[Archived] The Blackburn Rovers Supporter

[Claytons Left Boot]

A few seasons back, when WBA got one of their several promotions back to the top flight, thousands of Baggies fans were on the pitch at the Hawthorns doing their 'boing, boing' and I remember thinking at the time, 'Would that happen at Ewood? Would it heck!

We've become too nice, no backbone, no passion. Now I'm not suggesting we invade the pitch at the end of every important match. That would simply be wrong and obviously land us in hot water with the authorities. But, not one fan of another club would highlight The Blackburn Rovers Supporter as having passion. He would not highlight the Blackburn End as being the 12th man and he would not highlight Blackburn as being a hot bed of football support, despite what we may think from time to time.

Rewind to the 70's and 80's before we entered the Holy Grail. Rovers' fans were highly thought of then. Not too many top games to show our support but many away games in particular, often in the cup, where we turned out in our thousands to get behind the club. Relegation (only two in that time period thank God) was met with a demo outside on Nuttall Street. Ok, so a demo is not the be all and end all but it does show the club that the fans are concerned and that they have a voice. After all, whenever a manager is sacked after the dreaded vote of confidence, it is often the fans that really decide his fate.

This is all leading up to my disappointment at Preston Blue's thread being locked just as I was about to offer my bit. The call for action, as has already been mentioned by one or two others, did not mean the offices had to be stormed, fires lit on Nuttall Street or flares let off at half time, merely that something had to be done to let the higherarchy know the feelings of some of (or dare I say most of) the support.

Quite sensibly, PB suggested delaying things until mid January, one month away. This assumes that nothing, in the interim, was to be uttered from the mouths of our new owners about their intentions. That is, to tell us the fans and the lifeblood of the club just what they have up their sleeve with regard to :-

- Monies to be injected short, medium and long term

- A shortlist of managerial names should they feel Steve Kean is not the man.

- How long are they prepared to wait should results not go to plan.

- Realistic aims for progressing the club

Hell, all PB was wanting was perhaps a banner stating 'Tell Us What Is Going On!

Have we as a messageboard become Yes Men. Have we to cower away from venting our feelings!

Something needs to be done - let's do it!

[Mattyblue]

On the passion thing, other clubs fans may not recognise it, that is up to them. As a football fan with a brain I appreciate that no club has anymore passionate supporters than any other.

Blackburn and East Lancs IS a hotbed of the game, the crowds we get for the size of the area and our heritage proves that- if your tabloid/Sky fan is too ignorant to know that that's their problem.

The atmosphere at Ewood is on a par with most all seater stadiums and better than Anfield, Emirates, Craven Cottage and others.

Over this week I have talked to family and friends who have been in tears, have struggled to sleep, been full of rage and who have felt more down then they thought possible over a football club.

And as for Preston blues thread- over zealous moderators, nothing more.

[Mike Graham]

I cannot believe that the thread I started this morning has been blocked. Get off your backside Bidddy and explain your actions.......what are you afraid off.

I have been a fan for 46 years and on the MB as PB since 2002 and before PB as Evesham Blue and Surrey blue.

This censorship is xxxxxxx!!

[Claytons Left Boot]

On the passion thing, other clubs fans may not recognise it, that is up to them. As a football fan with a brain I appreciate that no club has anymore passionate supporters than any other.

Blackburn and East Lancs IS a hotbed of the game, the crowds we get for the size of the area and our heritage proves that- if your tabloid/Sky fan is too ignorant to know that that's their problem.

Yes, the crowd to population ratio, I agree with but hotbed? Not any more.

Football fan with a brain? Not sure what you are getting at there but I can guarantee that if fans of 92 clubs were asked to name their top ten passionate supporters, the name of Blackburn Rovers would not feature. Neither would their top 40 come to think of it.

[Mattyblue]

But that's a load of rollocks promoted by the media.

How do you quantify 'passion', running on a pitch? Taking your shirt off? Or supporting your club and being part of something that had been at the centre of Blackburn life for 135 years- I'm a fifth generation Rover and I am passionate and so are most Blues I come across and I know a lot!

'Those Geordies are soooo passionate etc' Are they? There's just more of them as they have a massive catchment area.

No club in the country can sniff at Rovers getting crowds of 20+ thousand every week from a small, deprived town.

Don't fall for media spin as most football fans do.

[Exiled_Rover]

It doesn't help that we've been reduced to Bolton. Pining over Allardyce and his percentage football.

You lose a lot of the passion when you're bored witless each week at Ewood Park.

[Kelbo]

Yes, the crowd to population ratio, I agree with but hotbed? Not any more.

Football fan with a brain? Not sure what you are getting at there but I can guarantee that if fans of 92 clubs were asked to name their top ten passionate supporters, the name of Blackburn Rovers would not feature. Neither would their top 40 come to think of it.

I think the problem there is twofold, since Shearer, we havent really had a player who when they recieve the ball, the crowd gasps or gets the pulse racing, perhaps Bellamy to a degree.

I can remember, many years ago, little Johnny Price, came from Burnley, when he recieved the ball he went at the full back and almost always got a cross in, there was a buz, the players have to a degree to create that, then the crowd will have a buz, the excitement would come back, unfortunately nowadays we have the fear factor, managers fear the sack and clubs fear relegation and so instead of spontaneous football, which was the way the game was meant to be played, it is so like a game of chess, where one is trying to 'Check'

the other.

I have said this before, I enjoyed the old days and the football far more than I do now!!

[Claytons Left Boot]

I am sure you are passionate Matt. So am I. Hence the thread.

I have championed Rovers' crowds as per population of the town many times. I have not fallen for any media hype. Far from it.

I know many passionate Rovers' fans, as you do. What I am saying is, that as a group of supporters as a whole, we are way down the list.

PB's initial posting was blocked for the fear of upsetting 'someone.' This is our club and our voice but we in effect have become yes men ourselves.

[Herbie6590]

I think the problem there is twofold, since Shearer, we havent really had a player who when they recieve the ball, the crowd gasps or gets the pulse racing, perhaps Bellamy to a degree.

I can remember, many years ago, little Johnny Price, came from Burnley, when he recieved the ball he went at the full back and almost always got a cross in, there was a buz, the players have to a degree to create that, then the crowd will have a buz, the excitement would come back, unfortunately nowadays we have the fear factor, managers fear the sack and clubs fear relegation and so instead of spontaneous football, which was the way the game was meant to be played, it is so like a game of chess, where one is trying to 'Check'

the other.

I have said this before, I enjoyed the old days and the football far more than I do now!!

Agree with the sentiment but Johnny Price came from Stockport County.....(sorry about the pedantry !)

http://www.stockportcounty.com/page/PastPlayers/0,,10419~527514,00.html

[Mattyblue]

I think it is because we have been spoilt for 20 years- firstly by Jack and secondly by having a board led by John Williams that was tremendously run and did a lot for the fans.

as a fanbase I sense a lot of shock as we are just not used to this palava.

[Kelbo]

Agree with the sentiment but Johnny Price came from Stockport County.....(sorry about the pedantry !)

http://www.stockportcounty.com/page/PastPlayers/0,,10419~527514,00.html

John Price went to Stockport from Burnley, should know, I played against him for Rovers B team

[Tom]

It doesn't help that we've been reduced to Bolton. Pining over Allardyce and his percentage football.

You lose a lot of the passion when you're bored witless each week at Ewood Park.

Yep I know a lot of people who feel the same. Havn't looked forward to Rovers games the same in a while

[Herbie6590]

John Price went to Stockport from Burnley, should know, I played against him for Rovers B team

...sorry thought you meant to us directly from the Dingles !

...Fond memories of JP, I was only about 10 when I saw him but was delighted to be taller than him !

[Whyoy]

Well the owners have an ideal opportunity to communicate with the fans via the press this Wednesday because at 11.00am it's the clubs AGM in the Red Rose Suite in the Blackburn End Stand. I suspect entry will be limited to the few remaining shareholders that held onto their shares following the Jack Walker buyout.

[Exiled_Rover]

Yep I know a lot of people who feel the same. Havn't looked forward to Rovers games the same in a while

I used to chuckle at Bolton supporters asking myself how they could endure the style of football Allardyce plays. How the tables have turned.

[colin]

I suppose that it all depends on your definition of "passionate."

There's the obviously daft such as those fat gits who take their shirts off at SJP in winter. Are they passionate or are they just plain glory hunters and attention seekers?

Would you rather be a Rovers' supporter knowing that the vast majority of your 20,000 fellow supporters are have their origins in and around Blackburn or would you rather be at Old Trafford in a 78,000 crowd a lot of whom have travelled from Sussex or Devon?

If being "passionate" involves mindless protests like Liverpool supporters did to protest against Gillet & Hicks then count me out. If it involves standing around the ground to welcome back "the messiah" (Newcastle fans) then count me out. If you consider passion to be Manchester United fans wearing some green and yellow while paying to attend Old Trafford then sod that for a game of chocolate soldiers.

The passion that I (maybe wrongly) understood from CLB's post died years ago. Maybe because of the implimentation of The Taylor Report; or just the natural evolution of the game from a simple working man's sport to a global game pretty much dominated by SKY & Jamie Redknap's tight-trousered indignation about just about everything.

I'd just to like to add that I did a 60 mile round trip on Saturday. Froze my nuts off and watched that rubbish.

There may be a very thin line between "passionate" and "illogically stupid decision-making that flies against all rational behaviour."

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Strangely, IMO the best atmosphere in the last few years came in the three 'must win' home games to guarantee safety in Sam's first year in charge.

Simply because the fans knew what was at stake. We had the Darwen end for the first time in ages as well.

Atmosphere is generated when something massive is at stake or by quality on the pitch (Benni Mac against Arsenal)is a recentish example.

Personally, I would rather have entertaining football and be involved in fights at either end of the table than just tootling along in 13th, 14th.

[Kelbo]

And yet you're the main campaigner on this board against Venky's and the sacking of Sam.

There is a differeence between what you really like and common sense, what I really would like we cant afford or compete, football Andrews v Fabrigas? I know just a point a £1,000,000 player v a £40,000,000 player - no contest in either cost or ability!!

You cannot try and play football on a level footing against that, so you have a different route, I would rather win than lose all the time, when my kids were young, if they were beating me at Ludo the board got kicked in the air, losing is not nan option, thats why I am against this lot, it will end in tears.

[philipl]

We haven't seen it for a very long time but people shouldn't underestimate how verbally nasty a Blackburn crowd can turn when it is really upset.

[Brownie]

Remember Notts Forest at home ? I reckon it could turn extremely nasty within the month , and rightly so , never before been embarrassed to be a Rovers fan

[tony gale's mic]

I used to chuckle at Bolton supporters asking myself how they could endure the style of football Allardyce plays. How the tables have turned.

Maybe because Sam turned them from being relegation favourites to being goal difference away from the Champions' League spots?

I didn't like Sam or Bolton's style but surely that was obvious to most football fans.

[67splitscreen]

Remember Notts Forest at home ? I reckon it could turn extremely nasty within the month , and rightly so , never before been embarrassed to be a Rovers fan

I think they may have looked at the Liverpool game as a possible to attend ........ Suicide now .......... all the eggs in Lancashire deposited into the Directors box. How do you like um ...... scrammbled ..... sunnyside up.

[Brownie]

Surely they received the negative feedback with the Venkys sign on Saturday being taken off the big screen ? Are they really so thick ? How many Rovers fans would go into one of these planned Venkys Takeaways planned to be opened in this country ? I've never felt lime walking away in 36 years but it will take a big change of direction for me to purchase my two season tickets for next season

[Drummer Boy]

I suppose that it all depends on your definition of "passionate."

There's the obviously daft such as those fat gits who take their shirts off at SJP in winter. Are they passionate or are they just plain glory hunters and attention seekers?

Would you rather be a Rovers' supporter knowing that the vast majority of your 20,000 fellow supporters are have their origins in and around Blackburn or would you rather be at Old Trafford in a 78,000 crowd a lot of whom have travelled from Sussex or Devon?

If being "passionate" involves mindless protests like Liverpool supporters did to protest against Gillet & Hicks then count me out. If it involves standing around the ground to welcome back "the messiah" (Newcastle fans) then count me out. If you consider passion to be Manchester United fans wearing some green and yellow while paying to attend Old Trafford then sod that for a game of chocolate soldiers.

The passion that I (maybe wrongly) understood from CLB's post died years ago. Maybe because of the implimentation of The Taylor Report; or just the natural evolution of the game from a simple working man's sport to a global game pretty much dominated by SKY & Jamie Redknap's tight-trousered indignation about just about everything.

Very well put - passion is not about exhibitionism its about how you feel about the game and your team inside. To me (East) Lancs is the hotbed of football to surpass them all - how many other parts of the country can boast the number of reasonably supported teams with such heritage and pride. The town is the team, the team is the town across the county. The game as we know it was invented here for good reason - there's as much if not more passion here as anywhere - we just don't cry when the camera is on us!

[Mike Graham]

This MB is now being moderated (biddy) by the Chinese authorities

SteB and Glenn, will you please cancel my account

Thank you, good luck and goodbye..........