[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[deryck guyler's spoon]

On the whole I dont think any asian person has anything to worry about at the Rovers in this day and age. I proactively promote my asian friends to come and support the Rovers and more and more are coming to Ewood, slowly but surely.

With regards to the takeaway, irrespective of other attributes of Mr Shah, the PRIMARY attribute is that this man does not take backwards (ie into debt); if so I'm quite hap[py with us being a SMALL TOWN CLUB sitting MID TABLE with THE LOWEST PRICED TICKETS!!

Lovely Freudian slip there DR!

Good posts as well.

[Hughesy]

With regards to the takeaway

WTF is that what he wants Ewood for, to build a takeaway!?

[Darwen Rover]

WTF is that what he wants Ewood for, to build a takeaway!?

HA!! not gonna edit that one!!

[PAFELL]

I live in Darwen and the amount of non Asian Liverpool supporters is shocking! Unless they just enjoy wearing the shirt!

Being of asian descent myself, the reason many asians support the most successful clubs is because they are 'generally' armchair supporters, coming to Ewood is a big step for alot of them; this is generated from a number of factors, predominately parents creating fear in their children who themselves grew up / experienced the crazy 80's/ early 90's.

I have had a season ticket with my two young boys now for the last 5yrs and I absolutely love coming to the rovers, my eldest son (7yr old) in particular is absolutely Rovers mad and I cant think of a better way to spend my Saturday afternoons...

However... My first experience of Rovers was when I went to watch Barnsley (think it was 1989) with a few friends from school (all non asian by the way) and on the bus home I was subjected to taunts of 'paki' from fellow rovers supporters, I was 11yrs old then if I remember correctly... My next experience was getting stuck in rovers traffic with my parents a few yrs later and a group of lads subjected my family to racial abuse.

It took my 20 yrs to come to Ewood, but for years (perhaps up until the age of 22), I would have been very nervous coming to watch Rovers.

Am not saying this is the sole reason but am sure that this is a major contributor to many of the asian population not having a culture of coming to watch live games. Subsequently they rely heavily on teh tele and the tele promote the most successful clubs ONLY; hence their affiliation with what they are being told.

The last thing I would say is that my experience in the last 5yrs has been outstanding, coming and watching rovers; I do believe society has changed for the better over the last 20 years. And Rovers is an inclusive club; dont get me wrong your always going to get the odd idiot (aka the Coyle chant).

I do think we (the club) need to make an effort with ALL youth to ensure our locals kids have an affiliation with Rovers and not THE TV!

Sadly there is a racist element in Blackburn itself. My wife being Chinese was also racially abused in Blackburn market. This was only last Christmas. Racialism is not just a football issue, though she was wearing a Rovers shirt at the time as we were going to the match that afternoon. but just the low life, ignorant people in society.

[47er]

Who's told you that?

Maybe in your lifetime but don't presume the first hundred years of Rovers existence things were the same as they are now.

Ok-----you've got me there! I confirm that I can only speak for my lifetime!

[Fife Rover]

Racial abuse is not just something that happens to Asians or indeed foreign people of any colour or other obvious difference to the indiginous population. How do I know this?......... because I have been a victim of it myself. It happened when I first moved up to Scotland and bought my first house in Dunfermline in 1980. I decided to go and see Dunfermline Athletic and sat in the main stand and of course I just had to start shouting to urge on the Pars as they are known to their fans. Not long into the match a group of people in the seats directly behind me demanded to know if I was English, and followed this up with some very strongly worded advice to depart back whence I came as rapidly as possible. I have never been one for accepting these kinds of situation meekly so they got told a few things in return. The situation was just heading for getting very nasty when other people sitting close by decided to join in and tell these thugs to shut up, which thankfully they did. So you see it can and does happen virtually everywhere where there are large groups of ignorant people and who see any person who is not "one of them" as somebody to abuse and threaten.

Needless to say I did not let that incident nor any of the several other similar incidents at other matches on other grounds in Scotland put me off, and I have continued to watch various teams over the years and I have to say that it was only in the first 3 or 4 years of my 31 years up here in Scotland that I ever had any of this kind of trouble.

[thenodrog]

Racial abuse is not just something that happens to Asians or indeed foreign people of any colour or other obvious difference to the indiginous population. How do I know this?......... because I have been a victim of it myself. It happened when I first moved up to Scotland and bought my first house in Dunfermline in 1980. I decided to go and see Dunfermline Athletic and sat in the main stand and of course I just had to start shouting to urge on the Pars as they are known to their fans. Not long into the match a group of people in the seats directly behind me demanded to know if I was English, and followed this up with some very strongly worded advice to depart back whence I came as rapidly as possible. I have never been one for accepting these kinds of situation meekly so they got told a few things in return. The situation was just heading for getting very nasty when other people sitting close by decided to join in and tell these thugs to shut up, which thankfully they did. So you see it can and does happen virtually everywhere where there are large groups of ignorant people and who see any person who is not "one of them" as somebody to abuse and threaten.

Needless to say I did not let that incident nor any of the several other similar incidents at other matches on other grounds in Scotland put me off, and I have continued to watch various teams over the years and I have to say that it was only in the first 3 or 4 years of my 31 years up here in Scotland that I ever had any of this kind of trouble.

How can it constitute racial abuse Fife when presumably you were all members of the same race? What you are describing is probably jingoism and definitely a form of bullying. The terms racism and racist are frequently used in error.

[Fife Rover]

How can it constitute racial abuse Fife when presumably you were all members of the same race? What you are describing is probably jingoism and definitely a form of bullying. The terms racism and racist are frequently used in error.

The effect on the recipient is exactly is the same Theno, whatever you choose to call it.

[joey_big_nose]

How can it constitute racial abuse Fife when presumably you were all members of the same race? What you are describing is probably jingoism and definitely a form of bullying. The terms racism and racist are frequently used in error.

I think what Fife has said is fine:-

1) Racism is now an umbrella term for cultural prejudice. So the word is imprecise but the meaning well enough understood.

2) Some people in Scotland and England do think they are from two different "races" and abuse each other using those terms. Although this is in the majority codswallop does not detract from the fact that the intent is a "racist" one.

[thenodrog]

I think what Fife has said is fine:-

1) Racism is now an umbrella term for cultural prejudice. So the word is imprecise but the meaning well enough understood.

2) Some people in Scotland and England do think they are from two different "races" and abuse each other using those terms. Although this is in the majority codswallop does not detract from the fact that the intent is a "racist" one.

Surely thats just muddying the water?

[saxo1man30]

i don`t mind asian fans supporting the rovers at ewood, the more the merrier as we need more support, but i don`t want rovers to become a club for asian fans that white people are welcome to come along and support. that would be changing the dynamic of the club completely and would be betraying it`s history beyond belief. i`m certain if that came about, fans who have supported the club as it currently is for generations wouldn`t be happy one bit and could vote with their feet.

at the moment it`s a case of wait and see but going off the comments of these potential buyers there is reason to be a bit concerned as to their intentions.

[slough_rover]

i don`t mind asian fans supporting the rovers at ewood, the more the merrier as we need more support, but i don`t want rovers to become a club for asian fans that white people are welcome to come along and support. that would be changing the dynamic of the club completely and would be betraying it`s history beyond belief. i`m certain if that came about, fans who have supported the club as it currently is for generations wouldn`t be happy one bit and could vote with their feet.

at the moment it`s a case of wait and see but going off the comments of these potential buyers there is reason to be a bit concerned as to their intentions.

Talk about over the top!! Calm down for FFS!! IF Rovers do get taken over by an Indian businessman I hardly doubt all asians from all over Northern England will suddenly flock to Ewood. IF the takeover does happen it will probably increase the Asian attendance a thousand or so fans if even that. Im Asian and I know for a fact most of my friends and family who are Asian will still decide not to come to Ewood.

[Guest Kamy100]

i don`t mind asian fans supporting the rovers at ewood, the more the merrier as we need more support, but i don`t want rovers to become a club for asian fans that white people are welcome to come along and support. that would be changing the dynamic of the club completely and would be betraying it`s history beyond belief. i`m certain if that came about, fans who have supported the club as it currently is for generations wouldn`t be happy one bit and could vote with their feet.

at the moment it`s a case of wait and see but going off the comments of these potential buyers there is reason to be a bit concerned as to their intentions.

Get a grip man, way over the top reaction and an unjustified one. If more Asian fans come to games then great, it will help Rovers and in the end that is all that any supporter wants.

Also if people believe that just because Rovers has an Asian owner that it will attract more Asians to Ewood are sadly mistaken, it may add a couple of hundred tops to the attendance but that would be the limit, as Darwen Rover said earlier there is an inherent fear within the Asian Community about attending Ewood Park as peopel mistakenly believe that they will be racially abused, if the club can overcome this problem then you will see far more Asians attending matches at Ewood Park regardless of who the owner(s) are.

[BPF]

i don`t mind asian fans supporting the rovers at ewood, the more the merrier as we need more support, but i don`t want rovers to become a club for asian fans that white people are welcome to come along and support. that would be changing the dynamic of the club completely and would be betraying it`s history beyond belief. i`m certain if that came about, fans who have supported the club as it currently is for generations wouldn`t be happy one bit and could vote with their feet.

at the moment it`s a case of wait and see but going off the comments of these potential buyers there is reason to be a bit concerned as to their intentions.

Oh dear.

Do you worry about England becoming an islamic nation within ten years too?

[ebenrocks]

i don`t mind asian fans supporting the rovers at ewood, the more the merrier as we need more support, but i don`t want rovers to become a club for asian fans that white people are welcome to come along and support. that would be changing the dynamic of the club completely and would be betraying it`s history beyond belief. i`m certain if that came about, fans who have supported the club as it currently is for generations wouldn`t be happy one bit and could vote with their feet.

at the moment it`s a case of wait and see but going off the comments of these potential buyers there is reason to be a bit concerned as to their intentions.

Mate that is the biggest load of gobshite i have ever read in my life.

Firstly, the sooner people stop this 'us and them' culture, the better. These people for the large part are English, not Asian... the only distinguishing feature is the colour of their skin, other than that they're EXACTLY the same as you and me. A large influx of fans from an asian background is surely just a large influx of new ROVERS fans. thats all that should matter.

Secondly, The potential new owner is a business man, and has seen an untapped resource in the British asian community, and realises he can use his own background to tap into that, thus creating more revenue for the club (only a good thing, surely?) and himself. I hardly think he's attempting to alienate the white british community... There are still alot more white people in blackburn than there are 'Asian' people, so marketing the club purely at the British Asian community would be suicide. The guy isnt an idiot, im sure he knows what he's doing.

I appreciate you said 'i dont mind asian fans supporting the rovers at ewood' at the start of your post, but the rest of it is bordering on racist, and if not quite racist then certainly hysterical. It's attitudes like that that im sure have made a large contingent of british asian fans feel unwelcome at Ewood up to now.

[Kelbo]

The them and us situation will continue as long as there are a large amount of Asian population who hate the English.

I have and never will have any concerns about the number of Asian people who live here and integrate into our society, if they do that, follow Rovers or any local team, enjoy our country and our culture, then that is absolutely fine and I am sure they will be made welcome at Rovers and they can become an important part of the club and community as then we will have integration both ways.

I have some great friends of Indian descent, they live and work as we do, embrace our cultures, integrate well into our society, hospitable and make the most amazing curries when we are invited to their homes.

[Iceman]

its crazy how the colour of somebody's skin, their ethnic backround, religion can play such a big role in dividing a community or supporters. In a country where we had the Apartheid era, its wonderful to see that there are so many inter racial couples, people who generaly support rugby and cricket, now wearing a Bafana Bafana shirt.

Sport is suppose to unite people, one club, one team, one set of supporters. However, as somebody said, the fact is that there wont be 50 000 for example asian supporters now turning up at Ewood, but a few hundred perhaps a few thousand. Where seats were not being filled by so called whites, will now hopefully be filled by people with 2 eyes, 1 nose, 2 ears, a pair of legs and arms, with just one difference, the colour of their skin. When you hear people saying things like, because Shah is asian, you will now see asians filling the stadium. Im sorry, but before the reduction in ticket prices, watching on tv, I was shocked to see the stadium with many empty seats.

Its not that asians do not want to attend, its because a certain minority are preventing them from attending, because they are muslim, Indian or whatever. We have a guy, who is Indian, who wants to improve the club, who is willing to put some money in(hopefully), and promote the club to a wider audience and we have the nerve to discuss who can and who cant attend Ewood. This is suppose to be a club, where there are no divides, where families can come together and enjoy a game of football, not war and go home safely. At a top level, the club are making all the right noises to kick racism out, and welcome anybody irrespective of their background.

We have Chris Samba, Junior, Diouf, Roberts, Olsson and Jason Brown in our team. we had Benni, Van Heerden, Mokoena etc, who are not white, so why treat a fan differently who's colour of their skin is different to yours. Sorry if im being emotional, but its the same story over and over again.

[Nafe_rovers]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11676_6202636,00.html

[thenodrog]

its crazy how the colour of somebody's skin, their ethnic backround, religion can play such a big role in dividing a community or supporters. In a country where we had the Apartheid era, its wonderful to see that there are so many inter racial couples, people who generaly support rugby and cricket, now wearing a Bafana Bafana shirt.

Sport is suppose to unite people, one club, one team, one set of supporters. However, as somebody said, the fact is that there wont be 50 000 for example asian supporters now turning up at Ewood, but a few hundred perhaps a few thousand. Where seats were not being filled by so called whites, will now hopefully be filled by people with 2 eyes, 1 nose, 2 ears, a pair of legs and arms, with just one difference, the colour of their skin. When you hear people saying things like, because Shah is asian, you will now see asians filling the stadium. Im sorry, but before the reduction in ticket prices, watching on tv, I was shocked to see the stadium with many empty seats.

Its not that asians do not want to attend, its because a certain minority are preventing them from attending, because they are muslim, Indian or whatever. We have a guy, who is Indian, who wants to improve the club, who is willing to put some money in(hopefully), and promote the club to a wider audience and we have the nerve to discuss who can and who cant attend Ewood. This is suppose to be a club, where there are no divides, where families can come together and enjoy a game of football, not war and go home safely. At a top level, the club are making all the right noises to kick racism out, and welcome anybody irrespective of their background.

We have Chris Samba, Junior, Diouf, Roberts, Olsson and Jason Brown in our team. we had Benni, Van Heerden, Mokoena etc, who are not white, so why treat a fan differently who's colour of their skin is different to yours. Sorry if im being emotional, but it’s the same story over and over again.

Careful Iceman or that chip on your shoulder will fall off. Your comments are straight from the heart I know but truth is imo that colour is hardly an issue these days.** This isn't South Africa it's Blackburn It's the culture and religion of Islam that provides the divide and drives in the wedge over here.

** btw I advise against testing that skin colour theory with a claret and blue spray tan.

[Moppy]

The them and us situation will continue as long as there are a large amount of Asian population who hate the English.

You could swap the term "Asian population" and "English" around in that sentance and it would be just as true.

I came on here for news on the transfer and now feel a shamed to be a Rovers fan due to a few bad apples

[CrazyIvan]

It's the culture and religion of Islam that provides the divide and drives in the wedge over here.

That one comment shows how completely out of touch with reality you truly are. Basically, you are blaming the Muslim religion for racist behaviour. Racist behaviour has been around a great deal longer than the Muslim religion. Using racist terms, whoever does it, is not excusable and cannot be blamed wholy on someones religion. There is a social divide in this country (which can and sometimes is contributed to by religion) which contributes to some racist behaviour but to blame racist behaviour on a religion just shows your complete lack of understanding.

[Hughesy]

Im Asian and I know for a fact most of my friends and family who are Asian will still decide not to come to Ewood.

Slough why will that be mate?! Same thing, fear?!

The Us and them thing really needs to stop!! We are talking about 1 thing, OUR club - Blackburn Rovers. Not about Islam or whatever you like to twitter on about!

[thenodrog]

That one comment shows how completely out of touch with reality you truly are. Basically, you are blaming the Muslim religion for racist behaviour.

Are you daft? I said virtually the exact opposite. I said the Islamic culture has provides a divide in society. I may be mistaken but I think what you are alluding to is not racism but colour prejudice.

Stop stirring.

[CrazyIvan]

Are you daft? I said virtually the exact opposite. I said the Islamic culture has provides a divide in society. I may be mistaken but I think what you are alluding to is not racism but colour prejudice.

Stop stirring.

That's not how it reads because it follows straight on from the previous post. Oh, and the 'Islamic culture' doesn't, of itself, cause a divide in society. People's behaviour does that. And no, I wasn't just alluding to colour prejudice.

[thenodrog]

Get a grip man, way over the top reaction and an unjustified one. If more Asian fans come to games then great, it will help Rovers and in the end that is all that any supporter wants.

Also if people believe that just because Rovers has an Asian owner that it will attract more Asians to Ewood are sadly mistaken, it may add a couple of hundred tops to the attendance but that would be the limit, as Darwen Rover said earlier there is an inherent fear within the Asian Community about attending Ewood Park as peopel mistakenly believe that they will be racially abused, if the club can overcome this problem then you will see far more Asians attending matches at Ewood Park regardless of who the owner(s) are.

Disagree entirely Kamy. There are Stewards and Police everywhere on match days. It must be far safer than walking home from a night out in town late on a Sat night for example. Any racial abuse at or around Ewood will be severely and quickly dealt with. Look at the Dwight Yorke incident. A few morons singing a crass and silly song about Coyle means little. You are crying wolf here imo.

People assuming that an Indian owner will attract thousands more of the IndoPak community are in dreamland imo. There are bigger religious and cultural divides at work within those societies than mere skin colour.

Lets face it there are of course exceptions but in reallity professional football does not figure as strongly in your culture as in ours. It might in time but at the moment it doesn't.

Just as an aside the term racist / racism is used frequently today in many sectors of society but can you tell me why we never hear of problems surrounding a. sexism and b. caste? I admit that I know little of the workings of the caste system but I suspect there are as many problems if not more involving violence and discrimination concerning caste than with skin colour. Am I wrong to suspect so?

Also I have no idea about this next question as I suspect many others haven't either and it could be quite significant. Could you give your opinion on whether Mr Shah is Hindu / Sikh or muslim would members of the other named religions feel more or less affinity with the Rovers?