Jeff Shi has warned Wolves fans of what not to expect from the club in the near future in what has been a day of great controversy regarding the Midlands side.
It’s been a horrendous day for Jeff Shi on the back of an average season for Wolves.
The club chairman made himself public enemy number one with two acts of communication on Thursday, starting with a detailed column via Express and Star.
If the column was not underwhelming, the controversy that followed was, as Wolves fans came to the realisation that the club were rocketing season ticket prices beyond comprehension ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Fans were left fuming at the news of prices catapulting, and even more so at the club’s lack of communication on the matter, with an email and an update on the club website sent out hours after supporters learned of the new fees.
Before the season ticket price saga unfolded, Shi penned an interesting column for Express and Star, with one element of the open letter being remarkably ironic.
Jeff Shi warns Wolves fans of what not to expect from the club
From the efforts of Gary O’Neil to the club’s financial woes of the summer of 2023, Shi covered all bases in his column, with some areas looking to be encouraging but damningly underwhelming.
Included in the piece, Shi wrote:
“I would rather the upward curve be slow and flat, than fast and zigzag.
“I think the key to stability is that the manager and club can grow together, support each other shoulder to shoulder on the long path. Sometimes one falls, the other picks them up and we stride forward again.
“Fans also play an important role. If you only pursue trophies or consistent European football, Wolves might not be an ideal choice.”
While Wolves supporters won’t be expecting Champions League glory any time soon under O’Neil, some optimism of the future would have been appreciated, with Shi urging fans to almost forget about dreaming big.
Ironically, the chairman ended the segment on the long-term vision by saying:
“The chapter of Wolves now is about a patient story of growth; slow, but indomitable, driven by people and not capital.”
The column was then followed by the information of season ticket prices rising to indecipherable highs, making the comment on the future being driven by those around the club rather ironic.
Jeff Shi has lost the trust of many supporters
It’s a desperately sad situation for Wolves fans, who find themselves with their hands tied when it comes to deciding whether to renew their season ticket or not.
In the cost of living crisis, the last thing that working-class supporters needed was an experience as enjoyable as Premier League football taken out of their reach, with Shi’s statement letting those most loyal to the club down immeasurably.
There is an understanding of the requirement for prices to rise over the years however, the jump from the 2023/24 campaign to the asking prices of next term is not acceptable.
Referring back to the chairman’s column in E&S, rising ticket prices do not go hand in hand with asking supporters to bluntly lower their expectations of the club, in what has been a gloomy day at Molineux.