Pune trip

[sentient]

(as 200 years of not marrying English means I'm mostly of Scandinavian, Irish and Scottish heritage).

that's about as english as you can get mate!

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Yet they don't see Rovers as their club, in their town? Then it's all about values and pride.

It's depressing.

In fairness, kids normally get hooked when they go to a game and see the team play well and win, or witness a superb goal, or sample a tremendous atmosphere. It's why our gates increased massively in the early 90's.

These have been is short supply at Ewood over the last 3-4 years.

Since Hughes left we've either been fighting relegation or the direct Sam football. Not the most inspiring stuff.

The club on occasions give free tickets to the school and those children who have gone have been genuinely excited - Yet underwhelmed afterwards (as IIRC we lost both games)

We now sit second from bottom, with a no mark manager and few players of renown. Why should a kid take pride in a club that has given them little to be proud about?

Remember that these kids experience of Premiership football equates to a 5 year timespan at best.

Rovers would still probably struggle to win half of them over if they were challenging for Europe, but they'd definitely get some...which is more than they have now.

So, if Venkys are happy with the way things are going then there's going to be another generation of potential fans disappearing.

[Mattyblue]

Why should they take pride? Because it's their local club WWWM, simple as that. 'Pride' isn't measured by how many matches you win.

Otherwise, why bother having 90 odd professional clubs that aren't the 'big 4'?

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Why should they take pride? Because it's their local club WWWM, simple as that. 'Pride' isn't measured by how many matches you win.

Otherwise, why bother having 90 odd professional clubs that aren't the 'big 4'?

How many of the 90 odd are now close to or on the brink of administration, with dwindling attendances?

It's a generational thing MattyBlue, The riots underlined the 'pride' felt by a percentage of inner city kids.

[Mattyblue]

No, it's a parental and media thing.

Their parents support Man United, the media constantly bang on about Man United.

If the dad of those kids supported Rovers, so would they.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

No, it's a parental and media thing.

Their parents support Man United, the media constantly bang on about Man United.

If the dad of those kids supported Rovers, so would they.

Agree - The media play a significant part. Many parents aren't as interested in football as the kids.

[Steve Moss]

No, it's a parental and media thing.

Their parents support Man United, the media constantly bang on about Man United.

If the dad of those kids supported Rovers, so would they.

This is true, I think. My daughter (just turned 9) and son (6) both argue with other kids at the soccer fields that the Rovers are the best team in the world while the other kids tend to lean toward Barcelona, Chivas or Mexico's national team (we have a lot of Hispanics here). Mallory nearly gave her goalkeeping coach a heart attack when she gave that answer. It's all down to the parents turning on the TV and having the kids sit with them to watch the game. If you do that, they'll be fans despite the lack of wins.

[Stuart]

No, it's a parental and media thing.

Their parents support Man United, the media constantly bang on about Man United.

If the dad of those kids supported Rovers, so would they.

I think that's spot on. I teach my kids that it's not always about success (maybe I'm training them to be good losers, I don't know) but to me your football club is more than winning leagues, cups, even matches. It's about identifying with a group of players running around a pitch wearing your town team's colours and being represented all around the country - and if your very lucky, all around Europe.

I think that is more important than hanging on to successful clubs. I'll be there are some lads who have gone through Arsenal, Chelsea and now Man City just because they have the cash to bring in world reknowned 'stars' and trophies.

It comes back to the fundementals of supporting a football club. It's an institution - regardless of the division it operates in. Okay, relegation might take some adjustment for some but we've done it before. The worry is that it could mean extinction.

Ultimately, if we can keep 11 players running around Ewood wearing the town team colours, that would be enough for me. But that's not to say we should throw away what we have.

For some years now we have 'punched above our weight'; there's no reason we should be ashamed of continuing to do just that. Losing 4-0 at home to City may be no great shame given where they are at, but I'm convinced that with the right man at the helm, we would not be rolling over like we did on Saturday.

It's all about pride and endeavour. It's why unskilled, unfashionable players (e.g. Savage) can become fans favourites - because they show some pride in wearing the shirt. It's why people are so upset at Jones leaving.

If a Welsh footballer can do that, why can't someone born in Blackburn?

Arte et Labore used to mean something...

Ramble over.

[ABBEY]

It's hardly much different to here. More people support Man U than anyone else because they win more, it is what happens.

its fashionable as well.

[AllRoverAsia]

Whilst in Pune our intrepid travellers must tell the Owners (if you don't meet them or more likely are kept away from them please send them a secret note!) and explain to them that at the end of this Premier League season the bottom 3 teams are relegated to what is known as the Championship and that as a result they will lose a lot of money.

I feel sure that Kean has not explained this to them.

Should not take too long to do and you still have plenty of time for sightseeing.

[unclejack28]

First of all is anyone coming up for this game? If so please send me a direct message.

My posts are usually not negative but her goes one.

In india (mumbai) we have a group of 50 or so blackburn followers, and until now despite several attempts to contact venkys we have failed. If they want to increase their fan base in india they should start with what they already have. Initially they had told 3 of us to come for the meeting with the other fans from the uk, however today we received email saying after careful consideration we have decided that the fans meeting will consist of fans from abroad rather than india. I find this ridiculous. We have out box seats for the pfc rovers game on friday, all of us will wear or rovers jerseys and let vekys know what we think of them. This has nothing to do with results on the pitch or even the way they have run the football club as we have no insight into these things, things to form an opinion, it is based entirely on the poor treatment of fans inside india. And if you'll believe there is a blackburn football academy opening anytime soon, you'll are having a laugh, there is no academy in the near future. I have a lot of sources into football development in india having worked for the AIFF(all india football federation) and also have a lot of friends currently working with football asian development and these rumors are far off. They hired a punit shebby singh (google him if you like) to apparently help set up the academy, but the guy along with steve mcmahon are investing into their own academy here and chose not to be apart of venkys although venkys claiming he is on their "payroll".

Again sorry for the negative rant and if anyone is coming up let me know we will go for a beer pre match.

[Rovers_Dan]

hope we get a few holiday snaps taken of the players on this pune trip.

I reckon it'd be pretty good to stick a few photos in the next matchday program of gael givet riding an elephant.

[philipl]

The only holiday snaps from this trip will be of body scanners, barbed wire and AK47s or equivalents.

[AllRoverAsia]

First of all is anyone coming up for this game? If so please send me a direct message.

My posts are usually not negative but her goes one.

In india (mumbai) we have a group of 50 or so blackburn followers, and until now despite several attempts to contact venkys we have failed. If they want to increase their fan base in india they should start with what they already have. Initially they had told 3 of us to come for the meeting with the other fans from the uk, however today we received email saying after careful consideration we have decided that the fans meeting will consist of fans from abroad rather than india. I find this ridiculous. We have out box seats for the pfc rovers game on friday, all of us will wear or rovers jerseys and let vekys know what we think of them. This has nothing to do with results on the pitch or even the way they have run the football club as we have no insight into these things, things to form an opinion, it is based entirely on the poor treatment of fans inside india. And if you'll believe there is a blackburn football academy opening anytime soon, you'll are having a laugh, there is no academy in the near future. I have a lot of sources into football development in india having worked for the AIFF(all india football federation) and also have a lot of friends currently working with football asian development and these rumors are far off. They hired a punit shebby singh (google him if you like) to apparently help set up the academy, but the guy along with steve mcmahon are investing into their own academy here and chose not to be apart of venkys although venkys claiming he is on their "payroll".

Again sorry for the negative rant and if anyone is coming up let me know we will go for a beer pre match.

IMO the treatment by Venkys of you and the other Rovers fans already in India is so appalling that it almost defies belief. How could they treat you so badly as to withdraw at such short notice an invite for just 3 of you to go to Pune. You have been badly treated by Venkys.

Surely even Venkys would have seen the benefit of Rovers Indian fans meeting with the fans travelling from Blackburn - part of the ''FAMILY'' that Venkys are always on about.

I wonder if any of the Pune 9 or whatever number it is going on the jolly from the UK will have the courage to raise this disgraceful behaviour with the owners - or are you all still hiding behind ''don't know what the itinerary is''

Also somewhat suprised that none of the 'good' people in the Pune party knew about the chance to meet up with Indian fans whilst in Pune. I suspect they still will - those carefully chosen and screened by Venkys.

Living as I do in Bangkok I've seen enough of Shebby Singh and Steve McMahon to last 2 lifetimes.

[3rdpillar]

This trip is not subject to fans forum rules. No rules on what we can discuss. We still have to be diplomatic..

No you don't. This is football. Please may I score today?

[Gav]

First of all is anyone coming up for this game? If so please send me a direct message.

My posts are usually not negative but her goes one.

In india (mumbai) we have a group of 50 or so blackburn followers, and until now despite several attempts to contact venkys we have failed. If they want to increase their fan base in india they should start with what they already have. Initially they had told 3 of us to come for the meeting with the other fans from the uk, however today we received email saying after careful consideration we have decided that the fans meeting will consist of fans from abroad rather than india. I find this ridiculous. We have out box seats for the pfc rovers game on friday, all of us will wear or rovers jerseys and let vekys know what we think of them. This has nothing to do with results on the pitch or even the way they have run the football club as we have no insight into these things, things to form an opinion, it is based entirely on the poor treatment of fans inside india. And if you'll believe there is a blackburn football academy opening anytime soon, you'll are having a laugh, there is no academy in the near future. I have a lot of sources into football development in india having worked for the AIFF(all india football federation) and also have a lot of friends currently working with football asian development and these rumors are far off. They hired a punit shebby singh (google him if you like) to apparently help set up the academy, but the guy along with steve mcmahon are investing into their own academy here and chose not to be apart of venkys although venkys claiming he is on their "payroll".

Again sorry for the negative rant and if anyone is coming up let me know we will go for a beer pre match.

Sorry to hear about that unclejack28.

So here we have the owners flying out the members of the fans forum, but they can't even be bothered to speak to fans closer to home, which makes even more of a mockery of this trip.

Publicity stunt? Certainly looks that way doesn’t it.

[Mercer]

First of all is anyone coming up for this game? If so please send me a direct message.

My posts are usually not negative but her goes one.

In india (mumbai) we have a group of 50 or so blackburn followers, and until now despite several attempts to contact venkys we have failed. If they want to increase their fan base in india they should start with what they already have. Initially they had told 3 of us to come for the meeting with the other fans from the uk, however today we received email saying after careful consideration we have decided that the fans meeting will consist of fans from abroad rather than india. I find this ridiculous. We have out box seats for the pfc rovers game on friday, all of us will wear or rovers jerseys and let vekys know what we think of them. This has nothing to do with results on the pitch or even the way they have run the football club as we have no insight into these things, things to form an opinion, it is based entirely on the poor treatment of fans inside india. And if you'll believe there is a blackburn football academy opening anytime soon, you'll are having a laugh, there is no academy in the near future. I have a lot of sources into football development in india having worked for the AIFF(all india football federation) and also have a lot of friends currently working with football asian development and these rumors are far off. They hired a punit shebby singh (google him if you like) to apparently help set up the academy, but the guy along with steve mcmahon are investing into their own academy here and chose not to be apart of venkys although venkys claiming he is on their "payroll".

Again sorry for the negative rant and if anyone is coming up let me know we will go for a beer pre match.

This is very, very sad but not at all surprising.

I would give them hell when you attend the match.

As for the Pune 9, this confirms the worst fears of many about the credibility of the trip.

It's not too late to say NO - just tell Venky's to go and do one and then they might think about how they treat people more carefully in trhe future.

[ABBEY]

Bennnnnnnnd ooooer annnnnnnnnnnn touch tooooooes

[roversmum]

Well to be fair, they don't know you and they are very conscious of the safety of the traveling party, all of whom they do know or are known to the club personally.

I suggest you contact them and say you are sorry that you will be unable to be at the meeting but nonetheless you will still be at the match together with other supporters from Mumbai. etc. In your own words of course.

See you there!

[AllRoverAsia]

Well to be fair, they don't know you and they are very conscious of the safety of the traveling party, all of whom they do know or are known to the club personally.

I suggest you contact them and say you are sorry that you will be unable to be at the meeting but nonetheless you will still be at the match together with other supporters from Mumbai. etc. In your own words of course.

See you there!

I can't think of how to phrase a polite reponse to that garbage

[Tom]

I can't think of how to phrase a polite reponse to that garbage

How about just not replying at all then no need to be rude.

[AllRoverAsia]

How about just not replying at all then no need to be rude.

Agreed - deleted

[Roost]

First of all is anyone coming up for this game? If so please send me a direct message.

My posts are usually not negative but her goes one.

In india (mumbai) we have a group of 50 or so blackburn followers, and until now despite several attempts to contact venkys we have failed. If they want to increase their fan base in india they should start with what they already have. Initially they had told 3 of us to come for the meeting with the other fans from the uk, however today we received email saying after careful consideration we have decided that the fans meeting will consist of fans from abroad rather than india. I find this ridiculous. We have out box seats for the pfc rovers game on friday, all of us will wear or rovers jerseys and let vekys know what we think of them. This has nothing to do with results on the pitch or even the way they have run the football club as we have no insight into these things, things to form an opinion, it is based entirely on the poor treatment of fans inside india. And if you'll believe there is a blackburn football academy opening anytime soon, you'll are having a laugh, there is no academy in the near future. I have a lot of sources into football development in india having worked for the AIFF(all india football federation) and also have a lot of friends currently working with football asian development and these rumors are far off. They hired a punit shebby singh (google him if you like) to apparently help set up the academy, but the guy along with steve mcmahon are investing into their own academy here and chose not to be apart of venkys although venkys claiming he is on their "payroll".

This is an outrage. It shows the hipocrisy of our owners that they are willing to ship out supporters from the UK, and then refuse 3 India based fans the opportunity to do the same.

Anybody, anywhere that tries to justify this act is deluded.

It makes me seeth that we are being told that the academy is coming along nicely, to then read that we are miles away from anything materialising.

Then to top it all off, that idiot in charge justifies the trip to Pune by saying that 'he wants Blackburn Rovers to be the first premiership side to play in India'

Just incredible

[Gav]

Well to be fair, they don't know you and they are very conscious of the safety of the traveling party, all of whom they do know or are known to the club personally.

I suggest you contact them and say you are sorry that you will be unable to be at the meeting but nonetheless you will still be at the match together with other supporters from Mumbai. etc. In your own words of course.

See you there!

I don't think they wanted to be part of your trip mum, they just wanted to meet the owners, and have been ignored seemingly, maybe something to bring up if you manage to meet them yourself.

[Tom]

I do imagine safety is the main concern here, the people managing the trip need to know every aspect of the whole thing and exactly who they are dealing with.

Any fluctuations could cause hell for them.

It would have been a nice touch if it could have been properly arranged though.