[Archived] Killing Us!

[Tris]

Everyone on here seems to assume that the only measure of success for increasing attendances is the direct gate revenue. I was trying to point out that, since gate revenue is a lowly third in our sources of income, that perhaps the club should view Ewood attendances in a broader perspective, and that other sources of income might be indirectly linked to the attendance level. If every seat for every game was a tenner and we sold out every week, the gate revenue would be 5.7 million - no change to what it is now. But on average I would argue that we would win more games thus finishing higher, be on telly more, and sell more of those embarrassingly empty executive boxes, and be much better off overall.

I have often read on here that 'lower prices don't work', but we don't know that. We only know that random and infrequently applied lower prices for the most unatttractive fixtures don't seem to work. But is that a surprise? Football watching is a habit that needs to be built. A tenner to watch Fulham amidst a sea of 35 quids to watch Everton and Man City makes no sense at all as a pricing strategy when the ground is 40% empty.

But anyway, it doesn't matter if I have any ideas or not. It is clear that JW doesn't have good any ideas either. At least me not having any ideas doesn't cost the club 250k a year in salary.

If every seat for every game was a tenner then you would destroy the season ticket base in one stroke of ill considered pricing policy - and with it a vital injection of hard cash at the time of year that every club most needs it.

This latest policy appears to be to maximise revenue from away fans having already protected the huge majority of home fans - loyal ST holders - from any increase in cost. Having previously tried plenty of other tactics to boost gate revenue then this one is surely worth a shot.

It's easy to slag the club off on here or in the pub, but those who do so can't see the attendance data, trends and stats that those who run the club have used to build a pricing structure both for Season Tickets and walk up fans - designed to max revenue and get the best possible team on the pitch.

And the fact is EIT, that you have consistently been having a go at John Williams for years, whatever the clubs pricing policy happens to be at the time. And each time someone points out the challenging parameters within which Rovers have to operate, you make a reference to JW's salary and say he should be able to sort it out!

Would you like him to have a go at changing the Lancashire climate while he's at it - I mean for that sort of salary ... ... ...

[Exiled in Toronto]

If every seat for every game was a tenner then you would destroy the season ticket base in one stroke of ill considered pricing policy - and with it a vital injection of hard cash at the time of year that every club most needs it.

Implement it next close season and let this seasons ticket holders have theirs for 8 quid; it'll only cost another 500k, peanuts compared to the total income that is at stake.

And the fact is EIT, that you have consistently been having a go at John Williams for years, whatever the clubs pricing policy happens to be at the time. And each time someone points out the challenging parameters within which Rovers have to operate, you make a reference to JW's salary and say he should be able to sort it out!

That's because I believe executive management is ultimately about results, not trying hard or difficult conditions passing for excuses. The City gate would seem to suggest that the home support is now down to around 15,000, a figure none of us would have believed when I first began questioning JW's track record.

The ship is sinking and short term milking strategies are just making it worse.

[Paul]

I don't have an answer on the ticketing policy but I understand the current policy and posted about this months back The loyal fans are protected and any fan who wants that protection can have it by buying an ST. I forget how cheap the cheapest is but it's very good value. Yes some folk have to miss games etc because of the ludicrous kick off times implemented for the benefit of the couch potatoes but that is not Rovers fault.

TBH I can't see the stadium being sold out week after week if it was £5, £10 or even free......many of those we have lost are now comfy in the pubs and clubs of Blackburn. Until the stauration TV coverage is stopped it will be very difficult to attract them back.

Blackburn Rovers haven't created this situation but the greed of the players, PL and FA has. Televised fotball has destroyed the game while bringing only a few real benefits. Yes we have the facilities but that's about it and even those are questionable in the influemce they have on crowds and attracting the top players. The answer lies in a radical re-think on wages, squads, players etc. Football has reached the point where it is now impinging on other areas of my life and virtually every game I have to give up something in order to attend ~ I don't know how much longer I'm prepared to make those sacrifices

Cycling is my other big leisure activity. It gives me enormous pleasure, more than watching Rovers at present. My road club goes out on a Sunday morning for 6-7 hours, meaning I have to chose between this and Rovers for nearly every other game as I simply can't get home in time to do both. I've invested more money in my cycle and other bits of kit than my ST. To watch Rovers I have to leave the bike in the garage most weekends. I'm sure others have activities they are similarily passionate about which force them to make a decision.

We need to cut player salaries by 50% (edit by this I mean ALL clubs) and if this means losing the stars, and lets face it the impact at Rovers would be minimal compared to the big clubs, it's OK with me. If we don't have the Ballacks, Schevchenkos, Gerrards, Lampards etc of the game playing in this country so be it, I couldn't give a fig. If the big four disappear to some European league, let them go. I don't care I simply want to see committed players giving their all at 3.00pm on a Saturday.

TV money has destroyed the game and until football returns to being an exciting, passionate game the fans will not retrun. The supposed "best league in the world" is in fact very boring. The result of most games is irrelevant - Rovers aren't going to win the league and unless we are in a relegation battle very few matches will really matter this season. The cup games have a relevance but if we get knocked out of those what is there to look forward to? This must be addressed and the saturation coverage of TV removed from our screens. Then I'll feel more like singing the blues and not sitting back think "entertain me, that's what you're paid to do" ~ something I never used to feel no matter how bad the team played.

Football is supposed to be a business. This makes me laugh every time I hear it. The people running football haven't a frigging clue. Any business that loses the focus on its customers deserves to fail and football is far from focused on the fan/customer base. If football is in trouble it should look to cutting costs, examining the problems and focusing on the customer. Some chance of that happening.

The PL need to stop treating me, its customer, like an idiot who has nothing else in his life. Strangely I could survive without ever watching another game. Someone, somewhere needs to recognise this very simple fact.

I'm no fool and I'm tired of being taken for granted by the game.

Edited September 21, 2006 by Paul

[krislu]

As Paul says lets cut our wages by 50% then we will lose all our best players resulting in us getting relegated a couple of divisions, no problem there. We can then have cheeper tickets because of the massive savings in wages. This would also get people back to Ewood because there ain't much TV coverage in the lower leagues.

All our players should be hard working Englishmen who join us in the pub after the game, just like the good old days...

[Paul]

....and while I'm having a rant. Tuesday's Panorama was a startling example of how our game is being exploited by the media and destroyed by television. Even the BBC now finds it necessary to make garbage, News of the World style, programmes about football and sell them to us as "investigative journalism."

I don't know if there is a bung culture in football and I do care about this. However I hope Sam Allardyce is innocent, I hope he can prove it and I hope he sues the BBC for millions. On Wednesday morning several people asked me for my opinion on the programme, when I replied I thought it was rubbish they all looked surprised. The BBC have told millions who are uninterested in football, and interested in nothing but scandal, that football is rotten, and the punters believe it.

If Allardyce et al are proved innocent I hope every person connected with making that garbage is forced to resign and every named individual who is proved innocent gets 60 minutes of primetime to tell the world.

If you want an example of how the media have destroyed the game from it which has earnt millions the BBC and Panorama provided it on Tuesday night. I am just sick to death of the whole thing.

[Paul]

As Paul says lets cut our wages by 50% then we will lose all our best players resulting in us getting relegated a couple of divisions, no problem there. We can then have cheeper tickets because of the massive savings in wages. This would also get people back to Ewood because there ain't much TV coverage in the lower leagues.

All our players should be hard working Englishmen who join us in the pub after the game, just like the good old days...

No that is not what I'm saying, and I've added an edit above to make that clear. I believe the PL as whole has to cut its wage bill. 80% of TV revenues are paid to players, this is ridiculous. We have over-exposure because the clubs have to bow to every demand from TV in order to retain the money. Football is no longer special, it's just media pap. Why do you think the foreign players are here? To display their talents in "the best league in the world" or to earn millions? Be honest.

The most important people in football are you and I. We have been forgotten, nobody gives a damn about us, we are the vocal wallpaper. Suddenly thousands and thousands of us have had enough and are beginning or have turned our backs on the game we grew up with. There are many different reasons for this but football continues to ignore us all.

Face facts, football in its current state will be the downfall of Blackburn Rovers, OUR football club. It will happen before I die.

[AggyBlue]

Whilst I feel much as Paul does, I think footballs ruling body Fifa must also shoulder some blame for the loss of appeal that the game is suffering by constantly tinkering with the rules and how they are interpreted.

English football used to be lauded for it's 'cut and thrust' action. Fifa seems to be doing all it can to make the game a non contact sport, taking away what made our football a great spectacle. It seems as most fouls now receive a yellow card.

'Get into 'em, Get into 'em' - sorry, it's just not allowed anymore.

[krislu]

I believe the PL as whole has to cut its wage bill. 80% of TV revenues are paid to players, this is ridiculous.

Why do you think the foreign players are here? To display their talents in "the best league in the world" or to earn millions? Be honest.

I agree with you, but as long as the big clubs have no problems with high wage bills then noting will be done. The top foregin stars are of course here to make good money, if it wasn't for the high wages in England they would have stayed in a nicer climate like Spain.

If we want to play in the PL we just have to accept this, even if our crowd drops below 15 000.

[FourLaneBlue]

I don't know if there is a bung culture in football and I do care about this. However I hope Sam Allardyce is innocent, I hope he can prove it and I hope he sues the BBC for millions.

If you really want to know more than take a look at your local bookstore or pop into your local library. There are much better works to look into than that ludicrous 'documentary' the other night.

Of course if you are only going to believe anything can be amiss if you have a detailed, signed statement by the 'wrongdoers' saying 'we done it - you got us' then you aren't going to be satisfied too much. Then again...Al Capone was never actually proven to be gangster in that case was he? Just a tubby tax dodger...

I hope Sam isn't guilty of anything either - it's not as if he is short of money and he really does seem to love the club he is at. If he was sticking his hands in the till so to speak at the club he has spent most of his working life then how could you really trust anyone in football?

[CAPT KAYOS]

I agree with you, but as long as the big clubs have no problems with high wage bills then noting will be done.

Krislu this is the reason why I keep going on about the higher echelons need to get a grip and sort something out - it appears all that seems to happen is people keep dragging their feet.

Paul - I have to admire you again on your comments except the ludicrous k/o times as it is the clubs fault and not just Rovers for selling out to TV

FLB - I agree but the so called powers that be that run our game ( I agree with Paul BTW in that that they haven't a friggin clue) should have been able to stand their ground , throw some influence or whatever but as above for whatever reason everything is a mess ... Wembley, cheating in the game, amount of time need to get things sorted, the appointment of the Engalnd Manager the list is endless ...

The game is in a mess and it might be too late to rectify it -for those that are bothered anyway ie the paying Fans.

Edited September 21, 2006 by CAPT KAYOS

[FourLaneBlue]

I'd say that those who supposed to be monitoring the game, the FA and Premier League chairmen, are so intertwined with it all that the incentive to root out corruption - IF () there is any.

There is a need for an abitrary external regulator for football to see that money is being frittered away but there doesn't seem to be the political will from Downing Street anymore. It would have to come from there as football won't set it up...turkeys don't vote for Christmas do they?

Personally I think that the program did prove that there is a culture of bungs in the game...unfortunately it produced no evidence whatsoever on those it targeted. It may be far less prevalent than it is rumoured to be but it was obvious that these things do still go on...somewhere.

Edited September 21, 2006 by FourLaneBlue

[ihateburnley]

The day we can look forward to is the the day that the big clubs break away from the English Premier League and join their Microsoft-in-association-with GlaxoSmithKline Super Euro Soccer League sponsored by McDonalds. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal can all leave and earn their mega-bucks - and leave the rest of us to start again with no Sky, old rules etc. We can have a proper league where at the end of each player's contract we can bring in a rule that permits only vastly reduced wages. This in turn can allow vastly reduced ticket prices.

There are some real clubs out there. Along with us, you have the likes of Leeds United, the two Sheffield clubs, Everton, Newcastle etc etc who are all MASSIVE clubs with great histories between them. No doubt they all feel the same as us - the only difference with them is that they have the numbers to satisfy any reduction in demand for tickets. We don't.

Everyone who is thinking along the lines of the club - i.e. let's milk the fans that turn up rather than look for solutions to get more people in - are very blinkered. When the attendance drop the atmosphere gets worse, which in turn reduces numbers even more. In my opinion, if the club has to sacrifice £1m a year in order to lower ticket prices to a reasonable rate, then surely this is worth it? What's the point in having a successful team if nobody can afford to attend the matches. Me personally? - I'd rather us be relegated than ever going a full season without going to a game simply because I can't afford it.

I say let's increase the interest in Rovers by bumping up the crowds and making a real atmosphere. Like someone said before, our directors get paid enough to make these decisions. Once we have the support to match our Premier League status, then we can review our ticketing policy. However at the current rate we are going to be getting crowds of less than 15k next season - and then we won't be able to attract the crowds OR the players. And then we will be screwed!

ROVERS - ACT NOW BEFORE IT GETS TOO LATE

[thenodrog]

If Allardyce et al are proved innocent I hope every person connected with making that garbage is forced to resign and every named individual who is proved innocent gets 60 minutes of primetime to tell the world.

Two chances of that Paul........... Slim and Fat!

[den]

IHB, like it or not, the minute the big clubs break away from the Premier league, is the minute clubs like rovers disappear back to the days of 5000 gates. It's only the Prem money that differentiates us from the rest of the similar sized clubs.

Leeds United, the two Sheffield clubs, Everton, Newcastle etc etc that you say will want to go that way, will in fact only have one thing on their mind - joining the Man U's and Chelsea's, not seeing them off. They want to tap into the prem money. They want to play those clubs every week.

"I say let's increase the interest in Rovers by bumping up the crowds and making a real atmosphere." I know I keep saying it and some don't like it, but if you have some suggestions as to how to achieve that, then forward them to the club. They don't know how to boost crowds, nor do I, nor does anyone else. Success on the field is the only possible way, but that needs success year on year. That is very difficult for a club with rovers' finances. As we have seen, one good season makes little difference to attendances.

[thenodrog]

An idea that you haven't got a clue how to implement, whether it's even possible to implement, or whether it will work or not (imo it wouldn't). Still, having the idea is all that counts apparently so good effort.

Conficious said ' The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step'.

Right well clever clogs scotty, nobody on this board, and I mean NOBODY has come up with a solution that is aimed at ensuring gates in our local club not in excess of 30,000 but in excess of 40,000 which would level the playing field between us and the really top clubs! Can you remember Jack Walker extolling the idea of 'Think Big'? Often wrong in business was he scotty? I suggest that you do likewise rather than grubbing around for another 5000 or so that will put us up with the likes of such luminaries as Wolves or Forest. The 'lets get immigrants' involved and 'lets get Cumbrians' to come on down whilst noteworthy is doomed to failure in the bigger picture I'm afraid.

As for your last sentance have you never heard of a 'Think tank'? Never heard of inventors or ideas men? Many see the way forward although they may not know the nuts and bolts of the proposal. I'm not saying my idea is the best but it's without doubt the best yet, although our resident Ostriches will never agree! (Soon to be Dodo's perhaps )

Anyway enough of me lets hear you have a go please. Lets hear how you propose to move BRFC forward from our current position of relative strength to a vibrant, healthy and self sufficient future. And btw thats a question that I shall in turn ask you every time you come over all smarmy gobshite with me.

[Paul]

Two chances of that Paul........... Slim and Fat!

I know, that is the sadness of it. The media happily rubbish these people all over primetime TV and when proved to be wrong will give them an apology on the back page of the Radio Times.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Conficious said ' The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step'.

Right well clever clogs scotty, nobody on this board, and I mean NOBODY has come up with a solution that is aimed at ensuring gates in our local club not in excess of 30,000 but in excess of 40,000 which would level the playing field between us and the really top clubs! Can you remember Jack Walker extolling the idea of 'Think Big'? Often wrong in business was he scotty? I suggest that you do likewise rather than grubbing around for another 5000 or so that will put us up with the likes of such luminaries as Wolves or Forest. The 'lets get immigrants' involved and 'lets get Cumbrians' to come on down whilst noteworthy is doomed to failure in the bigger picture I'm afraid.

As for your last sentance have you never heard of a 'Think tank'? Never heard of inventors or ideas men? Many see the way forward although they may not know the nuts and bolts of the proposal. I'm not saying my idea is the best but it's without doubt the best yet, although our resident Ostriches will never agree! (Soon to be Dodo's perhaps )

Anyway enough of me lets hear you have a go please. Lets hear how you propose to move BRFC forward from our current position of relative strength to a vibrant, healthy and self sufficient future. And btw thats a question that I shall in turn ask you every time you come over all smarmy gobshite with me.

Before Scotty gets his claws on you

Fire me down here, but can I just clarify a few points you are trying to make.

Are you saying, that unless we go down your idea road of LU, we are not going to be able to compete regardless and the same for other clubs who cannot pull the numbers? If so would this not effectively kill off the interest anyway and any real competitive interest with no relegation or promotion. Where does it leave other clubs or the structure of the League at the moment

LU - Maybe (as you keep barging on about ') be on paper the most logical idea theoretically, however practically everybody knows this would be a non-starter as there would not be enough time for it to evolve and establish itself to become 'effective seriously' as a Football Club. How far do you expand it to include what clubs - as I am certain the fans of Rovers/Burnleh/Accy Stan/Blackpool/Nob End /Notlob/Bury/Rochdale etc etc... would not want to go and watch the inbred 'Sister team' of AFC Wimbledon. Following on from this -would this not also have to cover other areas of the country in a similar vein ? I'm sure the fans of the likes of Stoke/Port Vale/Crewe or Bristol City/ Bristol Rovers /Swindon etc would be all in agreement

In defence of Scotty, is he not a prime member of the BRISA with a role to fulfil? IMO that is 'thinking big' or doing something however small which hopefully will contribute something to moving BRFC forward.

Instead of trying to fire points of each other schoolyard behaving - how about a think tank together -I'm sure Scotty would take forward any worthwhile ideas you have TND or at least give more strength to your LU proposal.

Alot of good, genuine, concerned, honest ideas/reasons have been posted on here and what would appear to be practical thinking in to how they could be incorporated to work unlike the Rovers who probably have more information to hand than we could ever have but still seem to be nowhere on getting any sort of encouraging results.

[thenodrog]

IMO that is 'thinking big' or doing something however small

[roversWASmylife]

You can talk about this all day if you want.

We all know the reasons why the attendances are getting poorer. I know at least 8 lads who are either 18 or 19 who haven't renewed their season tickets this season, including myself.

Some of us are leaving home, going to uni etc or what have you and the others who are staying are fed up of football. A season ticket at Rovers is very good value don't get me wrong but a season ticket is a 19 game commitment. People have more stuff going on in their lives than Rovers and football.

People go out and do other stuff on weekends, 1 home game at Ewood at 3pm on Saturday before December.

I know people who pick and choose their games more often now, a few of us will make a day of it and go to an away game etc. Personally, I can't justify paying £30+ to watch a game for 90 minutes. Call me a part timer or whatever you want, but I'm not the only one in thinking this.

[thenodrog]

Alot of good, genuine, concerned, honest ideas/reasons have been posted on here and what would appear to be practical thinking in to how they could be incorporated to work unlike the Rovers who probably have more information to hand than we could ever have but still seem to be nowhere on getting any sort of encouraging results.

A point that I have been labouring tirelessly. Word of advice CK 'if you want something different to happen you've got to do something different'.

[CAPT KAYOS]

A point that I have been labouring tirelessly. Word of advice CK 'if you want something different to happen you've got to do something different'.

Agreed at last I think

However, from your comments you make it seem like your idea is the only one that could work which is probably the reason why the remarks fly back the way they do.

[thenodrog]

I know at least 8 lads who are either 18 or 19 who haven't renewed their season tickets this season, including myself. ...........

............Call me a part timer or whatever you want, but I'm not the only one in thinking this.

Right so would you mind changing your name then to something more appropriate?

btw I've given you a clue above and without checking I think its available.

[Paul]

theno, I think the big problem with Lancashire United is the tribal nature of football. as you say this "club" would probably need 40,000 on the gate to work. Where on earth are we going to find 40,000 Lancastrians to support this club?

We have to discount all those who wouldn't step inside the ground because they are PNE, Rovers, Blackpool, Burnely etc. Then we have the thousands who support City, Bolton, Wigan, Liverpool, Everton, Utd etc. I do follow your arguement and IF this was simply a question of setting up a baseball franchise it might work. The major flaw in your idea is football is partly about tribal loyalty, once a Rover always a Rover and cannnot be broken with all the money or stars on the planet.

Given the choice between Lancashire United and a real football club I know which I'd chose.

I've one idea that hasn't been raised before, to my knowledge. Knock down Ewood Park and build a new stadium somewhere easily accessible? With hindsight this is what Jack should have done, but then hindsight is a wonderfull thing.

[Scotty]

Conficious said ' The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step'.

Right well clever clogs scotty, nobody on this board, and I mean NOBODY has come up with a solution that is aimed at ensuring gates in our local club not in excess of 30,000 but in excess of 40,000 which would level the playing field between us and the really top clubs! Can you remember Jack Walker extolling the idea of 'Think Big'? Often wrong in business was he scotty? I suggest that you do likewise rather than grubbing around for another 5000 or so that will put us up with the likes of such luminaries as Wolves or Forest. The 'lets get immigrants' involved and 'lets get Cumbrians' to come on down whilst noteworthy is doomed to failure in the bigger picture I'm afraid.

As for your last sentance have you never heard of a 'Think tank'? Never heard of inventors or ideas men? Many see the way forward although they may not know the nuts and bolts of the proposal. I'm not saying my idea is the best but it's without doubt the best yet, although our resident Ostriches will never agree! (Soon to be Dodo's perhaps )

Anyway enough of me lets hear you have a go please. Lets hear how you propose to move BRFC forward from our current position of relative strength to a vibrant, healthy and self sufficient future. And btw thats a question that I shall in turn ask you every time you come over all smarmy gobshite with me.

The fact that you've posted so obnoxiously and defensively just shows me that you realise your idea has no merit, has no worth, and would simply not work. By stating constantly that you have the answer when you clearly haven't makes me wonder why you need to consistently seek such self assurance.

Anyone can come up with a stupid idea. I could say, for example, that the way to solve our attendance problems would be to go after the "pink pound". We could play in a pink kit with tight spandex shorts, re-name ourselfs to Blackburn Ravers, have the team walk out to Kylie - all in an attempt to attract gay football fans to Ewood. Of course, it's a ridiculous suggestion, it wouldn't solve the attendance problem at all and would just serve to alienate most of our current fans, but it has about as much merit as your idea.

Yet you continue to think that just because you've come up with a daft idea you somehow possess the gift of foresight and wisdom. In that case, I'll ask again, how exactly would your idea attract higher attendances to Ewood (or wherever "Lancashire United" are supposedly going to play)? Because imo, ignoring the practicalities of your idea for now (and there's a lot to ignore), a merger/takeover of any local clubs would just serve to alienate the fans of those clubs - thus reducing crowds, not increasing them. Now, you can get as upset as you want, but until you can answer that question with a reasoned argument then your idea means sweet fa.

As for your ridiculously childish repost of "what's your idea then?" I'm able to admit that I haven't got one. I don't believe that there is a simple, one-off idea or scheme that can be implemented to turn our attendances around. The whole situation is a complex one and a number of areas require change. What I do know though is that talk of club mergers, super leagues, and clubs relocating just serve to perpetuate the problem. Schemes like that are not tackling the underlying issues, they are simply papering over the cracks and alienating more and more fans along the way.

The sad truth is that, more than ever before, money matters. The clubs with the most money are, by and large, the most successful. Rovers are always going to struggle to compete with the big city clubs in the current climate as we simply don't have the fanbase. All the club can do in the short term is maximise their resources as best they can. That means good team management, good accountancy, and good transfer dealing - things I think the club have done pretty well since Hughes took over. The club need to hold onto the fans that they've got as best as they can, and hope that the team continues to be successful. There were a number of ideas and schemes in the BRISA Attendance Proposal (some of which I notice have been implemented this summer) that could help in this regard. What is sure is that the club have to look after their existing fans better than they ever have before - and I'm not entirely sure they are doing that as well as they could at the moment.

In the longer term things have to change nationally or even internationally if Rovers are really going to compete with the bigger clubs. The current 'money = success' formula has to change, or at least be watered down, before the whole game, not just Rovers, find themselves in trouble. The Champions League is a ridiculous tournament that is designed to ensure that the rich clubs stay rich. The current Premiership TV deal gives the clubs far too much money, money that is not distributed evenly enough, and provides far too much coverage of the matches.

By reducing the amount of money available through both the Champions League and TV, and distributing that money much more evenly throughout the whole English league, the clubs would then be forced to reduce their wage bills and, hopefully, be in a position where they could reduce their ticket prices. The fear of failure wouldn't be as high as it is now meaning that clubs wouldn't be as likely to spend money they haven't got just to maintain their status. In addition, if the saturation TV coverage was reduced to a more sensible level fans may just start to come back to watch live football instead.

Unfortunately, football has become such big business these days that it's hard to see any of the above changing in the near future. Eventually though the problems we are having at Rovers will start to effect even the biggest clubs, and perhaps then things will start to change for the better.

[AggyBlue]

Confucius also said, although it was never recorded 'You can't make a mountain out of a molehill'