Football FanCast columnist Ross Mooring doesn’t see a problem selling the naming rights to Stamford Bridge.

It was with a tinge of not unexpected sadness that I read last week of the new Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay’s announcement to “consider” naming rights for Stamford Bridge. Coming off the back of Newcastle’s adoption of a new name for their home stadium, the rather catchy and not-at-all a mouthful ‘sportsdirect.com @ St James’ Park Stadium’ and with the modern football-as-money culture the decision is neither a surprise nor as much of an outrage as it once would have been.

However, in spite of being a rose-tinted romantic Chelsea fan  since the age of three, back when Stamford Bridge consisted of a monumental three-tiered behemoth surrounded by a heap on three sides -  when the ground didn’t do the name justice - after some consideration, I must say I’m not too bothered about the whole affair.

Firstly, Gourlay has said that no renaming will displace the name Stamford Bridge from any new title. As such, fans will continue to refer to it as Stamford Bridge no matter whether it’s called Planet Express Stamford Bridge or as I’ve rather brilliantly heard from elsewhere, Ken Monkou’s Pancake House! Essentially, on a day-to-day basis it doesn’t affect what my friends and I will call it in the pub or on the way to the ground. The only people who it will affect are the media and I can’t say there’s much sympathy there.

Secondly, £10-£20 million per year is not money to be sniffed at, even with Roman Abramovich in charge. His presence should not be an excuse to continue on with the loss-making nature of the current business setup (mainly as a result of the enormous wage bill). Whether the money is used to satisfy his bank manager or to get that extra bit of quality into the side it is good for the club in a very real sense.

Finally, when shirt sponsorship came in there was also an uproar. However, every other weekend in Fulham one now sees tens of thousands walking billboards for Samsung and people don’t seem to mind. And that’s part of the issue here; culture changes and things become more or less acceptable.

The name, nay, the evocation of Stamford Bridge and all that it means and says about Chelsea and the club’s history will never die, nor will the memories we hold there or the future successes we hope to see inside. It will remain Stamford Bridge to fans of Chelsea and other clubs and the corporate world cannot dictate or mask the truth of this, no matter what those in charge decide to put above the front door.

Listen to the LATEST CHELSEA FANCAST in which the boys discuss this very issue, as well as the late win over Manchester United and the draw at Atletico Madrid.

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