Top flight club who were once branded ‘Chelsea B’ forced to crowdfund to stay afloat just weeks after 18-POINT deduction

DUTCH club Vitesse have been forced to ask their fans to donate money in order to stay afloat.

The Eredivisie outfit were slapped with an 18-point deduction for failing to meet licensing requirements last month.

The unprecedented deduction glued Vitesse to the bottom of the Eredivisie table and means they have been mathematically relegated to the Dutch second division, Eerste Divisie.

The firm punishment came as a result of “exceptional seriousness” after the club were accused of both providing false information and withholding information the KNVB, the Dutch football governing body.

And the club, previously nicknamed ‘Chelsea B’ for taking on a high number of loan players from the Blues, are turning to fans to help them raise money given their financial situation.

Vitesse are reportedly in over £16m worth of debt following a failed takeover bid and are trying to re-balance their books.

On the club website a campaign named “For Yellow-Black” has been launched asking supporters to donate lump sums of money to cement the club’s future.

New manager John van den Brom, who was only announced as the head coach yesterday, has urged fans to help in a statement on the crowdfunding page.

It reads: “With this we hope to show everyone and everything in the Netherlands that Vitesse is alive.

“We also really need the revenue. This is the time to support the club!”

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The club are offering donation packages worth £85, £213, £427 and £855 that give fans gifts in return for their help including certificates, armbands and the chance to have their name on an upcoming shirt.

Fans don’t have to choose one of the packages and can instead donate any funds they feel they want to instead.

Former players have reached into their pockets to help out the club too with ex-Chelsea loanees Lewis Baker and Matt Miazga amongst those who have donated to their former club.

Next season will be the first time Vitesse have played their league football outside of the top division since the 1988/89 season.

There continues to be an investigation into the club regarding its ties to Russian oligarch and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.

Abromovich and Chelsea previously had a close relationship with Vitesse and the Stamford Bridge outfit sent 29 PLAYERS on loan to the club during the billionaire’s time in charge.

Last year the Guardian revealed that leaked documents suggest Abramovich bank rolled Vitesse to the tune of over £100m despite always denying any formal relationship between the Dutch outfit and Chelsea.

Those claims are still being looked into as Vitesse try and keep their club ticking amid a points deduction, ongoing investigations and financial uncertainty.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk