[Archived] John Williams Appreciation Thread

[BRFCS Content]

A few members have asked if there was anyway messages of appreciation/support could be passed to John Williams, therefore we have decided to open this thread. Please post in here any messages that you would like passed onto John and we will ensure that these are passed onto John. This thread will remain open for the next week or so. Please use the John WIlliams Leaves thread for all other discussion.

[OhmiBRFC]

Cheers John for the last 13 years. Your dedication as our chairman leaves us with feelings of immense gratitude. As a chairman you put us first and doing this made you the best in the land!

Thank you, and good bye out.

[Craigman]

Thank you so much for all the hard work you have done for Blackburn Rovers over the last 14 years. Blackburn wouldn't be where they are today (an established Premier League club) without you. It is such a sad day to hear that you have left.

We owe you so much for the way you have guided our club.

All the best in your future endeavours.

[Bobby G]

Jack may have built this club and brought it back to life but John Williams kept it alive during critical times. His class, demeanor, and decision making made up one of the most respectable clubs off the pitch as well as one of the best run. Any manager who makes 7 or 8 right decisions out of 10 is an excellent one.

Thank you Mr. Williams.

[Roost]

Thanks John

[Roversider]

Thanks for your time at Blackburn Rovers John, we have all appreciated your calm, professional approach towards the fans. I sincerely hope your talents are not lost from football, the FA would do well to look for your input in some form.

If you are choosing to retire, well have a long and happy life, on second thoughts, whatever you do have a long and happy life!

Thanks for everything.

[Gav]

The appointment of John Williams has to rank up there as one of the best bits of business the club has ever done.

It’s a sad day that he’s leaving, but it comes as no surprise.

Thanks John.

[chocky]

Thanks John, have a long and happy retirement.

[The Gull]

What is it with the initials JW! John WIlliams and Uncle Jack are two of the best people to have ever been involved with our club and the club is poorer without them.

Good luck in the whatever you do in the future, I hope it is retirement as you and your family deserve it after the hard work you have put in both here at Ewood and previously at Granada where I worked.

[Simon Says]

A great appointment by Jack Walker 14 years ago.

Did a fantastic job in difficult times. We have lost a highly respected figure.

Best wishes to him.

[slats]

Thanks John for the steady ship over the last decade and a bit, youve become one of, if not THE most respected chairman in the league and one can only hope that whoever is appointed to the day to day running of the club has watched and learnt by the way you went about your work.

All the best of luck for the future (although I'm sure you wont need it)

[Lee0r]

Top bloke, has done wonderful things for the club. Stood up and guided the club through some very tough times.

Today is a very sad day. All the best John.

Thanks.

[daveoftherovers]

Today is not a great day for Blackburn Rovers, you are a great chairman, and have been a calming, sensible and steady influence on our club and you are much respected in the game, I just hope you get the severance package your 13 years of dedication deserves.

I for one are not happy at the prospect of seeing a "Suitable" replacement being sought by the new owners

I'm sure we'll sing a song or 3 for you on Saturday at Wigan, please have a listen out for us....

All the very best John and thanks for your fantastic service to the club, we appreciate it.

[Boz]

A great Chairman and servant to Blackburn Rovers, good luck in the future and thanks for everything.

[Ricky]

A sad day for the club but always something that happens when new owners come in. A very steady pair of hands who has been a massive factor in Rovers remaining in the premier league for all of these years.

Players have testimonials after such long periods of service, John should have one so the fans can have one more chance to thank him properly.

I've spoken to John on a number of occasions on European trips as well as on email and he's always spoken honestly and responded quickly.

All the best for the future John.

[CrazyIvan]

I have a lot of respect and admiration for John Williams. I've met him a few times and can honestly say there is nobody nicer and nobody more enthusiastic about Rovers. He will be missed.

I think John Williams is one of the primary reasons this club is seen as a family club. For the things he has achieved, for the hard decisions and the brave ones he has made, he deserves all of our gratitude. Without him, I don't think this club would be in the healthy state it is or would be an established club in the Premier League. He has been this clubs guiding light. Overall, he is a true gent.

[Paul]

Like many other fans I was privileged to meet John Williams on several occasions under a variety of different circumstances. John always had time, a great deal of time in fact, to talk to fans, listen to their opinions and give honest and open answers to our questions and concerns. There is no doubt under the management of John, and Tom Finn, Rovers have been the most respected of Premier League clubs with many seeing Rovers as a model of financial good sense. It is hard to imagine where we would be today without John Williams at the helm.

While many speak of this as being inevitable I don't agree. Strong, local management has been the mainstay of Blackburn Rovers for the last 14 years and must be the most significant factor in our recent success. Thank you for giving us this John.

I don't know if John was a fan when he arrived at Ewood but it is hard to imagine he is anything but today. John should leave Ewood proud of what he has achieved and with our heartfelt thanks for a job well done. For me he sits second only to Jack Walker for his contribution to the club.

I wish I could be at Wigan tomorrow to sing his praises along with thousands of others but unfortunately I can't.

There's only one John Williams....................................

[BRFCS Content]

Robbie Savage:

John Williams is the best chairman I have ever worked with , he loved Blackburn , there's not anyone better. Hold your head high John!

[b12_simon]

I was lucky enough to meet JW in Salzburg. He might be a Southerner but he was as blue and white as any of us on this board. Football chairmen tend to fall into 2 camps - the self-aggrandising clowns like Mike Ashley and those that keep their heads down and do what's best for their club like John. Time will tell whether the next chairman can hold a candle to John Williams. Whoever it is has a big pair of shoes to fill.

Thanks and goodbye, John. Under your stewardship this has been a club to be proud of.

[Kelbo]

Whenever I have spoken to people within football, the respect and admiration for John Williams as both person and chairman of Rovers has been immense, indeed, if ever I have emailed with concerns over issues, he has responded openly and honestly with real love of BRFC, he must have been Jack Walkers best ever signing.

This is a sad day for Blackburn Rovers and one which I am sure will have far reaching consequences, we have lost our Chairman who epitomised all that was good about our football club, a genuine thanks John for your hard work over the years and for making Rovers a respected and valuable member of the Premier League.

Wherever life takes you now, may it be a lengthy one and I am sure I can speak for all our supporters in wishing you health, wealth happiness and success for the future, you deserve it.

Thank You John Williams, you will be sadly missed.

[Ninjathunder]

John Williams was the greatest chairman a club could ever wish for and each and every one of us was privilaged to have him at OUR club. I'd like to thank him for his excellent stewardship of Blackburn Rovers over recent years and wish him all the best for the future.

[Glenn]

I've written in the other thread about how Venky's have just watched their biggest asset walk out of the door and that many see him as the perfect example of how to run a football club with limited finances, so instead I'll focus on this from my perspective as a fan.

John had a seemingly unique way of dealing with fans, he actually engaged with them. If ever anyone complained in writing, he'd invite them in for a chat, he'd be open and honest with them and he'd listen. The fact so many people on here have said "I met John ,,,,,,," and these aren't 500 club members, these are every day fans. I remember being sat in a bar in Krakow centre with a load of Rovers fans when he unexpectedly turned up and chatted for ages, I remember him braving the cold at Brockhall to watch our fans friendly against Genclerbirligi, I remember dozens on fans forum meetings where he'd speak openly and candidly about the inner workings of a football club. I can't imagine any other chairman being so engaging.

My proudest moment came nervously stood in the tunnel at Ewood, watching an award being presented on the pitch before a game (it was the fans friendly vs Genclerbirligi and I'd taken the opportunity to take pictures rather than be involved with the presenting of the award) when John asked me by name if everything was OK as I'd just blanked him. I then realised that not only did he know my name, he actually cared what I thought!

Top Man.

The only slight upside from this is it may give Tom Finn (who shares many many of the same qualities) a chance to shine.

[thenodrog]

Dreadful thread. Sounds like people walking up to the front in turn say a few words about the deceased at a funeral.

Cut it please.

[CrazyIvan]

Dreadful thread. Sounds like people walking up to the front in turn say a few words about the deceased at a funeral.

Cut it please.

If you've nothing good to say... STFU!

[dave birch]

John, thanks for all your efforts over the many years you've been at the Rovers. It is much appreciated.

If ever you take a trip down this end of the world, let me share a glass or two of red with you, just to say thanks.

Whatever you do, where ever you go, may it be in peace and enjoyment. Let the rest of your life be content in the knowledge that you did a great job for Blackburn Rovers.

Thanks John.

Dave Birch

Sydney