[Archived] Paul Agnew for CEO?

[T.J.Newton]

It's just the continuous repetition it all. I've ignored a lot of posts saying the same thing.

You are doing it again. As long as they still play in my home town and continue to be called "Blackburn Rovers" they will continue to be my team. As I said, would you disown your wife, child, mother if (God forbid) they had a life threatening illness ? No, of course not. I have to disassociate the two - the club that I can see and the cancer that is the infesting it. If by prolonging life I keep the cancer alive then just maybe there is a chance.

That's the gamble but I've actually put some money at stake.

It's not a politically correct view but it does seem easier for those people who have long drives to get to Ewood to make a stand and stay away. When you live just around the corner the connection to the town, and to Ewood Park, is much more ingrained, and more obvious.

At the end of the day, I am not JUST giving my money away to Venkys, I do get to watch football in return and it's helping my son learn the game. It's my home town so I can't just change my allegiance to United, or City, Chorley or Stanley, so whatever I think or want, the players and club represent me and there remains that connection - regardless of who owns it.

I don't object to others staying away, even though it will make no difference, but I do object to being told I'm making the problem worse.

Even an empty stadium would not make Venkys position untenable - it's ALREADY untenable and they are still here. Plus the media didn't care when we were in the PL, they'll care a damn sight less now.

Get over yourself pal the posts are not all aimed at you, people are just giving their reasons for not renewing/buying a ST and letting of a little steam, its your "continous repetition" of jumping down their throats thats becoming very tedious.

p.s.

i suppose this post will be deleated for no reason like my last 1 also!

[Stuart]

Get over yourself pal the posts are not all aimed at you, people are just giving their reasons for not renewing/buying a ST and letting of a little steam, its your "continous repetition" of jumping down their throats thats becoming very tedious.

p.s.

i suppose this post will be deleated for no reason like my last 1 also!

if you think I believe everyone is aiming their comments at me personally.

I've no problem with people giving their reasons for not renewing. It's people having a pop at others for their decision that I'm referring to..

I presume you aren't renewing then, hardly?

[Seggie]

Whats the point in arguing over renewals, even if people wanted to they couldnt anyway

[Kendalrover]

As I said, would you disown your wife, child, mother if (God forbid) they had a life threatening illness ? No, of course not. I have to disassociate the two - the club that I can see and the cancer that is the infesting it. If by prolonging life I keep the cancer alive then just maybe there is a chance.

Or to put it another way, if you came home and found someone stealing from your house would you help them load their vehicle and give them a few quid to send them on their way.

[Stuart]

Or to put it another way, if you came home and found someone stealing from your house would you help them load their vehicle and give them a few quid to send them on their way.

No but I wouldn't stop going to my house because someone stole from it. Especially if it was the family home passed down through generations.

We are arguing two sides of the same coin here, and there is no right or wrong answer, because we have different ways of dealing with the situation. Hell, I've been all over the place over the course of the last 18 months.

If you found someone stealing from Kendalrover Towers, I wouldn't judge you for putting it up for sale but equally don't judge people as helping the burglars by refusing to move out.

[Veevs]

The academy is the only department that makes any money, training up a kid cost 50k tops i imagine sell even the most average player on for 500k(+ future fees)-tens of millions(IE.p Jones), The Academy was Jack walkers best investment of all and in the right hands should keep BRFC professional status for a long time(although not necessarily in the top leagues).

I was being sarcastic my friend.. Just saying thats the only revenue stream that still remains untouched for now.... hell they can't get sponsors, marketing is trash, player purchases have gone out the window (agency fees and players dropping in value) and have not got round to sorting season tickets..

On a less sarcastic note, a little bit of me worries that Shebby, Kean and Agnew may dabble with the academy, its the only shiny thing left for them to put their names to and something that Kean likes to waffle about and shebby was setting up the academies in India afterall. If they do start messing with it and pardon the pun I could see us loosing the one Cannon we have left in our arsenal.

[Kendalrover]

We are arguing two sides of the same coin here, and there is no right or wrong answer, because we have different ways of dealing with the situation.

Lets just hope we are both at Ewood in the near future with owners who have the best interests of the club at heart

[Kelbo]

In all my life, over 50 years of supporting Rovers, have I experienced so much unrest between fans, of course there have been disagreements over players, tactics etc, but this regime have really taken the biscuit, they are a disgrace to Rovers suporters, season ticket or not, a disgrace to football and a disgrace to themselves and their families, indeed, in my opinion, I put this shower, whoever the owners may be, on a par with con men, muggers and rapists, it really is that bad.

These people may be able to hide things for a period of time but not all the time and I feel sure they will get their just punishment when the time comes.

I have been to lunch today with an old ex pro, one who keeps in touch with many in the game, just in a general way, he commented that now, most people in the game know something is clearly wrong with Rovers ownership, he doesnt know what but suspects some do!

Very interesting hour may I add and he wasnt very complimentary about one or two people!!!

[Stuart]

Lets just hope we are both at Ewood in the near future with owners who have the best interests of the club at heart

Amen

[Fife Rover]

I don't think it's just about not being able to bear to watch. Non-renewal in many people's opinion is the last, best hope of getting through to the owners. Imagine if Ewood Park is empty apart from away fans at the first home game. Surely, there's no way the owners could continue like that. The negative publicity would be astounding, plus there's the simple financial and practical reality that you can't have a club without fans. They would have to act, most likely by selling up.

In my opinion, non-renewal on a massive scale does have a very good chance of getting through to the owners. But even if it's only a chance in a thousand, there are many fans who feel it's a chance worth taking.

I worry that if season tickets do start selling, that Agnew and Kean will use that to reinforce their positions, and nothing at all will change.

Exactly.....I have been banging away at that message since August 2011, but to no avail. It is obvious to any thinking person that IF we could ALL just completely boycott even just ONE home game (especially one that is televised) the visual impact created would generate a storm in the media and would astound and shock the owners leaving all of them in NO DOUBT AT ALL that the fans have really had enough, and are absolutely not prepared to suffer any more of this P**S TAKING from the ownwers (whoever they are!!)

And further to my attempt to sell this message I have implemented it in full for myself and have not set foot inside Ewood since the end of the Rovers v Everton match last season, in spite of having a S/T for one of the very best seats in the whole ground. This action has cost me very dearly in an emotional sense, but I am absolutely determined that I will NEVER AGAIN set foot in Ewood Park until the club has been sold and completely disinfected of all the malevolent influences from any and every source.

And if there is anybody out there that would like to debate with me on the subject of whether or not I am a true Rovers fan, I would be very happy to set them right on that score.

[bob fleming]

Exactly.....I have been banging away at that message since August 2011, but to no avail. It is obvious to any thinking person that IF we could ALL just completely boycott even just ONE home game (especially one that is televised) the visual impact created would create a storm in the media and would astound and shock the owners leaving all of them in NO DOUBT AT ALL that the fans have really had enough, and are absolutely not prepared to suffer any more of this P**S TAKING from the ownwers (whoever they are!!)

Do you think they'd give a damn if the ground was empty? Are there financial penalties in the Championship? It would be a bit embarrassing for them for sure but the sort of money we're talking about here must pale into insignificance when looking at gate receipts. It must do because if they were bothered about getting bums on seats then they might have gone to the extraordinary lengths of actually putting season tickets on sale....

... Just in case anyone wanted to buy one I hasten to add; they couldn't possibly have done anything more to dissuade people from buying now could they? And if they could've then please no one state what it is, they're bound to implement it.

[Fife Rover]

Do you think they'd give a damn if the ground was empty? Are there financial penalties in the Championship? It would be a bit embarrassing for them for sure but the sort of money we're talking about here must pale into insignificance when looking at gate receipts. It must do because if they were bothered about getting bums on seats then they might have gone to the extraordinary lengths of actually putting season tickets on sale....

... Just in case anyone wanted to buy one I hasten to add; they couldn't possibly have done anything more to dissuade people from buying now could they? And if they could've then please no one state what it is, they're bound to implement it.

Come on Bob ... you have totally missed my point. I dont give a damn about the finacial effects and was not even thinking about them; they are totally irrevalent in my argument.

I am on about the sheer visual impact of an EMPTY EWOOD PARK except for away fans. Just imagine the SHOCK effect on the TV viewers and the media, pundits and all. Just what message does that send out to the world especially when BRFC has always been recognised as having one of the most loyal hardcore supports in the game?

[bob fleming]

Come on Bob ... you have totally missed my point. I dont give a damn about the finacial effects and was not even thinking about them; they are totally irrevalent in my argument.

I am on about the sheer visual impact of an EMPTY EWOOD PARK except for away fans. Just imagine the SHOCK effect on the TV viewers and the media, pundits and all. Just what message does that send out to the world especially when BRFC has always been recognised as having one of the most loyal hardcore supports in the game?

Sorry Fife, I did address that. It would look a bit embarrassing maybe, nothing more. They don't care what ANYONE thinks. Not one bit. In fact I'd even suggest they'd prefer it if no one turned up.

How else do we try and explain their actions? the universally unpopular and by all accounts incompetant Agnew getting his appointment? Was his promotion carried out to get the turnstiles clicking? Kean? likewise? The fact that ST's aren't even on sale? Maybe their thinking is that if they drive everyone away they'll have a quieter time of it?

Who knows. All I do know is that it's utter madness.

[Andy]

Comparing a poorly run football club with a terminally ill wife/child/mother?!

Seriously??

If you genuinely can't see whats wrong with thinking that these things are even remotely on the same importance level...well, something is seriously going wrong somewhere.

[T.J.Newton]

Comparing a poorly run football club with a terminally ill wife/child/mother?!

Seriously??

If you genuinely can't see whats wrong with thinking that these things are even remotely on the same importance level...well, something is seriously going wrong somewhere.

Was thinking the same!

what suprises me most isnt that a few thousand have renewed, its how quickly they renewed, id of thought most would have at least left it until as late as poss to see what if any changes are made in the summer, i cant imagine ST prices being much higher outside of the Early Bird period.

But anyway each to there own,

come on Poland.

[jim mk2]

I am on about the sheer visual impact of an EMPTY EWOOD PARK except for away fans. Just imagine the SHOCK effect on the TV viewers and the media, pundits and all. Just what message does that send out to the world especially when BRFC has always been recognised as having one of the most loyal hardcore supports in the game?

The media would merely shrug their shoulders and say Rovers' fairweather supporters have deserted the club post-relegation. Why do you think they care about us ?

Fans boycotting the club will only harm us long term because many of those fans will get out of the habit of going to match and never return.

[Stuart]

Exactly.....I have been banging away at that message since August 2011, but to no avail. It is obvious to any thinking person that IF we could ALL just completely boycott even just ONE home game (especially one that is televised) the visual impact created would generate a storm in the media and would astound and shock the owners leaving all of them in NO DOUBT AT ALL that the fans have really had enough, and are absolutely not prepared to suffer any more of this P**S TAKING from the ownwers (whoever they are!!)

And further to my attempt to sell this message I have implemented it in full for myself and have not set foot inside Ewood since the end of the Rovers v Everton match last season, in spite of having a S/T for one of the very best seats in the whole ground. This action has cost me very dearly in an emotional sense, but I am absolutely determined that I will NEVER AGAIN set foot in Ewood Park until the club has been sold and completely disinfected of all the malevolent influences from any and every source.

And if there is anybody out there that would like to debate with me on the subject of whether or not I am a true Rovers fan, I would be very happy to set them right on that score.

Let's say that all of the fans agree on a mass boycott of the first home game - they haven't agreed on much for a long time, if ever but let's say they do - even the likes of Mr and Mrs Roversmum agree not to go. And that Kean/Agnew can't somehow arrange a rentamob to attend, or some local schools.

It would be big news in the LT. They would possibly show it on Soccer Saturday (assuming it was televised) and be bemused, make a little fun of it, but probably be genuinely surprised at the sheer novelty of a ground devoid of home fans - it would be a first ever, surely. The Sunday papers would have a short column about it about 3 pages in from the back, the Monday morning broadsheets would probably write some good pieces, and we'd be on here feeling morally righteous and waiting for the fallout: Kean's sacking, Venkys selling, etc.

However...

There would follow: silence from the club/owners, Kean would stick it out, no questions would be allowed to be asked about the empty stands and we'd move on to the next game, with nothing changed. Everything would be exactly the same.

So where do we go then?

Without even going into how they would plan to get everyone to join in, can someone please simply tell me what the planned outcome of such a scenario would be?

[Roversider]

The media would merely shrug their shoulders and say Rovers' fairweather supporters have deserted the club post-relegation. Why do you think they care about us ?

Fans boycotting the club will only harm us long term because many of those fans will get out of the habit of going to match and never return.

I do fear the point you make, I'm not certain that it will lead to the permanent loss but it would certainly change a lot of fans into casual attendees. The example of football in general and the Rovers as well was the steady decline in crowds in the decades post the 1950s, that was becasue of the growth of alternatives to a Saturday afternoon game. That impacted on new young fans coming to the games, you get your team for life but that is often affected by the first place you see football and if its not Ewood then chances are you won't become a Rovers fan.

The other aspect is that there is a whole set of employees at Ewood that rely on the club, from the ticket office to the tea lady and they are already paying the price of the appalling management we have seen.

At the end of it the reason I renewed was because I always do, it's habitual and as long as there is a team playing at Ewood Park then I'll be there. Is that 'blind loyalty'? Perhaps, but I can't change the way I am and I really don't see that renewing makes me a bad person any more than choosing not to attend. If there is a change of ownership then I just hope that it isn't worse than the current lot, we are relying on Venkys to sell to someone who cares about Rovers. Hopefully it will be to a combination of BRSIT and another partner.

What I do know is that there is no good to come from mindlessly tearing at each other as Rovers fans.

[Stuart]

Comparing a poorly run football club with a terminally ill wife/child/mother?!

Seriously??

If you genuinely can't see whats wrong with thinking that these things are even remotely on the same importance level...well, something is seriously going wrong somewhere.

Did they not take you through metaphor at your school? Shame.

I do fear the point you make, I'm not certain that it will lead to the permanent loss but it would certainly change a lot of fans into casual attendees. The example of football in general and the Rovers as well was the steady decline in crowds in the decades post the 1950s, that was becasue of the growth of alternatives to a Saturday afternoon game. That impacted on new young fans coming to the games, you get your team for life but that is often affected by the first place you see football and if its not Ewood then chances are you won't become a Rovers fan.

The other aspect is that there is a whole set of employees at Ewood that rely on the club, from the ticket office to the tea lady and they are already paying the price of the appalling management we have seen.

At the end of it the reason I renewed was because I always do, it's habitual and as long as there is a team playing at Ewood Park then I'll be there. Is that 'blind loyalty'? Perhaps, but I can't change the way I am and I really don't see that renewing makes me a bad person any more than choosing not to attend. If there is a change of ownership then I just hope that it isn't worse than the current lot, we are relying on Venkys to sell to someone who cares about Rovers. Hopefully it will be to a combination of BRSIT and another partner.

What I do know is that there is no good to come from mindlessly tearing at each other as Rovers fans.

+1

[Pedro]

Lets just hope we are both at Ewood in the near future with owners who have the best interests of the club at heart

I think that if and when then becomes the case we will all appreciate the club like never before.

[EWOODACE1]

Have you genuinely heard that?

Trying to get the fans on Keans side is an impossible task. Even winning the Championship next season (never going to happen) still won't do it.

i did hear or read it somewhere but cant remember where.

saying that i also led everyone at work to believe that ST are being kept at early bird prices thanks to phillip and also had everyone believing that kean was sacked after cryers tweet a couple of weeks ago.

[philipl]

i did hear or read it somewhere but cant remember where.

saying that i also led everyone at work to believe that ST are being kept at early bird prices thanks to phillip and also had everyone believing that kean was sacked after cryers tweet a couple of weeks ago.

Sorry.

I had it on very good authority that Mrs D's plans to increase prices by 40% had been successfully argued against and they had gone back on sale as a result.

It looks like the 40% price increase is still the most likely decision.

[PAFELL]

I do fear the point you make, I'm not certain that it will lead to the permanent loss but it would certainly change a lot of fans into casual attendees. The example of football in general and the Rovers as well was the steady decline in crowds in the decades post the 1950s, that was becasue of the growth of alternatives to a Saturday afternoon game. That impacted on new young fans coming to the games, you get your team for life but that is often affected by the first place you see football and if its not Ewood then chances are you won't become a Rovers fan.

The other aspect is that there is a whole set of employees at Ewood that rely on the club, from the ticket office to the tea lady and they are already paying the price of the appalling management we have seen.

At the end of it the reason I renewed was because I always do, it's habitual and as long as there is a team playing at Ewood Park then I'll be there. Is that 'blind loyalty'? Perhaps, but I can't change the way I am and I really don't see that renewing makes me a bad person any more than choosing not to attend. If there is a change of ownership then I just hope that it isn't worse than the current lot, we are relying on Venkys to sell to someone who cares about Rovers. Hopefully it will be to a combination of BRSIT and another partner.

What I do know is that there is no good to come from mindlessly tearing at each other as Rovers fans.

As you say buying a season ticket, going to matches does become a habit.

Sadly I do not live in the area so cannot get to as many matches as I would like. Fully understand why folk won't be going, renewing season tickets. But you have raised another point. The staff at ewood - cleaners, ticket office etc, their jobs are relient on money coming into the club, so that their wages are paid. In all the mess that venkys and Kean have created, these staff are innocent of any wrong doing. They need fans to buy tickets, to keep them in a job.

[Veevs]

Anyone else noticed how Venkys like to combine jobs, unfortunately they are going way way to far with this to say the least.. I would imagine Agnew in his GM role will gain lots of responsibilities (from Paul Hs role) while loosing none of his former workloads (which he could not manage anyway), the bodyguard might now be stadium manager but what is the betting he is now expected to also do the bodyguard work but for no extra cost, Kean for all his sins has landed responsibility WAY beyond his capability and ability (the manager job alone was way beyond him).... I hate to think who Shebby will be replacing if they are combining jobs.. more than likely he will be expected to do his current India based role plus Simon Hunts (But I do fear they may dabble with the academy).

This would be inline with some of the stuff I have seen working with Indian companies, they like to promote from within more often than not for cost rather than merit, they do not like to be talked back to and they like saving money by combining roles.

I have a feeling within 6 months we will start to see kids from the Indian academy move over to the uk, I have seen enough back ways through the system in regards to my own Management/Analysis fields to know there are loopholes that can be exploited (most common being to send them over on education visas, pay for the education etc while they do their day jobs and get the money back from later expected value or savings).

Did anyone listen to the interview I posted with BBC radio lancs, Agnew and Hunt? Was amazing to hear 90% of what was said has since been proven a lie.. especially in regards to Season ticket prices, full plan for relegation, Structure (which it turns out PH had just sent a letter to Venkys stating the opposite to his answer), Salgado situation and the number of questions they bypassed for example blaming Samba for leaving when he did.. he made it perfectly clear he wanted to move way before the deadline but they claim he left after the window.

In regards to your post PAFELL season tickets are a minimal income for a football club in relation to other incomes and outgoings, these people should not be effected but by the actions of Venkys they are suffering far more now and will suffer even more in the future when Venkys cut costs further. Take an average wage in the championship for a player (not the EPL which is 5+ times more) and you find a figure of 4k pw.. how many cleaners do you think you can get for 3 days a week at that rate.

_{Figures taken from widely published material}

[gumboots]

As you say buying a season ticket, going to matches does become a habit.

Sadly I do not live in the area so cannot get to as many matches as I would like. Fully understand why folk won't be going, renewing season tickets. But you have raised another point. The staff at ewood - cleaners, ticket office etc, their jobs are relient on money coming into the club, so that their wages are paid. In all the mess that venkys and Kean have created, these staff are innocent of any wrong doing. They need fans to buy tickets, to keep them in a job.

Fans buying or not buying tickets will not keep the little people like cleaners or tea ladies or whoever in jobs.If our idiots decide that someone can do 2 people's jobs for less cost then they will sack whoever regardless. Not only do they not care about the fans, the players, the club or the town but they do not care for the employees of this club in any way shape or form, apart from Kean and his cronies. If the ticket office staff are sacked it will not be because I or anyone else has not bought tickets but because that's the way our owners always intended it to be. And if that stupid woman thinks she'll sell any season tickets if they ever go on sale if she puts prices up by 40% then she's even dafter than I thought, and I didn't think that was possible.