think I’ve seen it all now.”

He argues that club owners should have the autonomy to make financial decisions without facing relentless scrutiny: “Boehly can be accused of many things, but failing to invest in Chelsea’s playing squad isn’t one of them. That’s no longer enough, it feels.”

Jordan also highlights how protests against football owners have become more structured: “Supporters’ protests aren’t new… but now, it’s the era of the organised Protests with a capital P; organised, structured and robust.”

While he acknowledges the need for open communication between fans and owners, Jordan believes supporters often lack full insight into financial operations: “The fans’ view is not made through the prism of full information, despite the sleuths among them who scrutinise every financial transaction or accounts.”

He also critiques modern football fandom, where supporters demand big signings, top performances, and financial stability without considering the business realities of the sport: “Somewhere along the line, the expectation has become that the only people who should pay for that are owners and broadcasters.”

Jordan warns that this growing sense of entitlement is damaging, as football has transformed from a working-class game into a sports entertainment industry that must remain commercially viable: “Football has evolved from being a pure working man’s game. Clubs are now in the business of sports entertainment. Owners need to make them commercially viable in a world of high cost. It’s changed the dynamic inch by inch, yard by yard.”

His final message to fans? “You get the owners you deserve.”