Boehly says he’s not to blame in banner row

CHELSEA owner Todd Boehly has blamed the previous Blues regime for sanctioning the change to a tribute for club legend Ray Wilkins which featured in an episode of Ted Lasso and supporters labelled ‘disrespectful’. Chelsea fans funded a Stamford Bridge banner for Wilkins, their former player and coach, after his death in April 2018 aged 61. The banner reads: ‘They don’t make them like Ray any more.’ However, in the Apple TV series the text was edited to reference Roy Kent, a former Chelsea player in the show, causing anger. The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust said in a statement on Wednesday: ‘Many supporters have seen this edit to be disrespectful and we have expressed our disappointment to club officials.’ But Boehly said yesterday: ‘We had nothing to do with these arrangements. The deal with Apple was struck in the first quarter of 2022 (before his consortium bought the club from Roman Abramovich). We are sorry it affected so many and mostly we care about Ray and his family.’ Chelsea have used players and head coach Graham Potter to promote the show ahead of the club’s fictional clash against AFC Richmond. Boehly said: ‘None of the “Chelsea” players (used in the episode) were actual Chelsea players.’