[Archived] The Dawn Of A New Era

[Mattyblue]

Not from me neekoy.

Keep Sam and JW in place till summer.

Continual modest investment I'm 1st team affairs.

Get an EXPERIENCED manager in that doesn't rely on his 'connections'.

Wise up and leave agents on the sidelines.

Get Venkys on the shirt

Play friendlies in India etc

The clubs success= more success and brand recognition for your company.

I'd say fairly realistic.

[CAPT KAYOS]

A good friend of mine observed over the weekend that he felt that Rovers were again at a 1960 tipping point by which he meant that many staunch supporters never came back to the club after the debacle that was the 1960 FA cup final. He remembers it well. Unless something gets fixed very quickly I think many fans will just walk away and never come back.

Very very true TJ - along with Mercerman and Bobby G something I have been hearing alot of for a while now.

[Neil Weaver]

Looks like he's been moonlighting.... (from the cricket today, and his second name really is Rao). Feel free to add your own caption......

[PAFELL]

What's worrying is that many supporters are beginning to feel like this. 2011/12 Season ticket sales will prove a good measure. As things stand at the moment, I wont be renewing mine and neither will others I know.

Why will you not renew your season ticket? Have you stopped supporting the club?

As things stand at the moment, Venky's are the owners. Is that going to change in the next few weeks / months? Maybe the owners are not experienced with the way a prem football club should be run. But they bought the club, did anybody else come forward that met the requirements of the Trustees? Obviously not.

If we do not support the Venky's and maybe try to make attempts to help them - then they could just pull out. Let the club decline even further - if that is happening. There has got to be a way of being able to contact the Venky's - maybe from this site.

If the club really is in decline or bad things happening behind the closed doors at the club. It is now the at club needs its supporters more than anytime. Not those who run at first signs of trouble.

So we have a choice support the Venky's and try to do what we can to help them ( I do not know how)

Try to contact previous people who had an interest in buying the club.

Or moan and groan, not go to games, not buy season tickets and sit and watch, with the obvious result.

Things have happened at the club, right or wrong, which have been debated to death. The result being we have all expressed opinions and all come to the same conclusion - beause there is no other - that the clock cannot be turned back. We have to live with what we have.

Many may not renew season tickets for reasons outside of things happening at Rovers. Cash flow for a start. The government cuts have yet to really bite. When they do a lot of us will reassess what we spend on. Not forgetting that football is cutting its own throat.

So we cannot judge the owners on the amount of people renew their season tickets next season.

[gumboots]

Why will you not renew your season ticket? Have you stopped supporting the club?

As things stand at the moment, Venky's are the owners. Is that going to change in the next few weeks / months? Maybe the owners are not experienced with the way a prem football club should be run. But they bought the club, did anybody else come forward that met the requirements of the Trustees? Obviously not.

If we do not support the Venky's and maybe try to make attempts to help them - then they could just pull out. Let the club decline even further - if that is happening. There has got to be a way of being able to contact the Venky's - maybe from this site.

If the club really is in decline or bad things happening behind the closed doors at the club. It is now the at club needs its supporters more than anytime. Not those who run at first signs of trouble.

So we have a choice support the Venky's and try to do what we can to help them ( I do not know how)

Try to contact previous people who had an interest in buying the club.

Or moan and groan, not go to games, not buy season tickets and sit and watch, with the obvious result.

Things have happened at the club, right or wrong, which have been debated to death. The result being we have all expressed opinions and all come to the same conclusion - beause there is no other - that the clock cannot be turned back. We have to live with what we have.

Many may not renew season tickets for reasons outside of things happening at Rovers. Cash flow for a start. The government cuts have yet to really bite. When they do a lot of us will reassess what we spend on. Not forgetting that football is cutting its own throat.

So we cannot judge the owners on the amount of people renew their season tickets next season.

My church needs to raise a million pounds - if my season ticket doesn't get renewed you'll know where my money has gone. It will have nothing to do with where we play our football or who our manager is.

[thenodrog]

Why will you not renew your season ticket? Have you stopped supporting the club?

As things stand at the moment, Venky's are the owners. Is that going to change in the next few weeks / months? Maybe the owners are not experienced with the way a prem football club should be run. But they bought the club, did anybody else come forward that met the requirements of the Trustees? Obviously not.

If we do not support the Venky's and maybe try to make attempts to help them - then they could just pull out. Let the club decline even further - if that is happening. There has got to be a way of being able to contact the Venky's - maybe from this site.

If the club really is in decline or bad things happening behind the closed doors at the club. It is now the at club needs its supporters more than anytime. Not those who run at first signs of trouble.

So we have a choice support the Venky's and try to do what we can to help them ( I do not know how)

Try to contact previous people who had an interest in buying the club.

Or moan and groan, not go to games, not buy season tickets and sit and watch, with the obvious result.

Things have happened at the club, right or wrong, which have been debated to death. The result being we have all expressed opinions and all come to the same conclusion - beause there is no other - that the clock cannot be turned back. We have to live with what we have.

Many may not renew season tickets for reasons outside of things happening at Rovers. Cash flow for a start. The government cuts have yet to really bite. When they do a lot of us will reassess what we spend on. Not forgetting that football is cutting its own throat.

So we cannot judge the owners on the amount of people renew their season tickets next season.

I said three months ago that I feel my connections to the club are almost all severed. Mercenary Carlos Kickaballs for players, owners who are not here for the benefit of BRFC, shadowy figures in the background whose agenda is not necessarily for the good of BRFC etc. Since then all manner of other skullduggery culminating in the exit of the manager and the Chairman. It simply doesn't feel like 'my' club anymore. Lastly and not wholly the fault of the new owners every home match has now almost become an effort to attend.

[SouthAussieRover]

Looks like he's been moonlighting.... (from the cricket today, and his second name really is Rao). Feel free to add your own caption......

Hey Balaji,put the price of tickets up and Ewood will be as empty as this stadium....

(allegedly,possibly,in my opinion etc etc)

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Lastly and not wholly the fault of the new owners every home match has now almost become an effort to attend.

I am sure that is what a lot of people said under Sam - so no change there

I haven't felt it was my club for a long time - it has been for years a business. Unknown to Jack - he probably saw the end of a club where the fans felt they had a genuine connection with the players and the club.

All that has happened recently is that the business plan has changed from one of stagnation and (many people agreed) eventual relegation - to one where the owners would appear to be aiming for the stars (though they aren't quite sure whether that is 10th, 7th, 5th or 4th) - could end up with relegation - but if it doesn't Rovers will (hopefully) be in a stronger position with good young players tied to long contracts -playing more attractive football.

Providing ST prices remain reasonable - I'll be there next season. Rovers will always be the club I support - the only one where I can get really passionate about the result. Win - and the weekend is a better place - lose and the cat keeps out of the way. The recent ups and downs are all the joy (and pain) of being a footie fan. COYB

[Mercer]

Why will you not renew your season ticket? Have you stopped supporting the club?

In all probability, I will not renew my ticket because, like many others I know, after 40+ years, I feel that my affinity with the club has been eroded.

The club no longer feels like 'my local club'. An anaology, my local village pub is bought by a national pub chain and the owner who has run it successfully for many years and engendered huge goodwill is succeeded by, what I consider to be, a supercilious bulls****er. Would I still go into that pub - no I would not.

The new owners make their choices as is unquestionably their right and, likewise, the supporters make their choices.

I simply cannot relate to Venkys or Kean, either their actions, their demeanour or their style. That is my personal view and how I feel.

Against Newcastle, I sat there for the first half wondering what the hell was going on. After about 25 minutes of the second half, I realised enough was enough and I left the ground and I am not sure when I will be back.

[BPF]

In all probability, I will not renew my ticket because, like many others I know, after 40+ years, I feel that my affinity with the club has been eroded.

The club no longer feels like 'my local club'. An anaology, my local village pub is bought by a national pub chain and the owner who has run it successfully for many years and engendered huge goodwill is succeeded by, what I consider to be, a supercilious bulls****er. Would I still go into that pub - no I would not.

The new owners make their choices as is unquestionably their right and, likewise, the supporters make their choices.

I simply cannot relate to Venkys or Kean, either their actions, their demeanour or their style. That is my personal view and how I feel.

Against Newcastle, I sat there for the first half wondering what the hell was going on. After about 25 minutes of the second half, I realised enough was enough and I left the ground and I am not sure when I will be back.

In regards to the Newcastle game I know exactly how you feel it was dreadful. We need points and at the moment we need to support the team regardless of circumstance.

[JAL]

Think there will be many who simply cant relate to Venky's and Kean come the summer unless something changes massively over the coming summer. I think it will take a lot more than just a marquee signing to convince many to step back inside Ewood again.

The Rao family have handled things disastrously from a PR prospective.

[gumboots]

In all probability, I will not renew my ticket because, like many others I know, after 40+ years, I feel that my affinity with the club has been eroded.

The club no longer feels like 'my local club'. An anaology, my local village pub is bought by a national pub chain and the owner who has run it successfully for many years and engendered huge goodwill is succeeded by, what I consider to be, a supercilious bulls****er. Would I still go into that pub - no I would not.

The new owners make their choices as is unquestionably their right and, likewise, the supporters make their choices.

I simply cannot relate to Venkys or Kean, either their actions, their demeanour or their style. That is my personal view and how I feel.

Against Newcastle, I sat there for the first half wondering what the hell was going on. After about 25 minutes of the second half, I realised enough was enough and I left the ground and I am not sure when I will be back.

I don't think a pub, however much you feel at home there, and your football club are comparable. There are lots of pubs out there and if one doesn't suit, another probably will. Football clubs are different. Unless there's a very good reason people find that however hard they try they can't get beyond supporting the one that chose them at some point in their lives. Rovers is your club and will still be your club even though it may not feel like it now. The team need all the support they can get and now is not the time to walk out on them. If you choose not to spend your money on them next season that's different, although I suspect you'll still be there looking for the Rovers result every time they play whether you want to or not. But you need to be there shouting your support even if they appear incompetent, poorly managed or whatever, becuase it is what happens now that will shape what happens in the summer and beyond.

[Steve Moss]

If we do not support the Venky's and maybe try to make attempts to help them - then they could just pull out. Let the club decline even further - if that is happening.

In regards to the Newcastle game I know exactly how you feel it was dreadful. We need points and at the moment we need to support the team regardless of circumstance.

This langauge sounds very similar to those words I've heard from abused women in attempting to explain why they've decided against leaving their relationship.

I am not saying that Venkys is bad for the Rovers. It is far too soon to form a solid opinion. The only thing they've done to cause me serious concern, other than vague doubts, is the appointment of Kean. As to that time will tell in fairly short order. As to the balance of issues, we should be patient.

[jim mk2]

Against Newcastle, I sat there for the first half wondering what the hell was going on. After about 25 minutes of the second half, I realised enough was enough and I left the ground and I am not sure when I will be back.

I don't understand this. I have been watching football matches for more than half a century and I have never left a match until the final whistle. Even with the current owners and with a clueless manager (and Rovers have had a few of those) I've always stayed to the end. Rovers need everyone's support to get through these difficult next few months so I don't see the sense in turning your back on the club now.

[RevidgeBlue]

In all probability, I will not renew my ticket because, like many others I know, after 40+ years, I feel that my affinity with the club has been eroded.

The club no longer feels like 'my local club'. An anaology, my local village pub is bought by a national pub chain and the owner who has run it successfully for many years and engendered huge goodwill is succeeded by, what I consider to be, a supercilious bulls****er. Would I still go into that pub - no I would not.

The new owners make their choices as is unquestionably their right and, likewise, the supporters make their choices.

I simply cannot relate to Venkys or Kean, either their actions, their demeanour or their style. That is my personal view and how I feel.

Against Newcastle, I sat there for the first half wondering what the hell was going on. After about 25 minutes of the second half, I realised enough was enough and I left the ground and I am not sure when I will be back.

I would be tempted to say "Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out" but then it suddenly occurred to me that that was more or less exactly the way I felt under the latter years of the Trustees ownership and the management of Sam Allardyce.

As ridiculously cheap as ticket prices were I got to really begrudge the fact that I was putting in 350 quid a year more into the Club than owners worth nearly a billion pounds. To watch the dross passing for entertainment served up by Sam. I soon gave up on away games under Sam and my enthusiasm for going down to Ewood waned drastically.

The only differences I can see now is that we have owners who are new to the business and have a bit to learn but who are genuinely enthusiastic about us. And that with the exception of the Newcastle game the matches are a lot more entertaining.

Personally I can't envisage ever not going down to Ewood for games, no matter what the situation. So I think you'd be wrong not to go myself but obviously it isn't compulsory and everyone is entitled to make their own decisions.

I am more than a a little surprised though that as a longstanding supporter who professes to have seen the old 3rd division days you feel like this now. If Sam was still in charge I've no doubt you'd be saying "Don't be so bloody daft - this isn't bad - THAT was bad."

(Old 3rd division etc)

[thenodrog]

I don't understand this. I have been watching football matches for more than half a century and I have never left a match until the final whistle. Even with the current owners and with a clueless manager (and Rovers have had a few of those) I've always stayed to the end. Rovers need everyone's support to get through these difficult next few months so I don't see the sense in turning your back on the club now.

But you've lately posted on here when home matches are being played. Have you got a posh phone?

[Mercer]

I am more than a a little surprised though that as a longstanding supporter who professes to have seen the old 3rd division days you feel like this now. If Sam was still in charge I've no doubt you'd be saying "Don't be so bloody daft - this isn't bad - THAT was bad."

(Old 3rd division etc)

As you get older, you become far less tolerant and you seem to have many more options as to how you spend your 'social and recreation' time.

The 1960 FA Cup Final was just a few years before I started going to Ewood but for years and years I remember how my dad and friends used to talk about people they knew who stopped going to Ewood because of all the events associated with that final (and it only seemed to stop when we got into the P.L !). At the time, it seemed very difficult to understand such radical action from previous lifelong supporters but now I think that I understand. To them, they felt 'betrayed' by their 'local club'. That 'local club' feeling has, at the moment, gone for me.

Change is inevitable throughout life but it is how you effect change. If people perceive that it is not done in a fair and just way then you run a big risk of not taking them along with you.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Think there will be many who simply cant relate to Venky's and Kean come the summer unless something changes massively over the coming summer. I think it will take a lot more than just a marquee signing to convince many to step back inside Ewood again.

The Rao family have handled things disastrously from a PR prospective.

Infuriating to read this when the tyrany of distance prevents me from attending games and backing the club. However, having had read your posts on here, I doubt that you would be missed if a marquee signing dosn't tempt you.

[neekoy]

I would be tempted to say "Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out"

You could have just left it it at that TBH

For some us who will probably, never in my lifetime, get to see Rovers at Ewood due to distance and cost I find it absolutely amazing that a "lifelong fan" would not go if they had the chance let alone stay to the end of a game a support the team.

Think yourselves bloody lucky that you get to see a decent level of football at all let alone your local team in the friggin Premier League!

You think the current ownership and manager are turning your head away, I can think of a dozen combinations that would be a lot worse.

[RevidgeBlue]

As you get older, you become far less tolerant and you seem to have many more options as to how you spend your 'social and recreation' time.

The 1960 FA Cup Final was just a few years before I started going to Ewood but for years and years I remember how my dad and friends used to talk about people they knew who stopped going to Ewood because of all the events associated with that final (and it only seemed to stop when we got into the P.L !). At the time, it seemed very difficult to understand such radical action from previous lifelong supporters but now I think that I understand. To them, they felt 'betrayed' by their 'local club'. That 'local club' feeling has, at the moment, gone for me.

Change is inevitable throughout life but it is how you effect change. If people perceive that it is not done in a fair and just way then you run a big risk of not taking them along with you.

Like you I'm a bit too young to remember the 1960 Cup Final but I've heard various real horror stories about that down the years and I can't see that recent events are in any way comparable.

All that's happened so far is that our previous owners have sold the Club entirely voluntarily and of their own free will to their choice of new owners who have changed the manager.

[philipl]

The key question here surely is:

Why does Blackburn Rovers regularly draw something like 20% of the population in its hinterland to attend matches when the 10 clubs in London draw 4% of its population to its games or Manchester draws about 10% to its two clubs?

I don't have the marketing data but the short answer is there is something special in the relationship between the town of Blackburn and the club.

Before Jack Walker, Rovers were drawing 4% in a bad season and 10% in a good season but Jack Walker changed that dynamic.

My gut feel is that Jack did two things:

- he brought success

- he brought pride to the club and town

Success is very difficult to reproduce these days; we might get a good set of draws which takes us to Wembley or at least a Wembley semi-final or a run in Europe and that might be enough to keep that additional 10% going to Ewood. Signing Messi would probably work too but Vucinic probably would not be enough of a household name in Blackburn.

However, Jack, and the Trust for that matter, engendered the sense that the club was somehow "our's" as in being part of the community. The new owners do not remotely understand this and in fact have an agenda that it is "their's" and not "our's". Of course it is "their's" but there are ways of making it "our's" as well but everything they are doing is destroying that "our's ness" about Rovers.

As I understand it, 1960 was about the sense of Blackburn could not rely on the club to represent the town with dignity and respect.

Isn't that the same sense now. There is no dignity or respect in anything much that has happened between the closure of the sale and today? In fact it has all been about the destruction of dignity and respect.

This is why it feels like a 1960 moment and the potential loss of 50% of the club's support.

All is not lost but slamming gagging orders on the players through the new contracts which is the latest development apparently is not about dignity and respect. There needs to be a fundamental re-appraisal of what is happening and an effort to understand and nurture this dynamic on the part of the ownership or season ticket sales could easily halve in number.

[Bobby G]

Excellent post Philip.

[RovertheHill]

Isn't that the same sense now. There is no dignity or respect in anything much that has happened between the closure of the sale and today? In fact it has all been about the destruction of dignity and respect.

All is not lost but slamming gagging orders on the players through the new contracts which is the latest development apparently is not about dignity and respect. There needs to be a fundamental re-appraisal of what is happening and an effort to understand and nurture this dynamic on the part of the ownership or season ticket sales could easily halve in number.

The first sentence above is absolutely spot on. Whatever your thoughts about the sale of the club we have lost the sense of being a club that is run excellently and certain things that have happened are frankly embarrassing.

The second sentence I actually don't mind in the slightest. The only thing I want to hear from modern footballers are their thoughts on the game they've just played in - most of them are too rich, too mercenary and too detached to have any affinity with. And that's another reason people are losing touch with the club.

There were plenty of people on here who walked away under Ince, and Allardyce, and I don't see a bigger ground-swell yet.

And I fully expect that if we limp through the rest of the season the current manager will not be here next year...

[PAFELL]

The key question here surely is:

Why does Blackburn Rovers regularly draw something like 20% of the population in its hinterland to attend matches when the 10 clubs in London draw 4% of its population to its games or Manchester draws about 10% to its two clubs?

I don't have the marketing data but the short answer is there is something special in the relationship between the town of Blackburn and the club.

Before Jack Walker, Rovers were drawing 4% in a bad season and 10% in a good season but Jack Walker changed that dynamic.

My gut feel is that Jack did two things:

- he brought success

- he brought pride to the club and town

Success is very difficult to reproduce these days; we might get a good set of draws which takes us to Wembley or at least a Wembley semi-final or a run in Europe and that might be enough to keep that additional 10% going to Ewood. Signing Messi would probably work too but Vucinic probably would not be enough of a household name in Blackburn.

However, Jack, and the Trust for that matter, engendered the sense that the club was somehow "our's" as in being part of the community. The new owners do not remotely understand this and in fact have an agenda that it is "their's" and not "our's". Of course it is "their's" but there are ways of making it "our's" as well but everything they are doing is destroying that "our's ness" about Rovers.As I understand it, 1960 was about the sense of Blackburn could not rely on the club to represent the town with dignity and respect.

Isn't that the same sense now. There is no dignity or respect in anything much that has happened between the closure of the sale and today? In fact it has all been about the destruction of dignity and respect.

This is why it feels like a 1960 moment and the potential loss of 50% of the club's support.

All is not lost but slamming gagging orders on the players through the new contracts which is the latest development apparently is not about dignity and respect. There needs to be a fundamental re-appraisal of what is happening and an effort to understand and nurture this dynamic on the part of the ownership or season ticket sales could easily halve in number.

Question I would like to ask you is, what are they doing that is destroying this our club? They sacked a manager and replaced him and now want a new chairman. Can you tell us what else have they done 'wrong' that effects the ourness of the club. they have made what they may call business chnages.

[PAFELL]

I said three months ago that I feel my connections to the club are almost all severed. Mercenary Carlos Kickaballs for players, owners who are not here for the benefit of BRFC, shadowy figures in the background whose agenda is not necessarily for the good of BRFC etc. Since then all manner of other skullduggery culminating in the exit of the manager and the Chairman. It simply doesn't feel like 'my' club anymore. Lastly and not wholly the fault of the new owners every home match has now almost become an effort to attend.

Is there any evidence to suggest skullduggery has gone on to remove the manager (Sam)? Venky's wanted a new manager. Clubs change their managers, that is football and part of the business.

I suppose travelling back and forth from India cannot be expected every home game. Especially bearing in mind the other business they run.

My view at the moment is I am watching and waiting to see what the owners do. I am not against them, yet. I anticipated thee could be teething problems when they bought the club. I hope things will start to settle down soon.