The Citizen – a humble, self-funded news operation – has been given the nod by judges for Website of the Year (Regional/Local) and is up against some of the best-resourced and biggest hitters in the regional press.

Shortlisted in the category are Kent Online, Birmingham Live, So Glos, Belfast Telegraph and the Andover Advertiser – all of which are owned by long-established and large media groups, such as Reach and Mediaquest. The winner will be announced at a modestly glittering night at the London Hilton Bankside on 10th September.

The Chelsea Citizen was founded and funded by freelance journalist Rob McGibbon and launched in February 2025 – despite a failed crowdfunding campaign. The news title covers Chelsea, as well as its border neighbourhoods in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and has become known for breaking headline stories.

Many Citizen exclusives have been followed by the national press, including The Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Sun and Private Eye. It was this ability to consistently break news that was highlighted in the awards judges’ citation. It was also commended for turning “an arid news desert” into an “oasis of news and stories”.

The judges were also impressed by The Citizen’s determined campaigning, not least for leading a two year battle against Rockwell Property building a tower of luxury flats by Battersea Bridge – a campaign that culminated with a famous victory in June.

Editor Rob McGibbon, who started out as a local reporter on the Wimbledon News in 1985, said: “I am delighted that The Citizen has been acknowledged with this nomination. We have been punching way above our weight since Day One and we have proved that, with the right level of determination and a decent news sense, you can find news stories in an area that really matter to the community.

“This entire project has been the most arduous and exhausting vertical ascent of my career, but it has also been the most fulfilling. Going back to my roots as a local reporter and seeing how important local news is to my community has reaffirmed my absolute belief in the vital necessity for local newspapers. I hope that The Citizen can become a template for how hyper local news should be done – and how it can thrive.”

The Citizen’s awards citation on Press Gazette

Rob McGibbon with a 1985 copy of The Wimbledon News – showing his first splash story. Photo: June Torrance

Some of the important stories The Citizen has broken 

Maresca, 45, left the club in acrimonious circumstances after a breakdown in relations with senior figures behind the scenes. Sources close to the situation indicate that tensions between the Italian coach and the hierarchy had escalated to the point where his position became untenable.

The protest is being organised by fan group “Not a Project CFC”, which has voiced strong criticism of the club’s direction under the BlueCo ownership. In a statement posted on X, the group claimed Chelsea are being “run less like an elite club and more like a player trading farm focused on churn, speculation, and long-term potential at the expense of present day competitiveness.”

The group also accused the owners, who have spent more than £1 billion since taking over in 2022, of prioritising future planning while neglecting immediate success. As part of their campaign, “Not a Project CFC” issued six demands to co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the board, including clearer accountability, an end to what they describe as a micromanagement culture, greater flexibility in recruitment strategy, boardroom stability, proper support for the head coach and a renewed ambition to compete for major honours.

Chelsea supporters last staged a protest against the ownership in February, although unrest subsided as results improved and the club went on to win the Club World Cup. However, despite a relatively positive start to the current Premier League season, form has dipped in recent weeks amid growing internal tensions.

Maresca’s departure follows a run of just one win in Chelsea’s last seven league matches. His final game in charge was Tuesday’s 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth, a result that further underlined the team’s struggles.

The split took a further dramatic turn on Thursday when Chelsea briefed reporters with an extraordinary assessment of their former coach. Speaking live on Sky Sports, presenter Dave Jones relayed the club’s view that Maresca lacked the “mental fortitude and emotional maturity” required for the role.

Attention has now turned to his successor, with Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior, who also works under the BlueCo umbrella, emerging as the leading candidate. Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is also understood to be under consideration, while Roberto De Zerbi, Cesc Fabregas and John Terry are not thought to be on the shortlist. In the interim, Chelsea Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane will take charge of Sunday’s away fixture against Manchester City.

The protest is due to start at 1pm at the Britannia Gate at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea Citizen’s full reporting first team will be there to cover proceedings in full…