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      Bizarre reason CELERY is banned from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea fans no longer trusted with vegetable

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      THERE are of course a huge number of items that fans are banned from bringing into football grounds.But your casual footie fan might not know that CELERY appears on the prohibited items list of Premier League giants Chelsea.
      Chelsea fans have a fantastic obsession with the green vegetable celeryCredit: Getty
      Chelsea chiefs BANNED celery from Stamford Bridge in 2007Credit: Getty
      That’s right – the stalky green vegetable that is virtually inedible is a big no-no at Stamford Bridge.
      Blues fans’ love for the plant dates back to the 1980s – and it has nothing to do with the high levels of vitamin C it contains.
      Well-known Chelsea fan Mickey Greenaway is said to have belted out lyrics to a song called ‘Ask Old Brown To Tea’.
      It went: “Ask old Brown for tea and all the family. If he don’t come, we’ll tickle his bum with a lump of celery.”

      Legendary pop due Chas and Dave even did a cover of the song on their 2001 “A Cockney Christmas” album.
      However Chelsea fans tweaked the song, to give it a cheeky, sexy vibe.
      It now goes: “Celery, Celery, If she don’t c***, I’ll tickle her bum with a lump of celery.”
      The song would then be accompanied with the throwing of celery around the old Shed terraces.
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      Thesetpieces.com adds that the celery song is also sung at Gillingham, where the wild celery was reportedly growing on the pitch during the summer break.
      Either way, boisterous Chelsea supporters decided celery would become a terrace favourite – but the club were forced to act.
      And the reason it became banned? Because fans used to smuggle it into the ground and lob onto the pitch, and occasionally at opposition players.
      Then-Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas could barely believe what he had been attacked with in 2007Credit: AFP
      The Spanish midfielder didn’t fancy taking the stalk home for his teaCredit: AFP
      Fabregas threw the celery to the side when he had it lobbed at himCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      In 2007 the League Cup final clash against Arsenal actually had to be STOPPED by the referee when hordes of the vegetable were chucked onto the turf.
      Cesc Fabregas, then of Arsenal but who later joined Chelsea, was particularly annoyed when he was hit by a stalk when trying to take a corner.
      After the game, Chelsea released a club statement reminding fans it was a CRIMINAL OFFENCE to throw celery from the terraces.
      It read: “The throwing of anything at a football match, including celery, is a criminal offence for which you can be arrested and end up with a criminal record.
      “In future, if anyone is found attempting to bring celery into Stamford Bridge they could be refused entry and anyone caught throwing celery will face a ban.”
      There was even a HOTLINE set up where fans could snitch on each other for carrying the vegetable into grounds with “all calls treated in confidence”.
      In 2013 the UK GOVERNMENT even warned fans not to take celery to a European game against Sparta Prague, alongside “drinks, poles, flares and weapons”.
      A stick of celery on the Wembley pitch during the 2009 FA Cup Semi Final between Arsenal and ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Damian Duff lobbed some celery back at supporters in a 2006 trophy paradeCredit: Getty
      Chelsea legend Didier Drogba hilariously lobbed the green vegetable back at fans from an open-tip busCredit: Getty
      But if there is one thing Blues fans have, it’s persistence.
      Celery continues to be smuggled into games – more often away grounds these days.
      And even Chelsea’s own players have been humorously pelted with the food stuff at trophy parades.
      Though the way things are going for Graham Potter and his current squad, there doesn’t look like being any silverware shown off anytime soon.
      In 2006 Damien Duff was spotted lobbing celery back at the crowd from the open top bus parading the Premier League title and Community Shield.
      Didier Drogba decided to show off his fast arm by firing the vegetable back at adoring fans during Chelsea’s 2015 Premier League title parade.
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      Mick Greenaway’s chant has been modified by Chelsea fans over the years – the lyrics are far too explicit to write here.
      But seemingly the superfood celery will continue to be a Stamford Bridge regular – whether in song or secretly sneaked in.
      Most of the time, celery is chucked in good fun by Blues’ fansCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea stars ‘told to sign three-year deals or face being SOLD’ with England ace and club legend among those at risk

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      CHELSEA owner Todd Boehly is set to begin a ruthless cull of the Blues squad this summer. And the criteria for these sales will come down to commitment from the player themselves.
      Todd Boehly is set to make decisions on a swathe of players at the clubCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      The Telegraph have reported any player who is unwilling to commit to a contract of at least three years faces being sold.
      The first players Boehly is targeting for these negotiations are members of the squad with less than two-and-a-half years left on their current deals.
      Among these stars – of which there are 15 – are a number of high-profile names.
      Starting with the least time left, N’Golo Kante’s deal expires this summer but is reportedly close to an agreement.
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      He is said to be happy at Stamford Bridge, but Kante’s poor injury record over the last two years represents a risk for Chelsea.
      Veterans Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta both have deals expiring in 2024, but represent different roles to the club.
      Legend Azpilicueta has seen better days, and with the club bringing in Malo Gusto ahead of the new season he may find opportunities even more limited, potentially triggering interest from Barcelona again.
      Meanwhile, even at the age of 38 Silva remains one of the team’s key players, though his age means Boehly could make an exception to his three-year rule.
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      Likewise, Mateo Kovacic is one of Chelsea’s best players when fit.
      But with interest in his services from Manchester City as he enters the final year of his deal, Kovacic could be swayed by the guarantee of Champions League football.
      Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have both failed to live up to expectations since arriving at Chelsea.
      Both need a fresh start to reignite stuttering careers, so Boehly may have no second thoughts putting them on the chopping board as he prepares to trim the squad to size.
      Cobham graduates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount are both facing a similar dilemma on whether to stay put at the club.
      Loftus-Cheek, 27, remains a useful squad player, and with only light interest in his services a new deal appears quite low risk.
      However, a number of clubs are interested in Mount, including Liverpool and Man City.
      And with reports suggesting he is demanding to become one of the highest earners at the club despite his lacklustre form, a significant offer may be enough to prompt a sale.
      Chelsea face a huge decision over Mason MountCredit: Getty
      Moving on to the 2025 expirees, the unhappy Hakim Ziyech represents one of the easiest choices Boehly has to make.
      He was close to sealing a move to Paris Saint-Germain in January before Chelsea repeatedly sent the wrong paperwork, so a sale this summer appears to be a no-brainer.
      Ben Chilwell arguably represents the opposite end of the happiness scale.
      Plagued by unfortunate injuries, keeping Chilwell fit means Chelsea have a strong left side, and for years to come if a new deal is signed.
      Kai Havertz and Conor Gallagher are both players who have significant interest in them, and with both playing below par this season they could make perfect sales for decent fees this summer.
      Havertz particularly is a dilemma. Despite his enormous talent he still lacks a definitive role where he truly excels at the club.
      Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation has both keepers representing different skillsets and places in the squad over their years at Stamford Bridge but with identical contract expiry dates.
      Kepa Arrizabalaga has the gloves for the moment, having bounced back from a shaky start.
      His prowess with ball at his feet represents the future at Chelsea, even if it comes with the occasional error in keeping the ball out of the net.
      Interest in the Spaniard is low, while Edouard Mendy has a number of clubs said to be after him.
      SunSport revealed in December how Mendy had also rejected a new contract, with a belief from the club that negotiations were going nowhere.
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      Mendy was instrumental in the club’s Champions League winning run, but seems to have gone off the boil since then.
      Youngster Lewis Hall impressed when called upon, and thus a new deal before the 2025 contract expiry of his current deal seems likely. More

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      Arsenal and Chelsea handed huge transfer blow as Moises Caicedo signs new four-year Brighton deal

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      MOISES CAICEDO has signed a new-four year Brighton contract, just weeks after the Arsenal and Chelsea target pressed for a move on Instagram.The Seasiders announced the Ecuador midfielder, 21, has agreed a deal until 2027.
      Midfield powerhouse Moises Caicedo has surprised many by agreeing a new deal with BrightonCredit: Getty
      It comes just a day after Caicedo appeared to delete his Instagram account, having also changed his agent in January.
      Arsenal reportedly had a £70million bid for the 28-cap powerhouse rejected just before the transfer deadline.
      And it’s thought Chelsea too had an offer rejected.
      At the same time, Caicedo posted a long message on Instagram expressing his desire to leave.
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      But Brighton dug in and also gave him a stay-at-home warning.
      Manager Roberto De Zerbi then returned him to the squad.
      Now Caicedo has accepted a new deal, although it’s unclear if there are any get-out clauses.
      And resilient Brighton go into Saturday’s home Premier League clash with West Ham in an impressive eighth position.
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      Earlier this week Caicedo seemingly ditched his ‘moises_caicedo55’ Instagram account.
      it follows his outspoken social media statement – pretty much a transfer request – in January.
      He wrote ten: “I am grateful to Mr. [Tony] Bloom and Brighton for giving me the chance to come to the Premier League and I feel I have always done my best for them. I always play football with a smile and with heart.
      “I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador. My dream always to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador.
      “I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful.
      “The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity.”
      Read More on The Sun More

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      I play for Chelsea and captained England Under-15s… but now I’ve been called up for Cameroon

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      CHELSEA youngster Ben Elliott has been called up to represent Cameroon – having previously captained England Under 15s. The starlet qualifies for both countries as he was born in England but has a Cameroonian parent.
      Attacking midfielder Elliott is among Chelsea’s most exciting youth prospectsCredit: Rex
      England could now miss out on a potential star of the future after the African country swooped for the 20-year-old.
      Elliott is an attacking midfielder and among the most exciting young prospects playing at Chelsea.
      He is now part of Cameroon’s 34-man squad for the upcoming international break.
      They have two matches against Namibia, home and then away five days later, as the pair scrap for African Cup of Nations qualifications.
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      The matches are set to be Cameroon’s first games since their shock 1-0 victory over Brazil in the World Cup in a tournament which yielded encouraging results but also saw conflict within the squad.
      Elliott will be hoping to feature as he looks for another milestone in his promising career.
      He signed for Chelsea at the age of eight on a youth contract before singing a professional deal in November 2019.
      Since the 2020/21 season he has been appearing with Chelsea U18s.
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      The next season saw early parts of Elliott’s campaign blighted by injury before he bounced back.
      He has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea’s senior team.
      But he will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of players like Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham who have all broken into the first-team ranks in recent years. More

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      Roma and England striker Tammy Abraham becomes a dad for first time as ex-Chelsea star shares adorable photo set

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      OVERJOYED Tammy Abraham has shared pictures with his baby boy after becoming a dad for the first time. The Roma and England striker welcomed the birth of his son Amari today in Rome, Italy.
      Tammy Abraham has announced the birth of his child AmariCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU-s2rNT3I/?hl=en
      His partner Leah Monroe gave birth earlier todayCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU-s2rNT3I/?hl=en
      He announced the birth on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU-s2rNT3I/?hl=en
      He confirmed the wonderful news on Instagram as he posted three pictures after the birth.
      The post was captioned: “Life’s greatest gift 🤎Amari Abraham 03/03/23.”
      In one picture, he could be seen holding baby Amari.
      In another two pictures, he and his partner Leah Monroe can be seen admiring their son.
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      While in the third picture, Abraham is giving Leah a kiss on her forehead.
      And the former Chelsea star received a bundle congratulatory messages from his fellow football stars.
      Fikayo Tomori commented: “Congratulations my brother❤️❤️❤️❤️.”
      Reece James said: “RR pending. Congrats to you both❤️.”
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      Ben Chilwell wrote: “Congrats brother ❤️.”
      Dele Alli added: “Congrats 💜💜.”
      Abraham joined Roma in 2021 and in his first season in Italy yielded an impressive 27 goals in all competitions.
      But Abraham has struggled for form this term with just seven goals in 33 games.
      The striker is being linked with a move back to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Aston Villa credited with an interest in him.
      Abraham and Leah were congratulated by his football palsCredit: Instagram @leahmonroe_
      They have been together for over five yearsCredit: Instagram / @leahmonroe_ More

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      Chelsea missing Champions League won’t stop £50m-rated star joining as he admits he’s ‘flattered’ by interest

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      LILLE star Jonathan David reckons Chelsea’s recent poor form would not stop stars like him from joining the Stamford Bridge “project”.Graham Potter’s men are tenth in the Premier League, 14 points adrift of the top four.
      Graham Potter’s Chelsea are toiling in the Premier League tableCredit: REX
      But Lille and Canada ace Jonathan David reckons the Blues still have pulling powerCredit: Getty
      But Canada striker David, who has 15 Ligue 1 goals this term, will not pick his next club based on whether they are in the Champions League.
      The £50million-rated star, also a target for Manchester United, is open to offers.
      David said: “The Champions League is not a condition. Everyone wants to play in the biggest competitions in the world.
      “But the most important thing is always the project.
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      “I don’t know what the future holds but I am open to every possibility.”
      The 23-year-old counts Blues icon Didier Drogba as one of his childhood heroes — and how Chelsea could do with a proper centre-forward right now.
      David dreams of a move to the Prem, so it could be a perfect pairing.
      The striker said: “The atmosphere in England is good every week, every stadium is filled.
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      “These are the games you want to play, with an atmosphere like that. And there are a lot of top teams.
      “Growing up I looked at different players. Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba . . . these players.
      “And the Premier League is one of the world’s best leagues.
      “The most important thing, though, is to play for the team.”
      It’s unclear if Potter will be in charge of Chelsea come the end of the season given their torrid run of form.
      The former Brighton boss will hope his troops will be able to stop the rot at Stamford Bridge on Saturday against Leeds. More

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      ‘He wants to fight the world’ – Chelsea stars fear for Mason Mount after series of uncharacteristic flashpoints

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      CHELSEA stars fear team-mate Mason Mount’s on pitch discipline is suffering because of his contract stand-off.The frustrated midfielder was booked for the second time in three games during his sub appearance in the dismal defeat at Tottenham on Sunday.
      Mason Mount has struggled to find his best form this seasonCredit: Getty
      He is also suspended for next week’s crunch Champions League last 16 tie at home to Borussia Dortmund.
      Dressing room insiders say they are worried that homegrown Mount is suffering as talks on a new deal with the club have stalled.
      Negotiations are at a standstill and Mount has not played a full 90 minutes for Chelsea in the last eight matches.
      The latest brush with the law was for showing dissent towards ref Stuart Attwell while his boyhood team crumbled against their fiercest opposition at White Hart Lane and were sunk 2-0.
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      It is the fourth Premier League booking of a season which started with so much promise for Mount and Chelsea but is now disintegrating fast.
      A dressing room source told SunSport: “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to make the link between Mason’s frustration and his contract situation.
      “If you are a player that was born and bred at Chelsea and then find yourself on the bench or always among the first players to be subbed it is going to get to you.
      “Maybe he is not playing well. But who is in that team?”
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      Mount, 23, is banned for next Tuesday’s return match against Germans Dortmund because has three bookings in the Champions League this season.
      The last was for becoming embroiled in a shoving match having only come on with 19 minutes of the game to go.
      Discussions about a new deal for Mount began before last summer but have dragged on and show no sign of a breakthrough.
      It is a fresh headache for beleaguered Chelsea boss Graham Potter who is trying to manage an mammoth 33-man squad after making eight signings in January alone.
      Form is in critical condition too with the team tenth in the Premier League. They have won only two of the last 15 games and scored one goal in the last six matches.
      Mount has been with Chelsea since he was six years old and has been a key player.
      He provided the assist for Kai Havertz to score the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final and has won the Club World Cup and Super Cup. He now has less than 18 months remaining on his contract.
      Club chairman Todd Boehly has made an offer of a new one but it was rejected. 
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      Mount is currently paid significantly less than players like striker Pierre-Emrerick Aubameyang, who only joined Chelsea last summer.
      The source added: “At the moment, Mason looks like he wants to fight the world when really he just wants to win things. With Chelsea.” More

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      Man Utd and Chelsea in Jude Bellingham boost as Real Madrid put transfer operation on ice

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      REAL MADRID have reportedly put a move for Jude Bellingham on hold which will boost Chelsea and Manchester United.The two Premier League giants are keen on signing the England international who is believed to have a very bright future in the game.
      Real Madrid have reportedly cooled interest in Jude BellinghamCredit: Reuters
      Liverpool are also believed to be prominent in the race to sign Bellingham, as well as Manchester City.
      But Los Blancos have now cooled their interest in the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, according to AS.
      The report claims that the stop in interest is because of the delay to Dortmund’s meeting to establish what Bellingham’s future would be.
      The 19-year-old has a contract at the Signal Iduna Park running until 2025 and the Bundesliga side value him at over £100million.
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      It has been suggested that Madrid would be willing to wait until the summer of 2024 to sign him when he could cost less money, as he would only have a year left on his contract.
      However, it looks increasingly unlikely that the England man will still be in Germany by then.
      And Bellingham’s Premier League suitors will try to wrap up a deal to sign him this summer.
      Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl, however, insists that the former Birmingham prospect is “comfortable” at the club.
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      He said: “Jude feels very, very comfortable at Borussia Dortmund.
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      “But we still haven’t had any new talks or received any offers for him.
      “He still has two more years on his contract and is a very important piece of this team.
      “We need Jude to achieve the objectives this season and we are glad that he is so focused on football and that there is no room for other matters in his head at the moment.”
      This season, Bellingham has scored ten goals in 30 appearances in all competitions. More