[Archived] Blackburn Rovers Community March

[bob fleming]

We have been asked to remind people that there is still a blanket banner ban on Ewood Park and any banners taken into the stadium will be confiscated.

I'm gonna take a banner in the ground with the words

This is not a banner its a bedsheet.

Would that be dangerous John? Is bedroom linen banned too, maybe a silk sheet or a table cloth may be considered less hazardous.

Stalin's Rovers.

I might be reading too much into this but it looks to me that the club have a problem with blankets rather than bedsheets. Which is totally understandable as someone could easily suffocate under a blanket I'd have thought, especially if it said "Venky Asset Strippers - Get Out of Our Club" or the like. It would be carnage. Think of the asthmatics for heavens sake! Bedsheets may well be OK though. Who knows? It's a ruddy madhouse down there.

[Davenport Nice]

There's always ways around it eg few lads with tshirts with a letter of the back of each

V E N K Y S + K E A N = L I E S

[Stuart]

Kean hopes for small protest

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/7678108/?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed_premierleague

"If you can go to Anfield and draw, and go to Old Trafford and win, there is no reason why we can't beat Norwich and Wigan at home and take something from the games away at Spurs and away at Chelsea."

That's as delusional as saying, "well if we can win the League and Worthington Cup, there is no reason why we can't beat the drop".

This season, our team/squad has been weaker and weaker, month on month and he still tries to point to previous form or results. "If we believe enough, we can win". He should sell inspirational posters, not try to manage a football team.

It's bonkers.

[John]

There's always ways around it eg few lads with tshirts with a letter of the back of each

V E N K Y S + K E A N = L I E S

Better to use Rao family rather than Venkys - more personal and they don't like it.

[Jock]

Banner idea-

MEN OF EWOOD

Nelsen.Salgado.Samba.Givet

SNAKES OF EWOOD

Kean.Agnew.Anderson

Would need a king-size bed sheet tho

Or how about 'No More Heroes'

[Exiled in Toronto]

We'll only get to 1000s if we get enough 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s to turn up. If every fan who believes it might work brings only themself along, we'll get there. It's a self-fulfilling thing...

If you could switch the meal to Sunday, drop the folks off early at the ground (or arrange to meet them) then come and join us - you can walk from town with me and my lad. Genuine offer..

The only people I blame for our relegation are Kean and Venkys.

I have never believed marches might work and I have said why right from the start but the brains trust that is BRAG obviously don;t agree.

Thanks for the offer but I'm not changing my family reunion plans because some blokes I don't know from Adam decided to have a march.

[mark1875]

I have never believed marches might work and I have said why right from the start but the brains trust that is BRAG obviously don;t agree.

Couple of questions

Do you have an alternative suggestion?

Do you believe marches won't work period, or just when the numbers are low, how would feel if 10-15 thousand or even more were marching

[roverandout]

can we not try and get man utd, liverpool fans onboard, they went through the same thing, im sure they will be sympathetic to our plight!!!

[Doug]

Banner idea-

MEN OF EWOOD

Nelsen.Salgado.Samba.Givet

SNAKES OF EWOOD

Kean.Agnew.Anderson

Would need a king-size bed sheet tho

Or how about 'No More Heroes'

Yer avin a Laf! Something better change would be better!

[mark1875]

can we not try and get man utd, liverpool fans onboard, they went through the same thing, im sure they will be sympathetic to our plight!!!

The action committee has a second meeting with the spirit of shankly group in Liverpool late next week. Talks between the parties are only just advancing so at this stage its a big ask that they will march with us although we will be sending an invite for them to so.

[PAFELL]

can we not try and get man utd, liverpool fans onboard, they went through the same thing, im sure they will be sympathetic to our plight!!!

Fair point. Foreign ownership of clubs has been raised. Rovers us a classic example. Maybe government may take notice also.

I will be surprised if there are 5000 supporters involved in this march. Kean will still be able to claim a minority again. Numbers though may not be important. But WHO IS ON THE MARCH. If certain, influential people were involved, as well.as local media. That will raise the situation and be more effective.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Couple of questions

Do you have an alternative suggestion?

Do you believe marches won't work period, or just when the numbers are low, how would feel if 10-15 thousand or even more were marching

Several, which I posted months ago in the early days of protesting, and one about 3 pages ago, but I got the impression no-one in BRAG had time for any ideas but their own. I not once had a constructive reply from an organiser.

I believe marches with low numbers are entirely counter-productive and are the primary reason why Kean has so comprehensively won the PR war. The awful lack of clarity over time as to what is being protested about has also been an inevitable disaster.

Let me ask you: if 10-15,000 march on Saturday, by what mechanism is such a march supposed to achieve what goal? Who will do what as a result to resolve our plight?

In my humble opinion, I'm sure you'll get your best turnout yet, it will be nowhere near a majority and the impression it will give to the outside world is Rovers fans are upset they are getting relegated.

[Stuart]

I think it's gone beyond just relegation though EiT, and given that the press have done a great job of telling everyone, it should be no surprise to the football supporting population.

I've said it many times but I'll say it again. It's only a minority march because the majority make it so.

It's no good people complaining about the situation we are in and hoping someone else will do something. It has to start with ourselves.

It's just so sad that the owners and Kean have been allowed to flush out club down the toilet whilst the vast majority of fans just watch.

[glen9mullan]

Several, which I posted months ago in the early days of protesting, and one about 3 pages ago, but I got the impression no-one in BRAG had time for any ideas but their own. I not once had a constructive reply from an organiser.

I believe marches with low numbers are entirely counter-productive and are the primary reason why Kean has so comprehensively won the PR war. The awful lack of clarity over time as to what is being protested about has also been an inevitable disaster.

Let me ask you: if 10-15,000 march on Saturday, by what mechanism is such a march supposed to achieve what goal? Who will do what as a result to resolve our plight?

In my humble opinion, I'm sure you'll get your best turnout yet, it will be nowhere near a majority and the impression it will give to the outside world is Rovers fans are upset they are getting relegated.

I read your post and did not ignore it, but will answer it now,

There has been two petitions done just over 1500 signatures, both were handed to the LET, there has been 2 mass leaflet drops on 4 different match days, there has been 10000 leaflets handed around the town, there has been numerous open meetings called,

All carried out by a handful of supporters, some of which including myself have taken time off work to do. Have you ever tried getting 10 people to talk to 20000 outside Ewood Park??

On the press release issue, 95% of press releases are picked up by the world wide media, what more could we actually do regarding this when they need to be short and sweet?

There is various websites which covers rovers current position, some not affiliated with the action group, but there is lots of information out there.

All our idea's have come from message boards and members of the group, we just organise them,

Rovers is unique in terms of any other club would of got rid of the manager long ago,

However as Kamy stated yesterday, its a numbers game, and Venkys and Kean have genuine belief that only a minority are unhappy, and protest figures which at the largest have been just over a thousand is pretty sound proof for them to use.

If more had joined in then things may have been different, the PR the club put out to try and play down the protest would not have been possible and actions may just have occurred.

It maybe too late to save our premiership status, but its not too late to save the clubs future, and if for one day, regardless of opinions, the who's the whys, fans stand together, not as a group, but just as rovers supporters (I must stress this is a community march not a group march) and show the world its not the miniority its the majority, then I think the tide will turn, in terms of Venkys stance.

I must add this season many friendships have been born amongst some supporters and some have been lost also, many cross words have been spoken, Why??? Because everyone cares, thats why we all spend hours each day posting on forums, going matches, using social media. This club is dear to everyone, and everyone has a different breaking point or perspective. This makes no-one greater than anyone, as under that rovers banner we are all equals, and all proud supporters

[Exiled in Toronto]

I think it's gone beyond just relegation though EiT, and given that the press have done a great job of telling everyone, it should be no surprise to the football supporting population.

I've said it many times but I'll say it again. It's only a minority march because the majority make it so.

It's no good people complaining about the situation we are in and hoping someone else will do something. It has to start with ourselves.

It's just so sad that the owners and Kean have been allowed to flush out club down the toilet whilst the vast majority of fans just watch.

Let me ask you the same question as above: HOW do you think a large protest would work? What would happen as a result?

The problem I have had all along is the absence of any clarity about or linkage between:

1) Goal: get better owners

2) Strategy: make current owners position untenable, attract new owners, force sale

3) Tactics: etc etc

How does people marching yet again, when previous marches achieved none of the above, make any sense whatsoever?

Doing something might feel better than doing nothing but that doesn't make doing the wrong thing effective.

[PAFELL]

Several, which I posted months ago in the early days of protesting, and one about 3 pages ago, but I got the impression no-one in BRAG had time for any ideas but their own. I not once had a constructive reply from an organiser.

I believe marches with low numbers are entirely counter-productive and are the primary reason why Kean has so comprehensively won the PR war. The awful lack of clarity over time as to what is being protested about has also been an inevitable disaster.

Let me ask you: if 10-15,000 march on Saturday, by what mechanism is such a march supposed to achieve what goal? Who will do what as a result to resolve our plight?

In my humble opinion, I'm sure you'll get your best turnout yet, it will be nowhere near a majority and the impression it will give to the outside world is Rovers fans are upset they are getting relegated.

What would help the situation would be somebody who wants to buy the club came forward. Not supporters with their pocket money, which cannot work, for obvious financial reasons. As much as I want Venkys and Kean out of the club. There is nobody willing to come in and replace them, especailly who has the money required.

Now if such a person / consortium did come forward, that could enhance things. It may not be the way these people work (coming out publicly, saying they want to buy the club) - but in this situation, it may be the only way. But until there is a credible buyer, I believe we are stuck. How can we force venkys to sell the club, when there is no buyer?

[Stuart]

Let me ask you the same question as above: HOW do you think a large protest would work? What would happen as a result?

The problem I have had all along is the absence of any clarity about or linkage between:

1) Goal: get better owners

2) Strategy: make current owners position untenable, attract new owners, force sale

3) Tactics: etc etc

How does people marching yet again, when previous marches achieved none of the above, make any sense whatsoever?

Doing something might feel better than doing nothing but that doesn't make doing the wrong thing effective.

I've already answered that question with my first post in this thread. For me it's no longer about getting rid of people or changing the manager - that ship has sailed.

It's like saying why go to a funeral of some you dearly love who had died. After all they're dead.

[Ralfinho]

are banners not allowed in AFTER the final whistle as per previous sit in protests?

[glen9mullan]

are banners not allowed in AFTER the final whistle as per previous sit in protests?

Yep they can be taken in at full time, and can of course be used during the march and outside the ground

[Ralfinho]

Yep they can be taken in at full time, and can of course be used during the march and outside the ground

That'll do for me!!! 2 massive wanted poster will be on show, one for Kean & one for Venkys

[Jock]

That'll do for me!!! 2 massive wanted poster will be on show, one for Kean & one for Venkys

We need them on display during the game. Getting them in is however getting harder.

Banners all round the ground MIGHT give get the attention of the Indian media.

[Ralfinho]

We need them on display during the game. Getting them in is however getting harder.

Banners all round the ground MIGHT give get the attention of the Indian media.

If I sneak them into the ground I only face being chucked out and I take my son to the match so it wouldnt look good being turfed out and him reporting back to his mum that his dad was removed from the ground. The media know there is a protest before and after the match so Im sure my banners will gain a lot of exposure during these 2 protests

[Jock]

If I sneak them into the ground I only face being chucked out and I take my son to the match so it wouldnt look good being turfed out and him reporting back to his mum that his dad was removed from the ground. The media know there is a protest before and after the match so Im sure my banners will gain a lot of exposure during these 2 protests

Apologies, you cant risk it with being with your son. But i hope plenty of fans who can do take the risk.If loads do the stewards will back off. TAKING EWOOD BACK

[Ralfinho]

Apologies, you cant risk it with being with your son. But i hope plenty of fans who can do take the risk.If loads do the stewards will back off. TAKING EWOOD BACK

No worries, I might even dig out my large printed P45 banner out (if I can find it) That got a lot of coverage

[Jock]

No worries, I might even dig out my large printed P45 banner out (if I can find it) That got a lot of coverage

That one got massive coverage. I can see the sneaky Ewood officials being very slow at handing banners back to the protestors.

PNE AGNEW-OUT