[Archived] Fans Forum (2/09/08)

[Ewood Spark]

The agenda setting meeting for the next Fans Forum will be held tomorrow evening (18/08/08). Any suggestions for agenda items welcome.

[Flopsy]

where's the money gone?

What is the justification for this multi faith room being in the most busiest place of the ground?

[philipl]

Can the PR team get its act together please?

How does the club feel about all the pre-season leaks?

Is there a late surge in ST sales?

What is the club doing to encourage visiting support to come to Ewood given our prices are still so competitive?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Do we have PR team and if not why?..we desperately need one with the media seemingly against us.Needs to be addressed quickly.

The cleaning of Ewood park needs to be looked at,dirty looking stands inside and out.

Season ticket sales to date please

Have the club any plans to move the family stand from the BBurn End in the future and make this area a designated singing stand.

[nellybc]

here here with regards to the cleaning of the stands outside

I thought it was just me that was upset with the state of it

Going past ewood and the bird droppings just sour the view!

[KingCrip]

Is there any plan for the points card things yet? I thought they could be used at half time when buying drinks etc, but at the NAC game the people serving did'nt have a clue (as usual).

[bob fleming]

What is the justification for this multi faith room being in the most busiest place of the ground?

Please stick that at the top of the list. An absolutely ridiculous idea. Why there? Who was consulted? Has this been brought up at any previous fans forums? Try asking how many people they think will use it on a match day and compare that number to how many would normally have used the toliets there. A 1 to 1000 ratio perhaps?

An unbelievably poor decision to have the Multi Faith Room at this part of the stadium. The mind boggles.

[blue phil]

Why is the bloody tannoy so loud ? Do they think we are all deaf ? Could they relocate the prayer room to the Jack Walker stand so I could take refuge there to escape the noise pollution

[ABBEY]

Why is the bloody tannoy so loud ? Do they think we are all deaf ? Could they relocate the prayer room to the Jack Walker stand so I could take refuge there to escape the noise pollution

you geratric old fart thought it was jim typing

[laughatthedingles]

There are actually parts of the ground who can't hear the tannoy at all, can someone from each section please give feedback on the tannoy in thier area.

[cn174]

There are actually parts of the ground who can't hear the tannoy at all, can someone from each section please give feedback on the tannoy in thier area.

Can't hear it much in the family stand.

I remember about 3/4 years ago there were people outside the ground on the first day of the season asking fans for recommendations about the ground. I know several people who mentioned about the tannoy in the FS. For a couple games after it was loud, then was back to its normal quietness and has been ever since.

[vintageadidas]

1. The "multi" faith room (muslim room) has been located in a ridiculous place. A very large proportion of BBE fans are season ticket holders, who will never be required to pray 5 times a day. These seats are not usually given up or replaced as they are loyal fans. This room should have been constructed in a location were mainly match day tickets are sold to cater for those who require to pray 5 times a day.

2. Are we targeting fans from the ethnic communities in our town? Large asian, considerable Polish element now (demographic targeting). Possible multi language promotional offers. There are 50,000 people to be targeted - even 3% of this would considerably increase our gate.

3. Is it possible to sell burgers at half-time?

[Alan75]

Please stick that at the top of the list. An absolutely ridiculous idea. Why there? Who was consulted? Has this been brought up at any previous fans forums? Try asking how many people they think will use it on a match day and compare that number to how many would normally have used the toliets there. A 1 to 1000 ratio perhaps?

An unbelievably poor decision to have the Multi Faith Room at this part of the stadium. The mind boggles.

If the arguement is that they need one for staff, they could have stuck it anywhere in the ground, even converted a hospitality box usually full of away fans.

The BBE toilets were over crowded at the best of times.

[blue phil]

If the arguement is that they need one for staff, they could have stuck it anywhere in the ground,

If they are using that argument then they are simply lying through their back teeth .

How many people have a prayer room at work ? How many fewer have even asked for one ?

The Rovers need a grilling for this patronising decision which is insulting to the fan groups they purport to consult on such decisions .

[JAL]

Please stick that at the top of the list. An absolutely ridiculous idea. Why there? Who was consulted? Has this been brought up at any previous fans forums? Try asking how many people they think will use it on a match day and compare that number to how many would normally have used the toliets there. A 1 to 1000 ratio perhaps?

.

An unbelievably poor decision to have the Multi Faith Room at this part of the stadium. The mind boggles.

Try and think of it from the clubs point of view and the wider community in Blackburn than just from a personal point of view.

Does it really hurt anyone at the end of the day, if it does then I find that sad, we have to remember it is for all and not just muslims.

Its good PR that shows that the club dont discriminate on race or religion except for John Newsham who only picks on people smaller than him.

[thenodrog]

Look at it another way, it's never ever a multi-faith room is it? Thats just a politically correct euphamism, and given the small number of IndoPaks that I see at Ewood it's effectively a private lounge for muslims.

So......... if it's a private lounge how about actually putting a doorman on the door and selling pass cards for anybody who wants to use it? It shouldn't be free should it? Just like the car park passes, Darwen End suite passes, Private boxes etc etc. It's a commercial business. If someone desperately wants to pray then paying for the convenience / priviledge will surely make the whole event more rewarding and keep out any lower caste riff raff.

I'm sure the knowledge that people are paying their whack and contributing to the commercial success of BRFC will head of a lot of objections.

Ask em to consider that ES.

[1864roverite]

tannoy in JW Upper is useless.

A louder PA system would probably generate a better pre match atmosphere

[GiddyGoat]

I don't know how the club is managed, if its the board who make all the decisions or if there is a management exec that runs the club. Whoever it is needs to start eating their own dog food. I suggest that the level of management that are responsible for concourse catering, stadium facilities, prayer rooms etc, positioning of shelves and tables, staffing, turnstiles and renewing Gerald Jackson's contract should have to attend at least fours games per season as a regular supporter. No car parking space and a seat under a leaking down pipe. It must be mandatory for them to eat and drink at the ground and to use the toilets at half time. They should do this for big games and the poorly attended Carling Cup games.

I'm not suggesting that the facilities are bad at all but surely some first hand experience of the general facilities and fan experience would help them make sensible decisions in the future.

[roversmum]

The PA system has been bad for some time.

The big screen is in a bad condition, looks shoddy when stuff is being shown on it as there are black spots all over it.

The state of the Park is very disappointing, particularly the front of the Blackburn End Stand. The Reception sign is rusty and needs replacing/restoring, the facia of the building is very dirty and the blue paint is flaking off. The white painted supports of the stands all round the ground have gone green and need painting/cleaning.

The memorial garden, is once again, full of weeds and needs attention and a bit more plants and gravel wouldn't go amiss.

I appreciate these are only small things in the scheme of things but pride in the club should not allow them to get to the state they are in.

It's time a raised area was constructed for disabled supporters. It's all very well saying there are x number of places for disabled supporters we're talking numbers rather than quality.

[jw_]

Look at it another way, it's never ever a multi-faith room is it? Thats just a politically correct euphamism, and given the small number of IndoPaks that I see at Ewood it's effectively a private lounge for muslims.

So......... if it's a private lounge how about actually putting a doorman on the door and selling pass cards for anybody who wants to use it? It shouldn't be free should it? Just like the car park passes, Darwen End suite passes, Private boxes etc etc. It's a commercial business. If someone desperately wants to pray then paying for the convenience / priviledge will surely make the whole event more rewarding and keep out any lower caste riff raff.

I'm sure the knowledge that people are paying their whack and contributing to the commercial success of BRFC will head of a lot of objections.

Ask em to consider that ES.

All good points there thenodrog. I have to say the so called multi faith room is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard of,why would anybody need to pray in the middle of a football match (other than for a goal), would it be to prove a point. For arguments sake suddenly it's "time to pray" so I must go to the "faith"room but hang on there's a penalty so I'll wait and watch that first,therefore the praying has to wait. The point being that if praying can wait why can't it wait for a couple of hours. Of course everybody knows it's not a MULTI faith room and that it's really pandering to a group of people of which there must be very few because if it was thousands they'd never fit into the so called multi room.

I'm sorry Rovers but that room is the most ridiculous idea that has ever been put into use at Ewood Park which in case the creators of the "room" have forgotton is the Blackburn home for FOOTBALL not churches, mosques, synagogues or temples etc.

.

[philipl]

Please congratuulate the cluub in putting a multifaith room in the stadium.

[Hughesy]

Please congratuulate the cluub in putting a multifaith room in the stadium.

At last! Please also add my congratulations.

The toilet arguement is rubbish! Yes it is very busy at the rush (for about 5 minutes) the rest of the time it is 2/3 empty. Yes you might have to wait a couple of minutes but tough! Think about others who have religious needs - if we want to attract new support from our area then this is a positive step.

Ok a couple from me please.

Season ticket sales update please. Maybe numbers on new season tickets, amount not renewed etc.

Ask the club if the 3rd kit could be released, maybe on a limited edition basis as I know of many who would like this kit.

Ask if Ince has substantial financial backing if needed following the sale of Bentley + our transfer fund already.

Raised disable area isn’t a bad one – maybe the riverside one of the corners where is isn’t full.

Also what is the plan with the land outside ewood, where the church was, is it our land or has someone else bought it to develop on? If so what?

[JAL]

Questions re improving the ground.

Is there any chance of adding another giant tv screen at the opposite side of the fraser eagle stand.

Is there any chance of giant wording or lettering on top of the Blackburn end stand with a club crest on aswell, could they do this also for the Dawen end.

Can the club tidy up the outside area of Ewood park around the Blackburn end/Jack Walker stand area.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I appreciate these are only small things in the scheme of things but pride in the club should not allow them to get to the state they are in.

To damn right pride shouldn't allow it to happen mum,the new Ewood is one of Jacks legacies...we are being let down.If they cant clean the facias of the stands them damn well replace them!

I have stated this before but who the hell allowed the stand framework to be painted brillaint white?....its now a shade of green

JAL:Is there any chance of giant wording or lettering on top of the Blackburn end stand with a club crest on aswell, could they do this also for the Dawen end.

Good call JAL.... EWOOD PARK /CLUB CREST/ BLACKBURN ROVERS F.C. proudly displayed along the top of the Jack Walker stand

[only2garners]

So to summarise folks, you would like us to condemn/applaud the club for opening a multi-faith prayer room and to turn down/up the tannoy system - OK

More straightforwardly there is a general view that the ground and its surrounds need a good tidying up. It would be good if we could get a raised area for disabled viewing.

We will expect to get an update on season ticket sales. We won't be asking about transfer pots - that's team business and outside our remit. We will ask again about the fate of the church and school land behind the Darwen End, as we have done for some meetings. So far the club have been unwilling to say anything, but with a very knowing smile.

Ask the club if the 3rd kit could be released, maybe on a limited edition basis as I know of many who would like this kit.

We asked at the last meeting - this is the minute: -

SL asked whether the 07/08 away strip would be made available for sale with the new Crown logo, as it would still be used occasionally in the coming season. TF replied that the club would not sell three kits at the same time.