[Archived] Poll - Falling Attendances.

[BRFC4EVA]

It being on Sky was the most important factor, for the poor crowd for sure. Notlob brought around 4,500+ y'sday it was around 2,500. This shows that people prefer so go to a warm pub and drink and few pints and still come out about £15 better off. If the game had been a 3pm kick off it would have been a 24k ish crowd, im sure of it.

P.s thats not to say that sky isnt excellent for eng football, just bad for our crowds

Edited January 25, 2005 by BRFC4EVA

[1864roverite]

actually the official away fans were 2022 according to BWFC

now thats a pretty damning verdict on their own club.

[Eddie]

I rang last Friday for a ticket in the Blackburn End for a friend and was quoted £28.

You could've sat in a warm pub, watched the game over three pints of bitter at less than £6.

The quality of football on offer last night was dire with half a dozen, at least, of our lot looking like the mediocre journeymen they are.

Good god, I wish I had the pubs you have around me

For me if I had three pints, of what would usually be strongbow, I would pay 18 euros and the cheapest place I know. At the most expensive, which happens to be my most regular, I woudl not only pay the 10 euros to get in, but also then 19.50 for the three, so a total of 29.50, which translates into about 18 pounds or so give or take not that bothered to really figure it out. For 10 extra pounds the offer of live football would swing it my way, need to make pubs more expensive in Blackburn!

[waggy]

what has gone wrong at ewood,8k home fans for the 4th round off the cup,me-junior and a mate went today,walked in the pub and the usual subjects were there.i asked them why they did not go and they said they would rather spend there cash on beer

[Paul]

Discussed the same subject with a few die-hards on Friday night, all went to the game on Saturday. Our conclusion was very simple - two years of crap football. The problem is the club do not recognise this as being the number one issue they face. If the product is crap, and it is, people will not pay to watch it.

During the second half yesterday I started thinking about Wednesday and the arrival of Chelsea. We don't have a single player to get excited about watching, they probably have 20 or more. It's as simple as that. Our team is basically full of very average journeymen, as are most PL teams. The playing field needs levelling out before Englisg football dies on it's feet.

I've said before we need a hero. In days gone by there was always a player you could relate to, someone who'd die for the cause, someone to make the hair on your neck stand up. We have none of that, I feel no connection with any of our squad, none of them excite me, attending Ewood is a grind. Sat in the FS yesterday I was cold, miserable and ill. I counted down the second-half minutes till we could could go home. I still go but this is how I feel, is it any wonder that yesterday we were down to the hardcore 7-8000?

......and I'm not the only long-term, never-say-die fan who feels like this.

[roversWASmylife]

Discussed the same subject with a few die-hards on Friday night, all went to the game on Saturday. Our conclusion was very simple - two years of crap football. The problem is the club do not recognise this as being the number one issue they face. If the product is crap, and it is, people will not pay to watch it.

During the second half yesterday I started thinking about Wednesday and the arrival of Chelsea. We don't have a single player to get excited about watching, they probably have 20 or more. It's as simple as that. Our team is basically full of very average journeymen, as are most PL teams. The playing field needs levelling out before Englisg football dies on it's feet.

I've said before we need a hero. In days gone by there was always a player you could relate to, someone who'd die for the cause, someone to make the hair on your neck stand up. We have none of that, I feel no connection with any of our squad, none of them excite me, attending Ewood is a grind. Sat in the FS yesterday I was cold, miserable and ill.  I counted down the second-half minutes till we could could go home. I still go but this is how I feel, is it any wonder that yesterday we were down to the hardcore 7-8000?

......and I'm not the only long-term, never-say-die fan who feels like this.

Top post.

Agree with everything you've said there Paul.

I'm not going to blame people for not going to extra games to watch Rovers anymore. The club have to expect that they're not going to get the season ticket holders at every game at extra games, never mind the supporters who wish to turn up on the spur of the moment at Ewood anymore unless we begin to show improvement in the league.

I managed to persuade a friend of mine to go to the game on Bolton, expecting that it'd be a decent game. He phoned me up the next day and told me it was a waste of money and said he'd never come again this season.

I found most of the game being boring if I'm being completely honest.

A few of us did our best to raise the atmosphere in the ground. But the general ambiance of the place, looked dull.

I'll go because like others I love Blackburn Rovers. I don't know what I'd do without them, it's bad enough when we don't play between May and August, apart from pre-seasons.

I just pray and hope that it can only get better.

Edited January 30, 2005 by roversismylife

[thenodrog]

Sat in the FS yesterday I was cold, miserable and ill.

Top post mate? Rubbish Pauls is a CRAP post!

Your grumbles are hardly the Rovers fault that Paul. What do you expect BRFC to do about that? Do you expect em to provide a rug for your knees, a physician and Peter Kay to come and crack e few jokeds to you at half time?

What you say about the quality is fair enough up to a point BUT Colchester Utd were far worse and should serve as a reminder what will lie ahead should the public continue to turn their cosseted Jack Walker spoilt backs on the club.

I've said before this current apathy is simply history repeating itself as I heard all this 'too expensive / over paid / spoilt brats in the 60's.......... just before we embarked on 30 years of Colchester quality football. Do you want your kids to suffer the same 3rd rate footballing fate that you and I suffered Paul? Dont forget BRFC was a milk bill away from extinction once. For all our recent history this town has proven that it has 9000 die-hards, about the same part-timers, and a few thousand spoilt glory hunters, and an increasing number that simply dont have any allegiance whatsoever. And before somebody trots out the usual accusations you all know full well what I am referring to!

We have just paid out £3m for a hard working, high profile midfielder, are being linked with a £6m striker and you whinge. How would you like to be Mark Hughes asking the board to sub that when all he has to justify it is a pathetic attendance like yesterdays?

My overriding emotions at kick off 10 -15 years ago was pride, well-being and excitement but yesterday I simply felt anger and embarrassment! This town is simply talking the status of BRFC for granted, far from being a mighty footballing town we are simply the thickness of a cigarette paper better than Burnley and the rest of our small town neighbours. We are in the 5th round draw today ffs! 20 years ago this would have been the pinnacle of our season!

I've said many times (and been roundly ridiculed) that providing the financial support for a top team in this area is impossible for any one town in this area and that a 30000 base of those real 'hard core' fans is the requirement to move forward. Well recent attendances culminating in Cardiff and Colchester yesterday has gone a long way to proving me right and the shallow-thinking, narrow minded detractors who come on here ridiculing me and trying to take the p1ss about forming one super club in this area completely wrong. I'd loved to have grabbed Beamo's mike and have told em so yesterday but the narrow backs were all prob in the pub......... Laughable if it were not so tragically and disappointingly accurate!

As for the "Its too expensive Rovers must bring prices down" brigade. Well thank fruk that that daft argument has been put to bed once and for all! As I've said many times bringing ticket prices down simply does not work and anybody who thinks it does is not wired up right. We will have drawn more revenue v Cardiff City than we did yesterday! FULL STOP! PERIOD! All bringing prices down does is suggest that they are expecting a shyte match.

FORGET YOUR PETTY GRUMBLES AND REMEMBER THAT WE MUST USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Edited January 30, 2005 by thenodrog

[Alan75]

There are a core of die hard supporters who will attend Ewood no matter how they play or whatever division they are in, so preaching on this messageboard is a waste of time.

Whilst Sky / TV packages help the clubs financially, the blanket coverage of tv coverage is in my opinion driving away the casual supporter. Why should they pay the high addmission prices when they can view a game virtually any night in the comfort of their homes and be in bed at a reasonable time of night.

The only way at present, whilst there is tv coverage to saturation point, to entice the casual supporters is to provide them with exciting, successfull football with as Paul puts it "A HERO" that they can identify with.

Fans are fed up of mercenary players who ultimately funnel into their own pockets the money recieved from tv. The average man of the terrace cant comprehend or justify the wages received per week by an average player, which causes resentment.eg Why should I pay to watch that lazy so and so, he earns more per week that I will in 12 months.

How many supporters with families to support can justifying over £100, taking into account tickets, travel cost and parking for 3 games in a week, worst still if he / she has to take along junior members of the family.

As for thenodrog's comments of use it or loose it, well to be realistic, the casual supporter couldnt care less. The only people who would mourn the decline of the club would be the die hard supporters. The remainder will quickly throw their allegiance to which ever club is currently at the forefront of English football.

With regards to a Lancashire United team, whilst fanancially it may be the answer to many a clubs problems, traditional supporters of clubs would prefer to cut off their right hands than merge and you would end up with splinter groups setting up their own new clubs.

[Paul]

I decided to spend some time thinking about my reply to theno's post, in the meantime Alan has posted many sound points that cover much of my own view.

"Use it or lose it" is frankly absurd reasoning. It should be more on the lines of "Rovers provide it or lose us". I don't know what industry you work in theno, in mine and countless others the business that fail to move with the times and/or understand the market place is the one that goes down. To provide some non-football examples - corner shop/supermarket, local cinema/multiplex, decent pub/chain monstrosity, local sports facility/leisure club. All, IMO, examples of businesses that have failed to address a dwindling market and consequently lost their customers. Football has one great advantage - basic loyalty. The problem being loyalty is born at a very early age. If children are not taken to Ewood by their parents they will NEVER decide to go, they'll take the easy option of supporting Utd, just like they take the easy option of a Playstation unless parents make them do something else.

You may have heard it all before thenodrog but what you fail to acknowledge is the world has changed. Not in forty years but in just ten. It's not a question for the uncommitted of paying money for something that may happen in the future. If Rovers fail to provide the entertainment quality the public expect the "supporters" will simply not attend. I'm not whinging, I'm stating facts. I'll carry on going, it's the thousands that don't you should be addressing. I've made damn sure my three and one other child have grown up supporting Rovers - trouble is not many others do the same.

You blast young fans who ask for a cheap ticket. Twice I've asked how you expect an eighteen year old to find £28 to attend a game. You fail to reply because there you don't have an answer other than Use it or Lose it. No logic in that.

Garner, Sellars, Barker, Gennoe, Patterson, Price, Keeley, Beamish, Mail, Miller, Reid, Brotherstone, Fazackerley, Hamilton, Rathbone, Parkes, Branagan, Wagstaffe, etc. I deliberatley ignored many from the 90s. Maybe not one could make a mark in the PL but I know one thing - they at least appeared to care for or respect our club. We don't have a single recent arrival at Ewood who has demonstrated an ounce of passion for Rovers. It was more fun sitting in Nuttall Street or standing in the enclosure because you could at least believe it mattered to the players.

As for the big signings. Savage, hmmmm, a footballer many have despised in other teams colours. Fine we paid £3m, so what. We have signed "a hard working, high profile midfielder". In my view I should hope we have. If you pay £3m you expect hard work - we'll see what happens in the next few games. Bellamy £6m plus £2m a year wages.? Tell you what Craiggie Boy for that money I'm expecting 20 goals a season and for you to walk off that pitch so knackered you feel like doing nothing other than going to bed. Do they care about Blackburn Rovers?

Frankly thenodrog I don't think you have the slightest idea what the average football fan feels about the players he/she is expected to support. While the PL clubs in general fail to address this matter they walk a dangerous tightrope. When Sky pulls the plug, and they will, football in this country will die over night. Look around you, how many 18-25 year olds do you see at Ewood? I know for a fact Rovers do not understand the attendance problem is quality and committment on the field. Why is that? Because all the people who are supposed to find the answer are PAID to watch! Simple really....when you think about.

Just look at Ferguson. He clearly no longer wants to play for my club. If he stays till the summer he will earn more in that time than I shall between now and retiring. Players like him make me want to vomit, he trueli is not fit to wear the shirt or captain the club..........and Rovers expect us to support them? The sooner BF leaves for Glasgow or inspires Rovers to magnificent victory the better. I'll try not to boo him but I sure as hell won't be cheering from the rooftops when he walks on the pitch.

[Paul]

One last point - in five years it's unlikely any of my kids will be regulars at Ewood. Simply because they won't live in the area and there will be too many other distractions in thier lives. Rovers operate in a declining, ageing market place and they are doing very little to understand or address that problem.

[mhead]

Good posts Paul but can you come up to my place and cut me down.

So you are suggesting:

1. free tickets for under 8s

2. graded ticket prices up to 21 yrs of age

3. low interest season ticket plans(incl. Cup matches)

4. half season tickets for less regular attendees

5. ticket sales from the Town and surroundings

6. ticket bundling(big matches with weaker matches or at Chritmas/Easter)

7. a Club/Town 30,000 Campaign(like Charlton)

8. greater redevelopment of the ground and environs

9. proper CLUB shop in the town

10.Bleachers zone at the top of Darwen End with incentives to transfer to other parts of ground.

Come on we must become Campaigners as well as complainers(NEW SLOGAN)

[Manchester Blue]

One last point - in five years it's unlikely any of my kids will be regulars at Ewood. Simply because they won't live in the area and there will be too many other distractions in thier lives. Rovers operate in a declining, ageing market place and they are doing very little to understand or address that problem.

You raise fair points Paul. I usually stay out of these debates because they have been done to death, however you say Theno doesn't answer some of your points so can you answer a question of mine. Why do all these factors you list seem to affect us so much more than other clubs. Blackburn is not smaller than it was 5 years ago is it? How come Derby, Notts Forest, Charlton, West Brom & Reading all managed bigger crowds, some miles bigger. West Ham were gutted to only attract 19,000, jesus what the board would give for that at present.

I have not the time nor the inclination to check all the prices but I would bet that you couldn't get in for much less than £15. You can call the club all you want but for the last 3 years whatever they charge and whatever they do the people of Blackburn and surrounding areas (I use this area to stop the seemingly mandatory dozen posts from Oz etc stating why it's difficult to travel around the world) don't seem to respond. It's the same 8-10,000 who go regardless so the club might as well give up.

Obviously attendances will rise and fall with success but we seem to be one of the only clubs that feels the club owes them entertainment. If you want value for money go to the cinema. You might not like the phrase 'use it or lose it' but you don't seem to understand how accurate it is.

[speeeeeeedie]

Very interesting posts. I'd agree with some on both sides.

The people who watched BRFC 20 years ago were used to good football played in the second tier of English football by players who didn't earn much more than the average wage. Rovers survived back then off loan signings, aging free transfers and players who could come in and give the ground a buzz. I was only a kid but Steve Archibald's debut was massive, it put an extra 3,000 on the gate. The star factor gave us some publicity, but it didn't last long. The die hard 8,000 came week in week out to watch some talented players entertain. Faz and Keeley were always worth entry fees for the inevitable scythe on the striker. Barker produced some wonderful passes, Sellars would run rings around defenders; it was entertaining football. The biggest games I remember in the late 80's were our FA cup ties against Villa and Liverpool, both draws with 14,000 on. Now we play these teams every week now to a crowd not much different in size. This changed when Jack came in, transformed the place and we've had the rollercoaster since.

Today's Rovers are hard work to watch, no-one wants to go and see it live when they can stay at home and watch United etc. play great flowing stuff. I went to three games when I was home at Christmas, I nearly didn't go to the Charlton game but it was my last chance before I left, so I begrudgingly paid to go. If I lived in England there is no way I'd go every week whilst Rovers playing like that; it's so boring, but effective enough to keep us in the Premier league. Our crowds will not get any better in the near future, the cynical fan is too fed up with overpaid players milking the club and the fans who ultimately pay their wages, either through Sky subscriptions, match tickets or merchandise purchases. Someone told me that Matteo is on £30,000 a week minimum, allegedly (do I have to put that in?). The club doesn't deserve money if they work out pay deals like that, it's complete lunacy.

It is a vicious circle. We have no flair players, fan favourites, or talismen, so people don't bother to come, we get a lower revenue because of it making it harder over the long term to pay the good players to come, forcing the club to adopt the style we have now. I'm very glad we have Hughes as a manager, I think he does a great job and will keep us up for years, but that needs to be sustained with continual development and money from somewhere or else.

Sky has been both the saviour and villain of English football, it gave clubs the licence to spend stupidly, with BRFC being a culprit all too often, and it gave players/agents more power to negotiate silly wage deals for themselves. It also gave the fans access to loads of games and opened up football to a wider public. 20 years ago there was barely a live game on TV so people had to go to stadiums to see it, BRFC had the 8,000 it still does, what has changed? Did the town get delusions of grandeur when we won the league? Did the club budget on projections of 25,000+ crowds every week? Does the club take the public for granted?

For BRFC to keep its Premier league existence on its paltry crowds it needs outside help; probably coming from TV money. Sky is much maligned by a good few on here, but realistically they are our only hope. I'm not a "Lancashire United" advocate, it's a white elephant. Sky needs competitive football for it to survive. How many will watch Chelsea play Man U every week? A Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Everton challenging for honours is good for the league, Sky has the financial muscle to at least attempt to make it happen by equalling out its money. If Sky gave each club the same amount per year, then in theory all clubs would have at lest that much each to start with. Right now Chelsea, the richest club (if you consider Red Rom's billions) get a far larger Sky cheque than Norwich, who need it more. Obviously the traditionally bigger clubs would generate more funds from kit sales and attendances, but that is expected. Smaller clubs would also put a greater reliance on youth development; hopefully. Another silly idea that may work is for the Premier League to pay each team the same regardless of where it finishes in the League or reverse it so the bottom 4 get the most and the top 4 get the least and so on. The top will still get its beloved money from the Champions league and UEFA Cup and the relegated teams still have to play in the Coca Cola. However the big problem with paying the bottom teams the most is that they'll get to League 1 and but up all the good players for a swift return, with the rest crying foul that they'll never get a chance to go up.

Blackburn Rovers are not the only club with attendance issues, it is a football problem that needs to be dealt with from the top but the FA big wigs are reluctant to do so because they have too much to lose from it if they do play it fair.

[tashor]

It's not rocket science.

Blackburn has too small a population to support premiership football in the long term without significant subsidy.

We therefore need another Jack Walker or fans from elsewhere.

Folk here are being obtuse about the Lancashire United bit.

No one can seriously advocate a change of name.

We will ALWAYS be Blackburn Rovers and play in Blue 'n' White halves, hopefully with the red rose proudly prominent.

We need to become the team that a large proportion of Lancashire supports. Not all need to attend but we need an increase in fans to be the base of the pyramid of those that attend.

Manchester United are not called England United are they?? GEDDITT.

Our crowds drop so rapidly because we have no fans to replace those who have become disenchanted, unlike the big City clubs.

Anyone see the Sky feature on the coaches sent out from Charlton to bus in fans from miles away. They were accused by many lower division teams of poaching their fans. That is the way we must go to stay where we are.

I admit that this will be very difficult to achieve and efforts to date have failed.

The traditional so called working class fans will stick with what they know ( yes - the loyal hard core ) but the middle class who even in this area are now a large majority which is steadily growing are not so loyal.

It is these fans we need to attract.

YES I know that many on this board would rather watch us play a couple of divisions below where we are now with other like minded loyalists.

I suspect you are going to get what you crave.

The point about exciting football is a load of rubbish. People will NOT NOT NOT attend to watch us if we play with ten Okochas but lose all the time.

Too many of you are also confusing what you want with what we must do to attract new fans and get the so called part timers back.

You do not count as much as you will mostly continue to attend whatever.

You want to see the shirt worn by those that would die for the cause and have always dreamed of doing so as you always have.

Get real. If you really believe this you are watching the wrong players. Stick to primary school football.

The wages bit is also irrelevent to attracting new fans. Generally the higher the wage bill the higher the league position as you get the best players ( and guess what?? NONE of them are loyal ).

I do not expect the hard core loyalists to agree but the game has moved on.

Chelsea and Man U are supported both from near and far by millions of affluent fans.

Can we ever compete?

Will we even try?

Would we be better off by being relegated a division or two and supporting so called honest sloggers?

Be honest - how many of you would actually prefer that??

Rugby League anyone.............

[den]

The point about exciting football is a load of rubbish. People will NOT NOT NOT attend to watch us if we play with ten Okochas but lose all the time.

It isn't rubbishTashor.

Normally, teams playing exciting/entertaining football don't lose all the time.

What Paul is saying and I agree with, is that what we have had to endure for the last two seasons at Ewood has been partly, if not greatly responsible for the huge drop in S.T. sales.

It's not a coincidence that this season [the third season of mediocre football], has coincided with the second 10% drop in season ticket sales. High prices, Sky Tv have been around much longer than the last two seasons.

[joey_big_nose]

Tashor, great post.

We are not going to be able to survive in the Prem unless our supporters turn up. They are not essentially because we do not win every week. I cannot understand that mentality because only a couple of clubs can win every week and they have a shed load of cash.

###### to the lacking a "hero". Who in the bottom half of the Prem does? You want a world class player, someone local and committed?

they will have a decebt ciuple of seasons then Chelsea, Man Utd or Arsenal will buy them- Duff, Rooney, Parker are all good examples of this.

Alan I am not sure how you think these things can be achieved, or what other teams you are looking at saying "crikey, they are the kind of club which do not over charge for tickets, stocked by local heroes and play cracking attractive football. Why, Rovers pale miserably in comparison".

Indeed Rovers are subsidised as Tashor says and have the cheapest season tickets in the league. I cannot see anywhere you get as much talent for the price of the tickets.

Simple answer is we are screwed in the long run- when the Walker money runs out we will drop out of top flight football. We should enjoy it at the moment, these are the good times.

[1864roverite]

some very serious and industrious points raised by all.

Interesting reading, maybe all of the last 7 posts can be forwarded to john Williams to view and ingest.

Something has to be done, a hero to be signed = not many of them about.

an influx of new blood to light the touch paper ? Bellamy could be the one.

a price structure to reflect status ? - in principle a good idea. all for free tickets for kids.

there is a lot of work longterm to be done, its the short term thats the problem.

full houses due - city.

3/4 full - chelsea/arsenal

1/2 full - norwich,southampton,fulham,palace

for the last 4 games, we need to involve the public. A strategy of targetting schools, the unemployed, students aka tax dodgers and families are the real targets.

for each game Rovers should provide 2500 tickets at a quid a school kid - it fills the top tier of the Darwen End.

for the lower tier of the Darwen End - adult and 2 kids £12.00

for the family stand - adult and 2 kids (plus a 3rd free) £12.00

Blackburn End - kids for a quid, student and unemployed £5.00, first time visitors £10.00, supporters with a history of going £15.00 but if 2 adults charge £25.00 for 2 tickets.

Wallker Steel Stand likewise

JWalker Stand reduced prices alround.

Okay, we get some disgruntlement from season ticket holders, but there are reasons why I suggest the above details.

the main reason being that we really need to win those 4 games. A full house gives Rovers a goal start instead of a low atmosphere half empty stadium.

wins in those games guarantees Premiership status, at the same time it also involves the public and on that basis even if we attract an increase of 10 percent for the home gates its a winner and can be repeated.

Rovers need to generate interest and thats the way ahead.

[mhead]

11. club have to win more than 5 matches per season

12. put the local teenagers/ex-youth team/alex bruces in earlier

13. consider a Lancashire United with Preston before the power we hold goes.

14.diversify- a 4 star Hotel as a joint venture

15. talk to our award winning Council

We must campaign to change the mind-sets.

[1864roverite]

mhead Lancashire united ? dont be so bloody stupid...please

Edited January 30, 2005 by 1864roverite

[mode_m]

13. consider a Lancashire United with Preston before the power we hold goes.

I'm not 100% sure if I understand what you're saying. The two teams should unite into one big team with a larger fan base?

[ABBEY]

13. consider a Lancashire United with Preston before the power we hold goes.

id rather have my piles wheeled around in a wheelbarrow ....I WOULD NEVER EVER SET FOOT ON EWOOD AGAIN IF THIS WAS EVEN DISCUSSED AT BOARD LEVEL.......ITS BAD ENOUGH LENDING BURNLEY OUR PLAYERS!

[Eddie]

We had a big debate on this a few months back as I recall, so if you want to bring that idea up, search the messageboard for it. It was quite good and a few were actually in support of such a concept.

[JC4LAB]

Even if we were in the top six ticket prices are still too high..A lot of top club support espec Man UTD and now Cheksea is s corporate and Blackburn may be isnt located in the right area to attract the samet,,I think thats the reality..One of the great things about Rovers is the true fan can get a ticket for every game..

Edited January 30, 2005 by JC4LAB

[Paul]

Great posts from tashor and speeedie.

mhead - I'm not quite sure how to respond to yours but my view is Rovers have got the pricing about right but I would suggest the following would be better:

1. Under 8s free.

2. 8-16 roughly where it is now up to a maximum of £100

3. 16-21 - young adult price which is affordable for either the individual to pay per match or the parents to buy the ST. This doea mean in the BBE not stuck in the outer reaches of the Riverside. Young people want to be in the BBE.

4. Adults it's about right.

Lancashire United. I can't see that working and my gut reaction is I follow Blackburn Rovers and not tangerine and blue halves with black shorts or whatever PNE wear these days.

Manc Blue

Blackburn is not smaller than it was 5 years ago is it? How come Derby, Notts Forest, Charlton, West Brom & Reading all managed bigger crowds, some miles bigger. West Ham were gutted to only attract 19,000, jesus what the board would give for that at present.

Like you I don't have the inclination to do all the research but a gut reaction would be:

Derby - much larger catchment area than Blackburn?

Forrest - don't know

Charlton - you can get a bus from Maidstone to Charlton, provided by the club, for £5. I understand they have a very good community programme.

West Brom - two promotion seasons plus two PL seasons

Reading - new stadium, good progress as a club

Saints v Pompey appeared not to be a sell out yesterday

Going on further into your post I am NOT calling the club. This problem is deep rooted and does not lay just with Blackburn Rovers. We see the symptoms of the disease because we are so small by comparison to others. In my view, and hindsight is wonderful, the clubs have blown the Sky money by paying average players obscene amounts of money when this should have been put into developing the clubs themselves. There was a belief the fans would just continue to turn up to watch the best league in the world. Well they don't. We've always had poor (!) players but now the fans expect much. much more because of the money and profile these players enjoy. True I never sat in Nuttal Street thinking "he only gets a few bob so what do I expect?"

I'm afraid "use it or lose it" doesn't wash with me. I earn my living trying to sell products, the next time a customer won't buy do I tell him "to use it or lose it". In business it's often very difficult to see what is wrong with your product because it is YOUR product. On Friday, and I'm repeating myself, it was suggested the club can't see the problem is on the pitch because they are paid to to watch it. This wasn't my insight but I think it could be very, very close to the mark.

"Colin, Colin show us your arse" - personality, emotion, committment. It isn't much to ask but the present crop have none of these characteristics. How can we feel connected to this team?

The suggestion that Sky could level the playing field with an equal distribution of money would be an excellent starting point, coupled with salary caps, reasonable wages allied to win bonuses and attendance bonus. The game was still great when Liverpool dominated for 20 years from 1973 to 1992. Why? Leeds, Derby, Forest, Villa, Everton all won a Championship (9 between them) despite Liverpool being the all powerful team. In 13 years of the PL we have moved to a situation where it's a three horse race and the rest simply do not have a chance of winning.

[Alan75]

"Colin, Colin show us your arse" - personality, emotion, committment.

Yes it would be great to have world class players gracing Ewood, but it would also be great to have the characters eg the end of game salmon leap of Flowers.

MGP did a lot to gain favour with the fans when he, maybe by accident, dived into the crowd after scoring.

It was very refreshing on Saturday, to see the Colchester keeper smiling and joining in the banter with the Blackburn Enders. I suspect if he had ignored the BE early applause after clearing the next back pass the fans would have started a chant such as Dodgy Keeper, however due to him joining in the banter all he got was applause at every opportunity.

Lets be honest - How many of our current crop of players give the fans any recognition.

Brad, Tugay at the end of the game !!!

And Matt Jansen will allways applaud the fans.