[Archived] New Leaked Letter

[Baz]

Incredible letter. So sad it has taken 6 months to be published though.

Wonder what we have coming tomorrow as Phillip is alluding to. I'm guessing at the didn't know we could be relegated rumour.

[OJRovers]

The pleas by Hunt are very similar to those made by Ian Battersby around the same time. I seem to remember him pleading with Mrs D to sack Kean, empower the Board, sort out the PR, communicate with fans.

Sadly both these guys were ignored and now we're relegated.

I don't think it was the best approach though to ask for a raise and £10m for the club in the first 2 points though.

[hesfromburn]

The pleas by Hunt are very similar to those made by Ian Battersby around the same time. I seem to remember him pleading with Mrs D to sack Kean, empower the Board, sort out the PR, communicate with fans.

Sadly both these guys were ignored and now we're relegated.

I don't think it was the best approach though to ask for a raise and £10m for the club in the first 2 points though.

Desperate times....

Im sure he had already found it very frustrating working under Venkys and doubt that is the first time he had been trying to contact them.

[John]

Hard to keep up with all the posts today especially when meant to be working.....

May have been mentioned but there was pretty strong media reports back in December saying board trying to persuade Desai to sack Kean - I remember an article in the Times was now when looking back on it pretty bang on the money.

[savage90]

Does anyone have a full copy of the letter or a scanned (signed) version similar to the John Williams one?

[philipl]

Does anyone have a full copy of the letter or a scanned (signed) version similar to the John Williams one?

Do you scan and sign your emails?

It has been sufficiently authenticated for two major nationals to have put it on their web sites and there maybe one or two more carrying the story in their print editions tomorrow.

[Glenn]

The pleas by Hunt are very similar to those made by Ian Battersby around the same time. I seem to remember him pleading with Mrs D to sack Kean, empower the Board, sort out the PR, communicate with fans.

.... even the fans forum.

I'll never forget Tom telling Balaji precisely this would happen if things didn't change. Bala looked us in the eye and said, I will do what is needed, I will guarantee you, Blackburn Rovers will *NOT* be relegated,

Enough people told them, they either thought they knew better or lied.

[perthblue02]

.... even the fans forum.

I'll never forget Tom telling Balaji precisely this would happen if things didn't change. Bala looked us in the eye and said, I will do what is needed, I will guarantee you, Blackburn Rovers will *NOT* be relegated,

Enough people told them, they either thought they knew better or lied.

Or were advised by somebody else in Pune at the time not to listen, a just like a family member perhaps?

[philipl]

Click on Google News.

First sports item: http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-sport/world-uk-sport/2012/05/08/leaked-letter-calls-for-kean-to-go-116451-30927520/

Hopefully a taster of what is to come.

[Stuart]

.... even the fans forum.

I'll never forget Tom telling Balaji precisely this would happen if things didn't change. Bala looked us in the eye and said, I will do what is needed, I will guarantee you, Blackburn Rovers will *NOT* be relegated,

Enough people told them, they either thought they knew better or lied.

My gut feeling is that Balaji's a bit of a dreamer who likes to mix with the rich and famous. He probably really believed (maybe still does) that he could make a success of Rovers.

It's a shame his sister wouldn't sign the cheques his mouth kept writing... (metaphorically speaking - as I'm sure any money would have been borrowed anyway).

That assurance may even have been the moment when our fate was sealed, him not wanting to let go and the funding streams cut off.

[Exiled_Rover]

I notice the media has now got onside when it's far, far too late to prevent Rovers getting relegated. Parasites.

[Tom]

That's true Glenn which is why I will never regret going as it was a chance to get issues accross directly, all we could do is make them aware which we did in no uncertain terms.

The annoying thing is at the time the majority of the anger was at the door of the manager and we told them they had an opportunity to turn feeling around with the right decision, they didn't!

That was when I realised they wouldn't listen and don't care

[rebelmswar]

I notice the media has now got onside when it's far, far too late to prevent Rovers getting relegated. Parasites.

Human nature, always plenty of people willing to help after something awful, yet predictable and avoidable, has occurred.

[Tom]

My gut feeling is that Balaji's a bit of a dreamer who likes to mix with the rich and famous. He probably really believed (maybe still does) that he could make a success of Rovers.

It's a shame his sister wouldn't sign the cheques his mouth kept writing... (metaphorically speaking - as I'm sure any money would have been borrowed anyway).

That would explain the Ancelotti references

[broadsword]

I was against teh Pune trip, but it was a good way to show the Rao's in their true light.

[rebelmswar]

I was against teh Pune trip, but it was a good way to show the Rao's in their true light.

Think it was the largest personal financial outlay that they splashed on Rovers.

[Stuart]

Think it was the largest personal financial outlay that they splashed on Rovers.

You assume they paid out of their own pockets...

[Glenn]

Whilst I have zero doubt over it's authenticity, the bit that doesn't sit right for me is the bit about Simon Williams. It was his glowing first-hand report of his own trip to meet the owners in India (and how much they cared) that caused me to cut them some slack in the first place. I believe Simon, I think Paul Hunt has no reason to lie and I believe the document is genuine, but that can't be.

[neophox]

Paul Hunt was the only one to respond me from Blackburn after accusing Kean to forfeit the game against Cardiff. He's due respect.

[rebelmswar]

You assume they paid out of their own pockets...

I was talking about the cigarette that Jabba crashed.

[philipl]

For Rovers fans, stories about dressing room dissent, running out of cash, accountants not signing accounts, bank refusing to extent credit, Venky's cluelessness etc etc is all old hat- it mostly appeared on this message board at the time it happened. It was reduced to the stuff of puerile arguments about "in the knows" vs others in denial.

For the world outside Rovers, the Paul Hunt letter is a massive shock. Much bigger than the John Williams letter because that one was about corporate governance which doesn't sell newspapers.

However, Paul Hunt's:

"CEO tells Lady Chairman to sack the Manager because he has lost the dressing room and by the way we've got no money. She ignores him and club gets relegated..." is an altogether different proposition apparently.

[Gav]

Just been told that Hunt has tried to line his own pockets in this letter, not read it, but if thats true the mans a what does that mean? disgrace, regardless of his attempts to out the manager and enforce change.

HUNT OUT and take KEAN, VENKYS and AGNEW with you

[Baz]

Just been told that Hunt has tried to line his own pockets in this letter, not read it, but if thats true the mans a what does that mean? disgrace, regardless of his attempts to out the manager and enforce change.

HUNT OUT and take KEAN, VENKYS and AGNEW with you

Read point 1 Gav.

[S60tti_BRFC]

Possibly an escape route for Hunt is what I'm thinking... Not sure whether he himself leaked it or somebody connected to him has, but i have a feeling he feels something big is about to break and he doesn't want to be 'tarred with the same brush'.

Escape route Hunt!

[EwoodDawn]

Before we get a bit too carried away with the praise for Paul Hunt, we perhaps ought to remind ourselves wasn't this the guy who agreed to, then postponed then moved the goalposts for meetings with the fans? And even as Deputy CEO, surely he knew about and in all probability agreed the ban on banners, the 'frisking' policy, etc?