[Archived] Guardian article on Kean - unbelievable!

[mark1875]

For some reason I can't post on the site, but would encourage others to do so. I would also that BRAG contact him to put the fans' side of things.

Certainly, just read it and will be writing to him immediately.

Very ill-informed

[Clitherover]

I think the comments beneath the article sum up what a ridiculous piece of tosh it actually is.

Is this guy completely out of touch or is he purposely trying to antagonize Rovers fans?

I wouldn't wipe my arse with the guardian either way.

[AllRoverAsia]

Certainly, just read it and will be writing to him immediately.

Very ill-informed

Mark it wasn't ill-informed but rather deliberate manipulation of selected information.

[M-K]

Jeremy Alexander is a pretentious tool. I've always hated his florid writing - back when I used to collect Rovers articles from the Guardian for my scrapbook, I'd groan if I saw his byline above the report in Monday's paper. He was a terrible writer 20 years ago and he hasn't improved with age.

[rovertakenmb]

This is the sort of badly informed / damaging garbage that led to "agents, rovers and cricket loving owners". It's out before end of august. Feel free to check out www.rovertaken.co.uk for details. Anybody who reads it from start to finish - happy to send this Alexander guy a copy - will be left in no doubt that rovers' fans' concerns are totally justified and football fans aren't the problem here.

[mark1875]

jeremy.alexander@guardian.co.uk

[aletheia]

Ok at last I'm going to spend some time working out the ignore function.

At last. Key rule of blogs: don't feed trolls.

[Rovermatt]

Some good contributions from recognisable brfcs.com names. Tombo's post has been deleted however.

[Mike Graham]

Probably written by that wonker Braddock

[FourLaneBlue]

The Guardian is deleting a load of the comments that question his motives in writing the piece.

He certainly hasn't set out to write a balanced match report of yesterday's game, that's for sure.

The Guardian are by far the worst paper when it comes to coverage of Rovers. They were the ones who published 'Should Steve Kean be Manager of the Year?', when we were in the middle of a relegation scrap.

No Rovers fan should be buying that paper.

They are trying to potray all of us as ungrateful, evil nutters. Poor Steve!

[FourLaneBlue]

Deleting a load of comments now, including some of mine. Woeful stuff for what used to have very good football coverage.

Another attack on Rovers fans. To get to the bottom of it, I wouldn't bother looking at The Guardian, it's almost certainly far closer to home.

This is being discussed in the Steve Kean thread. After all the tidying up, this garbage deserves its own thread?

Well, of course it does.

It's an attack on Rovers fans - not just protestors but anyone who might dare question Kean's lamentable record - from a national broadsheet newspaper.

I think that's pretty big news for the fans of a Championship club.

[broadsword]

so that's this fella and matt lawton so far.

hope they're pleased with themselves.

what a nasty little bit of smearing that was. talk about forces of evil

[Glenn]

Post em here instead and hope the reference to the originals being here doesn't get removed

[FourLaneBlue]

You've been in a writing mood, haven't you Glenn?

All good stuff!

[BuckyRover]

Great post(s) Glenn and others. I expect all the comments will be disabled and removed soon. That's what the Guardian usually do.

Comment is free my a**e

[Glenn]

My post was way to long and ranty (even I wouldn't be bothered reading it), but it was quite cathartic to write. The only downside is I should have been editing today's podcast instead :s

[AggyBlue]

The quote that fecks me is ''He said (I think that's Balaji) in so many words that, when you have been confronted by 50,000 chicken farmers, what are 20,000 football fans?''

So at least we know who we are. Untouchables..

They treat us like employees then and not customers.

Pity we couldn't stand together as fans and have a full boycott

[Ricky]

A friend of mine bought this to my attention. He's also posted on the blog as Forza77, he's a forest fan but has sympathy for our plight.

[FourLaneBlue]

How to make a complaint about the article -

http://www.pcc.org.uk/complaints/makingacomplaint.html

Seriously, I've not been so disgusted with an article for a long time. No Rovers fan can fail to be outraged. It's a smear job.

[david_daft]

I wouldn't wipe my arse with the guardian either way.

I would

[Stuart]

They treat us like employees then and not customers.

Pity we couldn't stand together as fans and have a full boycott

Pity too that we couldn't stand together as fans and have a full protest march.

[BlueMonday]

jeremy.alexander@guardian.co.uk

e-mailed

[Glenn]

As I implied in my response. I don't believe that statement was ever made, "He said in so many words" are monstrous weasel words much more akin to a forum post than a news article, which is why I called him out to name his source on that (as I don't he was talking direct to Bala, that's not something I could imagine him saying to a journo). If he can accurately cite his source, then the owners have just acknowledged they're facing 20,000 fans, not 1%.

[CrazyIvan]

This is an arrogant and offensive article if ever I saw one. This goes along with a number of articles recently that suggest (strongly) that the fans should 'know their place'. I think someone should point out the obvious (so I will) that without the fans a football cub is nothing. Having disposed of Big Sam, seen off John Williams and other important, knowledgeable and talented individuals who kept the club running, Kean et al seem intent on ridding the club of it's fan base as well. This article does nothing if not strengthen the view that there is a ruling 'elite' at Rovers that will do and say anything to stay in power. From accusing fans of spiking his drink when trying to get off a drink driving charge to making ridiculous promises about bringing in players that were never going to arrive, stating categorically that Rovers were not going to get relegated (and then not apologising having done exactly that) to a drunken utterly disrespectful rant about Big Sam and yet you claim Kean has stood with brave dignity in the face of deplorable behaviour. 'Kean Out' chants deplorable behaviour? I think Steve Kean's behaviour has been deplorable and I doubt very much I am the only one who sees things that way. Maybe a little research into why the fans have turned against Steve Kean would be in order and then maybe you would understand why the plebeian population of Blackburn feel the way they do. My comment...

[Paul Mellelieu]

I posted a lengthy reply that didn't make it. Ironic as the Guardian, was a) happy for me to report on Rovers' games and take part in on-line debate in a professional capacity.