[Archived] Boycotting Away Travel Against The "Big Four"

[slough_rover]

Ive been a Rovers supporter for most of my life but Ive had the misfortune of living down south ever since I turned 10. I have held a season ticket on several occasions but doing the round trip from London to Blackburn week in week out isnt feasible unless you have a sizeable income, which I dont. So as the years have progressed I've had to pick and choose the games I go to including making sure I always attend the games against the so called big four, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and L'pool.

So far this season i have forked out £100 quid to see us play both Arsenal and Chelsea, and that doesn't include travel, food etc. That is over third of the cost of our cheapest season ticket, and for what?? To see us let in 11 goals!!! Its absolutely disgusting. Am I imagining it or are we not the team that not too many seasons ago did the double over Man U? I cannot believe the way we approach the games against the cream of our league. At least with Sparky there seemed to be a game plan and some desire to do well. But with Big Sam there just seems to be this attitude of "get this over and done with boys and look forward to a game you may get a point from". This defeatest attitude out on the pitch absolutely stinks. In fact not only does it stink but its damn right embarrasing as we now must have the worst record against the top four.

I am not saying Big Sam should be sacked as to be fair he is the best manager this club can attract with its budget. But what I plan to do from this day forward is boycott all away games against the big four unless the manager can get the players showing some passion and desire. How can we go from one week playing against the Dingles with so much passion and then go to this drivel that I was forced to watch from the stands with my over priced beer and under cooked pie!!!

Come on Allardyce and Rovers show some F***in backbone!!! To be the best you have to beat the best, and no I dont expect us to win the title but at least show the desire to make every team earn their points against us. Teams like Arsenal and Chelsea used to hate playing against us and now were just a laughing stock to the cream of our league.

[liam]

Ive been a Rovers supporter for most of my life but Ive had the misfortune of living down south ever since I turned 10. I have held a season ticket on several occasions but doing the round trip from London to Blackburn week in week out isnt feasible unless you have a sizeable income, which I dont. So as the years have progressed I've had to pick and choose the games I go to including making sure I always attend the games against the so called big four, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and L'pool.

So far this season i have forked out £100 quid to see us play both Arsenal and Chelsea, and that doesn't include travel, food etc. That is over third of the cost of our cheapest season ticket, and for what?? To see us let in 11 goals!!! Its absolutely disgusting. Am I imagining it or are we not the team that not too many seasons ago did the double over Man U? I cannot believe the way we approach the games against the cream of our league. At least with Sparky there seemed to be a game plan and some desire to do well. But with Big Sam there just seems to be this attitude of "get this over and done with boys and look forward to a game you may get a point from". This defeatest attitude out on the pitch absolutely stinks. In fact not only does it stink but its damn right embarrasing as we now must have the worst record against the top four.

I am not saying Big Sam should be sacked as to be fair he is the best manager this club can attract with its budget. But what I plan to do from this day forward is boycott all away games against the big four unless the manager can get the players showing some passion and desire. How can we go from one week playing against the Dingles with so much passion and then go to this drivel that I was forced to watch from the stands with my over priced beer and under cooked pie!!!

Come on Allardyce and Rovers show some F***in backbone!!! To be the best you have to beat the best, and no I dont expect us to win the title but at least show the desire to make every team earn their points against us. Teams like Arsenal and Chelsea used to hate playing against us and now were just a laughing stock to the cream of our league.

Yeah that would go down well wouldnt it,the rovers struggling away from home,and you want to take all the support away too,dont think so.

[EnglishChris]

Don't forget to add the away game against West Ham since we never win down there

[slough_rover]

Yeah that would go down well wouldnt it,the rovers struggling away from home,and you want to take all the support away too,dont think so.

So you would be happy to have spent £100 quid on the last two away games that we've played with those performances?? I didnt say take away all away support I said against the top four...read the title smart ass

[CrazyIvan]

So you would be happy to have spent £100 quid on the last two away games that we've played with those performances?? I didnt say take away all away support I said against the top four...read the title smart ass

If I had the money and the time, I'd go everywhere following Rovers. That's just me, I'm just a fan

[Manc Rover]

Although boycotting games is a bit extreme, it's worrying that so many members that dont usually moan are having a right go on here. Got to say with justification too. Yesterday was soul destroying and I only hope the players and manager realise that nothing but 100% next week will do. So what if we lose, lets at least try and give our fans some respect and value for money. I'll be going next Saturday, not expecting a result but I would like some effort and courage.

[Nafe_rovers]

If I had the money and the time, I'd go everywhere following Rovers. That's just me, I'm just a fan

Same!! :-) boycotting is stupid, and a idiotic idea!

we always are going to lose against the big teams, with the odd result. You surely cant expect a result, its illogical. However i do realise we where poor, but the arsenal game we where even for a while! and a decision unfortunatly went against us and then we sucked out, i agree also that was poor but boycotting games is unreasonable

[thenodrog]

I think a boycott of away travel to all 4 Champions league clubs by all other Prem clubs would be totally in order. They charge a kings ransom to away fans and the CL has rewarded the big clubs at the expense of the rest, it has ruined domestic competition within the prem and rendered the other clubs as nothing better than cannon fodder. Even more relevent the CL has facilitated the 4 daft bugggers to take on huge and dangerous debt which could put their very existence in doubt.

[jim mk2]

Genuine footy fans all over England would love it if one of them went bust but alas it appears unlikely to happen.

The world is going through the biggest economic crisis since the 1930s yet the Glazers and the Liverpool pair appear untroubled by the enormous amount of debt they have taken on board.

[liam]

So you would be happy to have spent £100 quid on the last two away games that we've played with those performances?? I didnt say take away all away support I said against the top four...read the title smart ass

You pays yer money you takes yer chance,its a game sometimes good sometimes bad

Smart ass

You pays yer money you takes yer chance,its a game sometimes good sometimes bad

Smart ass nope rovers supporter yep

[PAFELL]

I think a boycott of away travel to all 4 Champions league clubs by all other Prem clubs would be totally in order. They charge a kings ransom to away fans and the CL has rewarded the big clubs at the expense of the rest, it has ruined domestic competition within the prem and rendered the other clubs as nothing better than cannon fodder. Even more relevent the CL has facilitated the 4 daft bugggers to take on huge and dangerous debt which could put their very existence in doubt.

I agree with your post thenodrog. Until the powers that be make a level playing field - supporters of clubs outside of the top 4 should boycott going to these games. They do charge a Kings ransome for tickets etc etc. Yet these clubs are massivly in debt and allowed to get more and more in debt to buy the best players and pay the best wages.

Rovers a small club, with less income than many other prem clubs, reduced season ticket prices and made going to the home games more affordable - that in itself embarrasses the rest of the league. Maybe Rovers supporters should be the ones to start making a stand with regards to the top 4 also. After all somebody has to start the doing something to get the game back for genuine supporters.

Same!! :-) boycotting is stupid, and a idiotic idea!

we always are going to lose against the big teams, with the odd result. You surely cant expect a result, its illogical. However i do realise we where poor, but the arsenal game we where even for a while! and a decision unfortunatly went against us and then we sucked out, i agree also that was poor but boycotting games is unreasonable

Somebody has to do something to get football back onto a level playing field. These big clubs are forcing clubs like Rovers out of exsistance. Most the clubs in the prem are struggling moneywise because they are being robbed of fair competition.

[Ben-2000]

I think a lot are already staying away from these away games, the prices being the main factor at Chelsea and ManUre.

Under Souey and Hughes we always had an outside chance of getting something from the big 4, but now we seem to get stuffed everytime! I for one don't look forward to the long trip south for such an enivitable outcome at 40-odd quid a time. I went to Arsenal (not badly priced at £32) and although we seemed to start well we still managed to conceded 6 which like the Chelsea game could have been 10!

[AggyBlue]

I think a lot are already staying away from these away games, the prices being the main factor at Chelsea and ManUre.

I've not been to one for the past three seasons. I never will again bar the odd cup match we might have.

[bubblerrovers]

After yesterdays turn out i would of said the boycotte had already started. Not happy how the players and manager had already told the world we had no chance, a little fight shown would of been nice

[Parsonblue]

So you would be happy to have spent £100 quid on the last two away games that we've played with those performances?? I didnt say take away all away support I said against the top four...read the title smart ass

I spent the money to watch both these games and thoroughly enjoyed the football played by Chelsea and Arsenal. When I pay to watch football I pay to watch a game that involves two teams not just one. If you couldn't enjoy the football that both Arsenal and Chelsea played then I suspect you are watching the wrong game. Of course it's great when the Rovers win. I don't believe that the players went with the intention of losing. On both occasions we played top teams who were on top of their game. Having supported the Rovers for almost 50 years I know we can't win every game but that's no reason not to admire the qualities that the opposition bring to a game.

[jim mk2]

I spent the money to watch both these games and thoroughly enjoyed the football played by Chelsea and Arsenal. When I pay to watch football I pay to watch a game that involves two teams not just one. If you couldn't enjoy the football that both Arsenal and Chelsea played then I suspect you are watching the wrong game. Of course it's great when the Rovers win. I don't believe that the players went with the intention of losing. On both occasions we played top teams who were on top of their game. Having supported the Rovers for almost 50 years I know we can't win every game but that's no reason not to admire the qualities that the opposition bring to a game.

Very Corinthian attitude but I suspect you are in a minority of one !

[robbojohnno]

I've seen us pick up a point at Chelsea as well as at Liverpool and seen us win at Old Trafford in recent times, but at the start of last season I decided I would not go to the big 4 away games again unless the prices are significantly reduced, this was before we suffed the embarrasing defeats last season and this season. I wouldnt blame anyone for boycotting the big 4 away games, the prices are a joke and its painful to know that its a certain defeat ahead.

[CrazyIvan]

I've seen us pick up a point at Chelsea as well as at Liverpool and seen us win at Old Trafford in recent times, but at the start of last season I decided I would not go to the big 4 away games again unless the prices are significantly reduced, this was before we suffed the embarrasing defeats last season and this season. I wouldnt blame anyone for boycotting the big 4 away games, the prices are a joke and its painful to know that its a certain defeat ahead.

I don't boycott the matches out of choice but I've simply been priced out of going to many away matches. I pick and choose now whereas in 2000-2001 I went to every away match bar one. I just take a look at the ticket price for Chelsea and knowing that a game there is going to cost me in the region of my season ticket price for the two of us travel, food and tickets makes me decide against it. It's simple really.

The one thing that gets me is that the bigger clubs charge higher prices so the gap between the have's and the have not's is getting bigger and bigger season on season. Anybody thinking that the Premier League is a relatively level playing field is clinically insane. It's more like a volcano side that is growing upwards with the top teams happy at the top. We can only hope that someday the volcano blows it's top and takes the rich teams with it and leaves the rest of us relatively unscathed. Some teams will go under, it's just a matter of time.

[Balwer]

Ive been a Rovers supporter for most of my life but Ive had the misfortune of living down south ever since I turned 10. I have held a season ticket on several occasions but doing the round trip from London to Blackburn week in week out isnt feasible unless you have a sizeable income, which I dont. So as the years have progressed I've had to pick and choose the games I go to including making sure I always attend the games against the so called big four, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and L'pool.

So far this season i have forked out £100 quid to see us play both Arsenal and Chelsea, and that doesn't include travel, food etc. That is over third of the cost of our cheapest season ticket, and for what?? To see us let in 11 goals!!! Its absolutely disgusting. Am I imagining it or are we not the team that not too many seasons ago did the double over Man U? I cannot believe the way we approach the games against the cream of our league. At least with Sparky there seemed to be a game plan and some desire to do well. But with Big Sam there just seems to be this attitude of "get this over and done with boys and look forward to a game you may get a point from". This defeatest attitude out on the pitch absolutely stinks. In fact not only does it stink but its damn right embarrasing as we now must have the worst record against the top four.

I am not saying Big Sam should be sacked as to be fair he is the best manager this club can attract with its budget. But what I plan to do from this day forward is boycott all away games against the big four unless the manager can get the players showing some passion and desire. How can we go from one week playing against the Dingles with so much passion and then go to this drivel that I was forced to watch from the stands with my over priced beer and under cooked pie!!!

Come on Allardyce and Rovers show some F***in backbone!!! To be the best you have to beat the best, and no I dont expect us to win the title but at least show the desire to make every team earn their points against us. Teams like Arsenal and Chelsea used to hate playing against us and now were just a laughing stock to the cream of our league.

I also live in London, but unfortunately was away for the Arsenal game or I would have gone.

I am not sure how you spent over £100, the Arsenal tickets were £31.50 and the Chelsea ones £47 I believe. That's under £80. Call me pedantic but I feel you're exaggerating to make a (well deserved) point.

[OscarRaven]

We go away play (or at least try to play) ultra defensive and get stuffed?

Why don't we use these attack minded players, stop lumping the ball (as it effectivley conceedes possesion), give them a little more to think about at the back than Jason Roberts (hardly a task is it) and perhaps we wouldn't be on the end of beating after crushing beating gaianst these guys. Sam shows them too much respect (or is a one dimesional tactically clueless coward, take your pick), they are just 11 other guys.

Anyone remember Hughes switch from 5-4-1 to 4-4-2 at Old Trafford, the 2-0 win was it?

[SAS]

I stopped going united and chelsea many years ago due to their pricing strategy.

Liverpool also seem to be catching up to that £40 mark too..

[slough_rover]

I also live in London, but unfortunately was away for the Arsenal game or I would have gone.

I am not sure how you spent over £100, the Arsenal tickets were £31.50 and the Chelsea ones £47 I believe. That's under £80. Call me pedantic but I feel you're exaggerating to make a (well deserved) point.

Well not if your having to sit in the Arsenal end its not exaggerating....

[sambo]

Well not if your having to sit in the Arsenal end its not exaggerating....

Regardless of that, the travel is extremely expensive to these games too... food etc and these two are in excess of £150.

[1864roverite]

I have already boycotted the so called big 4 teams and unless I get a freebie I wont set foot in any of them again UNLESS of course we are in a semi final or are going to be given a trophy !

Manure - Never purchased anything in their ground out of contempt for their pricing policies

Arsenal - too expensive

Chelsea - far too excessive

Liverpool - been there and enjoy this game always as its a good night out but ticketing prices are going slowly through the roof and wont be bothering again.