[Archived] New Leaked Letter

[perthblue02]

Can Venky's sell off land at Brockhall? anybody know how true this could be ?

As well as jobs, sources at Ewood indicate that Venky’s is considering merging the academy with the first team so they operate out of one building at Brockhall Village. This would allow the club to sell off the academy land for more housing.

My link

[RevidgeBlue]

My gut reaction on reading this "leaked letter" was that it was a fake, one of the reasons being being that it is written in a lay person style that you wouldn't expect to be used by a Club official communicating with the owners whether by e-mail or letter. It also just recites the rather slavishly the common gripes the fans have had with the Club this season making it more likely to be the handywork of a disgruntled fan.

On further reflection I would need even more convincing the letter was genuine because it contains a glaring factual inaccuracy which smacks more of a clever fake not quite hitting the mark than it being a genuine communication from Hunt. The letter refers to him being a Director and him and his family being at risk of potentially losing his house. He is not a Director he is a salaried employee and surely if the letter was genuine he would not refer to himself as such nor to his own assets being at risk.

In the unlikely (imo) scenario that the letter is genuine I see little point in it being leaked now unless it is

a) An attempt by someone to discredit Hunt or

b ) An attempt by Hunt to disassociate himself from goings on at Ewood this season.

The contents of most of the letter are old news which have been superceded by events. Kean wasn't sacked and the financial issues referred to have ben addressed to a greater or lesser extent. From memory the LT freely reported as well around January time that the Board were split over Kean with certain Board members favouring the removal of Kean and a potential move for Mark Hughes but Mrs. Desai favouring sticking with Kean.

Hopefully Hunt will be able to prove conclusively whether he did in fact compose and send that letter/e-mail to the owners personally. If not and someone sent it purporting to be him it's a very cruel hoax as it's putting his employment in extreme jeapordy when he doesn't deserve it.

[perthblue02]

here's the letter in full as reported by the Independent. My link

[Rover Down Under]

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.

I agree, point 8 really looked like it was shoehorned in there and by an ESL speaker, not to mention it is highly unprofessional to write something like that. The rest appears genuine. Unlike a letter (like JW's leaked letter) an email can be easily "edited" before being forwarded on / printed out and dropped somewhere etc. Without seeing the original, authenticated email I expect that this is about 98% genuine with the leaker(s) having edited out anything unfavourable and added in their tuppence worth.

If that part about the Directors being potentially personally liable and losing their home if the club goes under is true does that mean the banks could nail Venkys? Can't see it happening but the thought of Madame and the Chuckle Brothers on the streets of Pune holding a begging bowl fills me with joy.

[savage90]

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.

I wasn't questioning it's authenticity at all... I just wanted a more pro/ full version to forward to people more important than you, Relax.

that I now have, thanks.

[Miker]

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.

I agree with with this. No reason to doubt its authenticity, but there are some things that don't sit right including what you've just said and what RevidgeBlue has pointed out. The letter has too many grammatical mistakes, including switching from second person to third person too often (it goes from "you" and "your" to "the owners"). I also find it bizarre that a Deputy CEO would outline a 10-point plan in an email, rather than attaching it as an official DOC or PDF file.

I'd be interested to see how Paul Hunt responds to this if at all because this is an extremely amateurish and strange letter to send for someone in his position.

[Paul]

I'd be interested to see how Paul Hunt responds to this if at all because this is an extremely amateurish and strange letter to send for someone in his position.

I'm in agreement with Miker, Revidge and Glenn (in regard to SW) on this. As I posted earlier the convincing argument the document is genuine being several newspapers have published it in full.

My view is PH could easily sue sporting intelligence for some form of deformation / misrepresentation etc. if the letter is a fake. Logic says sporting intelligence know it to be genuine.

My English language education ended at 'O' level and even from this point I could write and construct this letter correctly and far better than Hunt. Much of the language does not ring true.

We should remember:

PH would not be recognised if he sat next to a fan. To my knowledge he has spoken once to the fans during his tenure. He has been largely anonymous while working at Rovers, in stark contrast to Williams and Finn. The JW letter in January matched the man's style. We don't know if this is true of PH.

The letter's contents have been widely discussed here and elsewhere.

Football fans are notorious for grasping every positive and rejecting the negative.

I feel this should be treated with caution.

[Stuart]

If this was written and sent in the immediate aftermath of the Bolton game, it's possible that a letter written previously was edited and added to. Particularly with emotions running high, it might explain the different tone and language used.

I too found it strange that he was writing to Desai and referenced "the owners". Is it possible the original letter was addressed to someone else, e.g.someone in the media, and he just thought "balls to it" in the heat of the moment?

As an aside: Dawn, I wouldn't be surprised if Glen was aware of the contents of this letter, maybe following postponement of a fan meeting. But I'm only putting 2+2 based on things Glen was saying at the time.

[RovertheHill]

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Kean himself didn't leak the letter in a sad and desperate attempt to "show what he was up against"

[beastlove]

Can Venky's sell off land at Brockhall? anybody know how true this could be ?

As well as jobs, sources at Ewood indicate that Venky’s is considering merging the academy with the first team so they operate out of one building at Brockhall Village. This would allow the club to sell off the academy land for more housing.

My link

the answer is no. The land is green belt and has not been identified in the strategic housing plan for the ribble valley.

[Glenn]

There is an important tactical move behind combining the two academy buildings, nothing nefarious in it. The last FF minutes (out any day I imagine) explain it better than I could. For once it's good news.

[47er]

Of course the letter is genuine. Its been all over the papers and its headline sports news on 5 Live and published in full in the Independent-------yet there's been no comment from the club!

Does anyone honestly think they wouldn't have told us it was a fake by now? Or threatened legal action?

The real story here is that Mrs Desai not only didn't take any notice of the advice Hunt gave her but passed it on immediately to Kean! But we knew that in January. Thick as thieves eh?

Then she kept them both on!!

Can you imagine the atmosphere in our "family club" from that point?

No wonder our season disintegrated. A lunatic asylum with the inmates in charge. No team could have stayed up with such a dysfunctional admin behind them.

And we criticised Hoilett for not re-signing and Samba for leaving! Who wouldn't?

[Miker]

There is an important tactical move behind combining the two academy buildings, nothing nefarious in it. The last FF minutes (out any day I imagine) explain it better than I could. For once it's good news.

I've know about this for a while and am surprised none of these journalists have picked up on this story and instead have saw fit to spread another daft rumour about the academy buildings.

[HemelRover]

Can Venky's sell off land at Brockhall? anybody know how true this could be ?

As well as jobs, sources at Ewood indicate that Venky’s is considering merging the academy with the first team so they operate out of one building at Brockhall Village. This would allow the club to sell off the academy land for more housing.

My link

Something caught my eye from this article that I had not heard yet.

Second paragraph......

"Venky’s has already refused the contract demands of Junior Hoilett, despite manager Steve Kean stating publicly a deal is close. No further talks have taken place"

Makes it sound like Hoilett was interested enough in staying to at least tell the club what he wanted. And it was Mrs D who refused to offer it to him.

[Stuart]

I agree Hemel. First time I've looked at it that way but completely, and frustratingly, believable.

But surely they could have signed him with a low sell-on fee clause and made some money out of him? It's a stark contrast to the position with Phil Jones.

If it is true, it reinforces my belief that they have completely lost interest in running the club.

[Parsonblue]

I think much of the Henry Winter article is probably very accurate. However, I agree with Glenn with regard to merging the Academy and the Senior Training Ground, my understanding is that it is being done in an attempt to gain Grade One status in the new Youth/Reserve team football re-organisation. I may be wrong, but my understanding is that there are no plans to sell the actual land at Academy but merely for the Senior Training Ground to be included in the planning of the new Under-19/Under-21 set-up.

I tend to believe that the e-mail is genuine. I can't believe that so many newspapers would have printed it if there was any doubt and the fact that a respected journalist like Henry Winter would put his name to a piece about the e-mail suggests he must be convinced of it's authenticity. Furthermore the LT have done a huge spread on the e-mail and I doubt that the local paper would have touched it unless they knew it was genuine.

I seem to remember being told at Newcastle in the F.A. Cup match that Hunt was in India in January and of course Simon Williams also left around that time in circumstances that were never fully explained.

Personally, I think the letter merely confirms the shambolic nature of the running of the club since the Rao family arrived. There are one or two interesting bits that are new and again point to the fact that the Rao family are completely out of their depth at every level. However, most of the content is what we already know. I don't think anybody doubts that the club is in serious financial trouble and that relegation has merely added fuel to the fire.

Leaks coming out of Ewood paint a picture of in-fighting and everybody covering their own back rather than working for the good of the club. This letter would confirm that picture as being fairly accurate. Both Hunts and Karen Silk would appear to want to build their own little empire while Kean and Agnew already seem well established as "an empire within an empire". Indeed, the fact that this e-mail has been leaked at this time merely underlines the fact that the factional in-fighting is continuing.

Articles like that written by Henry Winter - and there seem to be an increasing number starting to appear - merely underline the fact that this is a club in crisis and, sadly, the Rao family would appear to have no solutions to the problems. One suspects that Desai would sell in an instant if she could find a buyer as the growing problems at Ewood are, at some point, going to impact on the main business. However, I doubt if they will cut and run unless they can get the price they want and that, I suspect, is not going to happen anytime soon. I think we are in for a summer of more player sales and more cutbacks as the spiral of decline continues unabated.

[davulsukur]

Can Venky's sell off land at Brockhall? anybody know how true this could be ?

As well as jobs, sources at Ewood indicate that Venky’s is considering merging the academy with the first team so they operate out of one building at Brockhall Village. This would allow the club to sell off the academy land for more housing.

My link

From that link

According to sources at Ewood, Venky’s has begun to offer the club for sale in Asia and the Middle East while insisting in Europe that the club are not for sale. There are two consortiums who are prepared to take the club off the Venky’s hands and invest but will not pay the Venky’s for the club. No talks have been held.

Anyone know anything about this?

[Stuart]

From that link

Anyone know anything about this?

I suspect it's BRSIT/Wayne Wild in one corner, and Ian Battersby and Associates in the other.

I'm sure it'll become a left-wing / right-wing debate soon enough.

[Bobby G]

No chance they will sell the club for zero.

[Tom]

I suspect it's BRSIT/Wayne Wild in one corner, and Ian Battersby and Associates in the other.

I'm sure it'll become a left-wing / right-wing debate soon enough.

It could be that but at present BRSIT doesn't have the full capital does it?

[davulsukur]

I suspect it's BRSIT/Wayne Wild in one corner, and Ian Battersby and Associates in the other.

I'm sure it'll become a left-wing / right-wing debate soon enough.

Ah, fair do's. The way i read it, it made them out to be from asia or the middle east.

[Stuart]

It could be that but at present BRSIT doesn't have the full capital does it?

Can't think of anyone else Tom. I thought part of BRSIT's plan was to take the club for nothing so it fits.

I don't see a Middle-Eastern group coming in for us now we are in the Championship. Barring some absolutely stellar fan-persuasion from BKR, I think that ship has sailed.

[Mercer]

My gut reaction on reading this "leaked letter" was that it was a fake, one of the reasons being being that it is written in a lay person style that you wouldn't expect to be used by a Club official communicating with the owners whether by e-mail or letter. It also just recites the rather slavishly the common gripes the fans have had with the Club this season making it more likely to be the handywork of a disgruntled fan.

On further reflection I would need even more convincing the letter was genuine because it contains a glaring factual inaccuracy which smacks more of a clever fake not quite hitting the mark than it being a genuine communication from Hunt. The letter refers to him being a Director and him and his family being at risk of potentially losing his house. He is not a Director he is a salaried employee and surely if the letter was genuine he would not refer to himself as such nor to his own assets being at risk.

In the unlikely (imo) scenario that the letter is genuine I see little point in it being leaked now unless it is

a) An attempt by someone to discredit Hunt or

b ) An attempt by Hunt to disassociate himself from goings on at Ewood this season.

The contents of most of the letter are old news which have been superceded by events. Kean wasn't sacked and the financial issues referred to have ben addressed to a greater or lesser extent. From memory the LT freely reported as well around January time that the Board were split over Kean with certain Board members favouring the removal of Kean and a potential move for Mark Hughes but Mrs. Desai favouring sticking with Kean.

Hopefully Hunt will be able to prove conclusively whether he did in fact compose and send that letter/e-mail to the owners personally. If not and someone sent it purporting to be him it's a very cruel hoax as it's putting his employment in extreme jeapordy when he doesn't deserve it.

Are you seriously having a laugh.

FFS, if letter not genuine, there would have been an even bigger explosion from Ewood yesterday and, internally, there was !

Hunt is a director - you only need to look at Companies House or the latest set of published accounts.

It is also a complete myth that people in senior positions can write clearly and correctly. For example, one of my biggest bug bears is on Jack's statue described as Rovers Greatest Supporter when it should be Rovers' Greatest Supporter - spot the difference with the grammatically correct one.

[chris]

###### sick

[jim mk2]

The email is genuine.

Newspaper lawyers are far more cautious these days over fears of litigation and they would not have allowed this story to be printed unless they and the reporters were sure it was OK.

Not sure why people are surpised over the apparent poor grammar in th email. CEOs don't all come from the Russell group universities where education standards are still relatively high.

As for the response from Ewood the silence is deafening. I don't suppose we'll get an official apology for the relegation either.