[Archived] Flowers

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

No---the fans are more angry but not more polarised. More united than ever against Kean/Venkys.

Where's the evidence that the protests are pushing more fans towards the owners and management? Seen the polls on here? Read the comments in the LT?

There are still a few like you who have yet to be convinced but there always is.

What's the media got to do with it? They know little and care little about Rovers. Urging us to support an owner/manager who have us on course for relegation shows us how much they know.

11 games/1 win----all that counts.

For Venkys to care about the protests it requires the national media to take notice. The whole issue for Venkys is brand recognition and reputation. Until their reputation is seriously damaged and the national media start to sympathise with the protesters, then the protests will not be taken particularly seriously.

I have no real problem with the sentiments behind the protests, I just feel that they could have been staged at games where they would have had far more of an impact and not at games against top 4 opposition where we were likely to lose regardless of Kean/Venkys involvement. When neutrals see Blackburn fans protesting after losing games to Chelsea and Spurs I doubt they'd really sympathise as it looks like the protesters are expecting that we beat such teams.. If you listen to various pundits, you'll actually hear them have far more sympathy for Steve Kean because of the protests..

If we lose games against Wigan and Swansea, then a protest would look far more justified.

[John]

Lose to Wigan and Swansea then we are almost down, don't you realise we are 5 points adrift??

[Realist]

Just got back from Ewood Park after spending a good half hour there with my Brother, Very emotional right now, and I dare anyone to go to Ewood Park and stand their in front of Jack and not share that emotion.

I looked around in the Dark and could feel the past, the goals, the joy, the memories..... I looked down at the beautiful flowers which have been paid for from all over the world, and looked up at Jack and just felt numb.

How its been allowed for our club to be destroyed, in the space of 12 months is criminal....

I knew at that very moment especially as another Rovers supporter Mullenvoid came over to lay his flowers that what we have all been trying to do, is for the right reasons, and I don't care what lengths I have to go to, I will not let them finish Jacks Legacy of.

I'm proud of every single supporter who has been to the memorial today, and showed their loyalty to the greatest supporter that this club has ever had, He put his hard earned cash into rovers and asked for nothing in return, He gave us the Blackburn Rovers which we was so proud to be part of, and now Venkys have done their best in 12 months to destroy his dream.

I refuse to give up, and I like many others will continue the fight to make sure his efforts were not in vein

[Miker]

But it just seems there are two groups:

1) The do somethings

2) The do nothings aka the perpetual-wait-and-sees

The magic formula for doing the right things hasn't been worked out yet. I think people thought the right thing was to line up a buyer. Seems even that was the wrong thing.

Just think, though, if we were to get 6 wins out of the next 6 games. It's unimaginable really but that would put us on a very healthy points total for the time of the year. Sadly the actions of the last 12 months - not least the choice of manager - have meant that the pressure on these next half dozen games is so immense that we could just as easly get 0 point from them all!

I wonder if the WEC move could prove the tipping point for a few more category 2)s to become category 1)s...

There is a middle ground. The "something" that you do doesn't have to be constant protesting against the manager and the owners. Fans shelled out money for the "Kean Out" plane, which was fair enough, but what effect did it really have? It seemed to just serve as a trigger to continue the angry feeling for half the fans, and a trigger to annoy the other half.

Replace the "Kean Out" message with something humorous/light-hearted and maybe instead it would have lifted the mood at the ground and even lifted the players.

I can appreciate that the aim was to raise awareness of Venky's "misdeeds" and bypass the banner bans. However, a large amount of fans would come to matchdays to have fun and unwind. A lot of people have jobs where they have to deal with constant whinging and bickering and stressful situations and by Saturday they just want to relax and enjoy themselves, but coming into an atmosphere of negativity doesn't help.

On the bright side, this whole episode with Kean and Venky's seems to have gotten the creative best out of a lot of people

[Realist]

I've been watching this and other stuff written over the last few weeks and so far can only think that the main protest organiser has a hidden agenda. I wonder if there is a financial benefit for him. Why oh why would an "unknown" supporter be staging such a woefuly embarrassingly hate campaign against all concerned with the running of the club. The constant I have information that I cannot yet disclose posts mean nothing to any right minded person, either put up or shut up. I for one, whilst originally having some sympathy with the cause am becoming less concerned with your rants and protests and more concerned with giving my support to a team that is obviously struggling at the bottom of the league but deserves the undivided support from all supporters without the distractions of inane and insensitive protests.

Whilst I realise that this post will irritate people I hope that it may also spur on some supporters to forget these protests and get behind a team who have the capabilities to get the club out of the current position and put an end to this silliness.

[John]

Your post will perhaps irritate most folk but we have been run like an utter disgrace, personally I don't like it - plus fans have always been behind the team.

[Miker]

Your post will perhaps irritate most folk but we have been run like an utter disgrace, personally I don't like it - plus fans have always been behind the team.

To be fair to the protesters, their conduct has been impeccable.

[Mc Love]

And they/we have been 100% behind the team! Not the owners or the manager!

[seanc88]

Realist your name really does you no justice if you believe that. If we lose the next two games we'll almost definitely be watching championship football next season. Glen and co are fans who want change and want owners who appreciate the fans and do what's right for the club. Venky's do not tick any of the boxes. As for Steve Kean (no need to even be personal about him) his record is horrific and getting worse every game.

[John]

To be fair to the protesters, their conduct has been impeccable.

Our current situation is because of the owners. Their conduct has not been impeccable, that is the problem as our league position suggests plus our finances are likely not to be in great shape either.

[Mattyblue]

I have no real problem with the sentiments behind the protests, I just feel that they could have been staged at games where they would have had far more of an impact and not at games against top 4 opposition where we were likely to lose regardless of Kean/Venkys involvement. When neutrals see Blackburn fans protesting after losing games to Chelsea and Spurs I doubt they'd really sympathise as it looks like the protesters are expecting that we beat such teams.. If you listen to various pundits, you'll actually hear them have far more sympathy for Steve Kean because of the protests..

If we lose games against Wigan and Swansea, then a protest would look far more justified.

How does that work then? We have a manager with a horrendous record who starts the next season in even worse style, fans think they need to shout for his head pronto before he does any more damage, but as we don't have a 'run of winnable games' till mid November onwards they have to sit on our hands? But what if we are adrift in the bottom 3 by then... Oh wait!

[BangkokRover]

If we lose games against Wigan and Swansea, then a protest would look far more justified.

We will then be 11 points away from safety. So we would need 4 win just to catch up. Do you honestly think we can win 6 or 7 games quickly to get out of this mess?

[darwenblueswearehere]

Indeed Tom, and if things don't go well on the pitch on Saturday, I could see things getting ugly in the North Stand.

And that, Neil, is exactly how things usually get resolved. At least in terms of managerial sackings.

[Roost]

We will then be 11 points away from safety. So we would need 4 win just to catch up. Do you honestly think we can win 6 or 7 games quickly to get out of this mess?

That's assuming everyone above us wins their two games. Unlikely.

In any case we will NOT lose at Wigan.

[Stuart]

And that, Neil, is exactly how things usually get resolved. At least in terms of managerial sackings.

If we are talking about what's usual, he'd have been gone before now.

What kind of owners come out and say he will not be sacked 'no matter what'? Especially ones whose pride/culture means they won't/can't change their minds for fear of losing face?

This had become a battle of wills. Hand in heart I don't believe we will be sacked even if we lose all of the next 6 games.

[BangkokRover]

In any case we will NOT lose at Wigan.

Hope you are right Roost. I am not confident of beating anyone at the moment as we leak goal for fun.

[Roversider]

Given your clear stance here. What would it take for you to "be converted"?

Or as "there are more important things going on in the world", is there no point where you might "be converted"?

This is a genuine question. I think there are a lot of Rovers fans who think like you do and would like to know if you would ever consider joining the protests.

What will convert me to wanting a change of the manager is if I see the team failing to try for the manager. That is not the case at the moment and the only thing the protests have done is make me feel that there is a campaign being waged which is so single-minded and blinkered that it fails to engage with anyone who is not of a similar single-mindedness.

The protests are, to my mind, essentially of a destructive nature for one reason only. It is very much focussed on changing things but with no clarity of what that change should lead to. Do they affect the team? I'm not certain about that as the support (before the plane) in the ground has been solid and loud but I can't believe that it helps the team to perform better.

I remain unclear whether if Steve Kean goes that the protests wouldn't then focus on the owners. If we believe that will encourage them to sell to another bidder well, it took the Walkers Trust and John Williams years to find the Venkys.

Yes, there are more important things to demonstrate about, unemployment is rising, people are starving in the world, everyone is seeing their standards of living fall. That doesn't mean that you aren't entitled to protest, however the confines of Ewood Park are a private club and the owners have the right to allow or not allow the demonstrators to remain in the ground. I would give them credit for not stopping the sessions in Ewood after the games and also Glen and Simon and the protestors for keeping it peaceful - so far.

There has not been one iota of argument from the protestors that has given me cause to feel I should actively support them. There is a naive view that polls on this site and also the rabid comments on the LT site seem to reflect the fans views as a whole. That is not reflected on the support that the protests get when it matters. The fact that some of us are beginning to respond with doubts and disappointment about the protests should tell you something, particularly as that has in the past collected lots of angry, insulting responses questioning loyalty to the Rovers.

How about suspending the demonstrations for a period? If only to let the organisers have a rest and give their families a bit of well-earned attention.

[Mattyblue]

As I thought, the old 'there is more to life than football' routine.

We KNOW there is more to life than football, speaking personally I am glad to have a job, a roof over my head etc. BRFC however is also very important to me, you can seperate 'real life' and passion for your football club.

I wanted Kean's removal as his record is so atrocious I do not feel he will get us the 40 points required, my 'blinkered and single minded' view is no more than that.

[ABBEY]

Suspend? When til ? Till we are cut proper adrift?

Love rovers hate venkys

As I thought, the old 'there is more to life than football' routine.

We KNOW there is more to life than football, speaking personally I am glad to have a job, a roof over my head etc. BRFC however is also very important to me, you can seperate 'real life' and passion for your football club.

I wanted Kean's removal as his record is so atrocious I do not feel he will get us the 40 points required, my 'blinkered and single minded' view is no more than that.

Seperation ? Haha it's hard sleeping with venky induced stress.

Not aimed at you matt , was at Roverinsider.

[darwenblueswearehere]

What will convert me to wanting a change of the manager is if I see the team failing to try for the manager. That is not the case at the moment and the only thing the protests have done is make me feel that there is a campaign being waged which is so single-minded and blinkered that it fails to engage with anyone who is not of a similar single-mindedness.

The protests are, to my mind, essentially of a destructive nature for one reason only. It is very much focussed on changing things but with no clarity of what that change should lead to. Do they affect the team? I'm not certain about that as the support (before the plane) in the ground has been solid and loud but I can't believe that it helps the team to perform better.

I remain unclear whether if Steve Kean goes that the protests wouldn't then focus on the owners. If we believe that will encourage them to sell to another bidder well, it took the Walkers Trust and John Williams years to find the Venkys.

Yes, there are more important things to demonstrate about, unemployment is rising, people are starving in the world, everyone is seeing their standards of living fall. That doesn't mean that you aren't entitled to protest, however the confines of Ewood Park are a private club and the owners have the right to allow or not allow the demonstrators to remain in the ground. I would give them credit for not stopping the sessions in Ewood after the games and also Glen and Simon and the protestors for keeping it peaceful - so far.

There has not been one iota of argument from the protestors that has given me cause to feel I should actively support them. There is a naive view that polls on this site and also the rabid comments on the LT site seem to reflect the fans views as a whole. That is not reflected on the support that the protests get when it matters. The fact that some of us are beginning to respond with doubts and disappointment about the protests should tell you something, particularly as that has in the past collected lots of angry, insulting responses questioning loyalty to the Rovers.

How about suspending the demonstrations for a period? If only to let the organisers have a rest and give their families a bit of well-earned attention.

An extremely legitimate and well presented viewpoint, which will no doubt be lambasted by the majority on here.

[OJRovers]

It frightens me how much worse things would have to get for the non-protestors to be moved enough to protest.

[Paul Mellelieu]

The last but one post ignores the actual facts of the situation we're in and suggests nothing in terms of an alternative strategy.

We are a club in freefall without proper owners, management structure and a team manager to speak of. We were a stable mid table club 12 months ago. Now we are rightly a laughing stock. it is odds on that we will be relegated and that the club could go into a tale spin downwards.

What do you suggest the fans do? Nothing?

[brian_gallagher85]

There's nothing I would love more than for Kean and Venkys to turn the corner and go on a good run both on and off the pitch.

However, I have zero faith in this happening as the past 12 months has simply seen us staggering from one ridiculous mess to another.

We are supposedly playing well but the fact remains that we are staring relegation while sat below clubs who are on a truly awful run while playing some awful football. The inability to even come to keeping a clean sheet and win two games on the bounce is what is going to finally finish us off.

[Mattyblue]

What do you suggest the fans do? Nothing?

'get behind 'em'

That is the only answer you will get.

[rovers_rob]

Fan leader: Our protest is against Venky’s