[Archived] Rovers Trust

[Paul]

Yes I know your not having a pop! What we want is debate, so if folk think we have this one wrong it's good to discuss and keep in mind for future decisions.

Radio Lancs 6.00 to 7.00pm will feature Ian Battersby and I think Wayne Wild.

Kamy has tweeted "I think the gloves are coming off".........

[Blackburn Ender]

Having spent all afternoon talking to journalists about this, it's clear there is a new level of bemusement at the way our club is being run.

You just need to read what some of them are writing (like Michael Taylor or Andy Cryer) to see we need to have a position on this.

It's about more than the sacking of the manager.

[darrenrover]

Yes I know your not having a pop! What we want is debate, so if folk think we have this one wrong it's good to discuss and keep in mind for future decisions. Radio Lancs 6.00 to 7.00pm will feature Ian Battersby and I think Wayne Wild. Kamy has tweeted "I think the gloves are coming off".........

As far as one of the afore mentioned is concerned, I know that is definitely the case!

[princes town]

the role of the trust is to be a friend to the club and at times a critical friend. The statement was spot on.

[Ozz]

I have never seen such support for the Trust as I have tonight. Many new members, ex players Tweeting messages of support and unprecedented levels of other Twitter support and enquiries. Incredible stuff.

[rovers_rob]

I'm in.

I have had enough of this circus but I am not walking away from the club and after listening to Simon Garner tonight on the radio I've signed up to the Trust.

I have been critical in the past about the different groups and this has prevented me from joining but it's obvious the Trust have the club at heart. Its taken a while for me to realise this but better late than never.

[Ozz]

Excellent, thanks Rob. We cannot do anything without members, and the more people join the better chance we have of getting somewhere. With the unprecedented growth we are experiencing now we have real momentum.

Anyone else joined today?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

http://www.football365.com/news/21554/8577904/Rovers-Trust-Slam-Venkys

[Paul]

More than 70 new members signed up tonight.

Are you going to help push this forward?

[CRIPTRON]

Simon Barnes @sibarnes66 1m
@JakeKean_ @21nunogomes @colin_kazim08
@martinolsson3 @adamhenley2 if the squad want to go on strike, you'll
have the support of the fans



SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Your secretary is urging players to go on strike? what gives him the right to speak on behalf of the fans?

[Paul]

Now 100+ Amazing. Thank you everyone!

[Paul]

Simon Barnes @sibarnes66 1m

@JakeKean_ @21nunogomes @colin_kazim08

@martinolsson3 @adamhenley2 if the squad want to go on strike, you'll

have the support of the fans

SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Your secretary is urging players to go on strike? what gives him the right to speak on behalf of the fans?

This is a tweet from Simon's personal Twitter account. It would be best if you Tweet him for his reasons / views in relation to this.

This is absolutely not Trust policy and is not representative of Trust opinion. We have never discussed such action or anything similar.Rovers Trust is not looking to disrupt the day to day running of the football club in any shape or form.

[Fife Rover]

As much as I admire Mr wild's passion regarding BRFC, this statement ( in my opinion ) will only further the chances of any kind of dialogue with the rao's

I think you actually mean "worsen the chances" Mr.T.

To say "further the chances" actually means "increase the chances".

[Wayne Wild]

We are advised by Supporters Direct that as a Trust we MUST comment on any important matters arising around the club. As a Trust it is our responsibility to consider the position of all the steering group's opinion and comment accordingly. The statement spent several hours being discussed and then the group issued the statement. We were being contacted by every major media outlet to comment, this we did. It is right and correct to criticise whichever party if we believe that is necessary. Similar to how we would welcome new managers, players, directors, staff or owners if that is what we felt was our position.

We have contacted the owners via various methods and are hopeful of a reply in the near future but that doesn't mean we dissolve our responsibility as advised by Supporters Direct to how a Trust should act.

We will never please everybody and so only act in a way we feel is correct.

[CRIPTRON]

This is a tweet from Simon's personal Twitter account. It would be best if you Tweet him for his reasons / views in relation to this. This is absolutely not Trust policy and is not representative of Trust opinion. We have never discussed such action or anything similar.Rovers Trust is not looking to disrupt the day to day running of the football club in any shape or form.

Well with the position he is in shouldn't he act with a little more professionalism?

[RevidgeBlue]

Rev, the more fans who join the Trust the more powerful our voice is.

We don't have to agree with the owners to have a professional relationship with both them and the people runing Blackburn Rovers on a day-to-day basis.

This is about business after all and we have good, highly experienced, well-connected business people running the Trust.

As for saying a supporters trust is not an appropriate business model for a top flight club:

a) We aren't any more

Why the heck not?

c) Nope, sorry, can't see Jack Walker Mk II trotting over the horizon

We have to deal with reality and the club will be worth what it is valued at whenever the current owners decide to sell up or an administrator is appointed (and don't tell me you can't forsee this happening). Whoever is interested in taking on the club, we need a supporters trust to be involved, not just to try to prevent another wrong ownership situation, but because supporter involvement of football clubs is the right way to go.

When I say "top flight Club" I mean a Club in the top 2 divisions at least.

My objection to the Trust taking over the running of the Club is quite simple. There won't be any money to pay the bills.

Would you mind me asking how far you got with the pledges towards the initial target of 10m? Even if that was achieved many estimates put our current losses at 2-3m per month. How could we survive that being run by a supporters trust?.

As thenodrog pointed out on another thread earlier today, unfortunately we're between a rock and a hard place at the moment. Venky's aren't ideal owners but at the moment we need their financial support. Unless alternative owners with very deep pockets who don't mind writing off a shedload of money initially can be identified.

[Philly13]

Is the Trust the thing where they say members will get free season tickets? If so, that will never work. If not, however, I think fan ownership is a great idea and I'd be a fan. Just nothing that will kill the potential long term like free season tickets.

Is the Trust the thing where they say members will get free season tickets? If so, that will never work. If not, however, I think fan ownership is a great idea and I'd be a fan. Just nothing that will kill the potential long term like free season tickets.

Meant I'd be a fan of the trust owning the club.

[pk1875]

Simon Barnes @sibarnes66 1m

@JakeKean_ @21nunogomes @colin_kazim08

@martinolsson3 @adamhenley2 if the squad want to go on strike, you'll

have the support of the fans

SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Your secretary is urging players to go on strike? what gives him the right to speak on behalf of the fans?

Is that real? I didnt see it,?????

[sibarnes66]

Simon Barnes @sibarnes66 1m

@JakeKean_ @21nunogomes @colin_kazim08

@martinolsson3 @adamhenley2 if the squad want to go on strike, you'll

have the support of the fans

SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Your secretary is urging players to go on strike? what gives him the right to speak on behalf of the fans?

No it wasn't a serious comment - and it was borne out of frustration - and no I wasn't speaking on behalf of the fans... it was posted as a personal comment - as secretary it is not my job to issue Rovers Trust statements...

As ever in these very trying times we should all concentrate on backing the players and whoever the manager happens to be.

[Daniel Louis Grabko (Dan)]

Well with the position he is in shouldn't he act with a little more professionalism?

Yes, he absolutely should. That said, it is up to him to explain it.

[alexanders]

No it wasn't a serious comment - and it was borne out of frustration - and no I wasn't speaking on behalf of the fans... it was posted as a personal comment - as secretary it is not my job to issue Rovers Trust statements...

As ever in these very trying times we should all concentrate on backing the players and whoever the manager happens to be.

Please learn how to use social media properly when in an important position. Rank amateurish.

BTW, just signed up.

[Blackburn Ender]

When I say "top flight Club" I mean a Club in the top 2 divisions at least.

My objection to the Trust taking over the running of the Club is quite simple. There won't be any money to pay the bills.

Would you mind me asking how far you got with the pledges towards the initial target of 10m? Even if that was achieved many estimates put our current losses at 2-3m per month. How could we survive that being run by a supporters trust?.

As thenodrog pointed out on another thread earlier today, unfortunately we're between a rock and a hard place at the moment. Venky's aren't ideal owners but at the moment we need their financial support. Unless alternative owners with very deep pockets who don't mind writing off a shedload of money initially can be identified.

I don't disagree with you on where we should be. We have always been a club capable of doing well in the top 2 divisions.

I'm not the finacial expert, but those who are say we can balance the books and be a 2nd division team.

Get proper sponsorships, commercial revenues, etc, plus whatever money comes from TV income.

Plus, shareholdings by fans (around £3m was pledged; I'd expect that to increase dramatically if we were at the point of a takeover or part-share ownership because people would have a realistic number to aim for).

There do seem to be people around who may be willing to invest in the club under different ownership to the levels required (possibly) and we want the Trust to be an active part of that.

None of what you are saying is wrong, but my problem with your stance is that it is a 'do nothing and hope for the best' option. We need people who are willing to try to make a difference, even if that simply means spending £10 on joining the Trust and then seeing what happens.

[darrenrover]

Having attended the initial Trust meetings and pledged at the time, I then formed an opinion that although their intentions were admirable, outright ownership of The Club and the ability to fund it on an ongoing basis was nothing more than a pipe dream.

A view I still hold.

Although deciding not to become a member at the time, I have watched any developments since and reconsidered.

The Trust now has realistic ambitions in so much as it would appear to prefer a part ownership approach, consequently I decided to sign up earlier in the week before the latest debacle manifested itself.

Encouragingly, it would appear that Seneca would not be averse to a joint venture either.

So rather than always being a 'naysayer', it may be the time for others to reconsider likewise.

[Paul]

In 24 hours 122 new members have signed up with many more promising to do so on pay day next week.

We are getting widespread media coverage and our social media hits, follows or whatever have achieved enormous increases.

The club is in a crucial period - and this is not a tease, it's based purely on what I personally have observed in various media - there are clearly many discussions taking place in the background between possible suitors for Rovers.

Today, tomorrow and for the months ahead we have to come together. There may be a chance in this to gain a real voice for every supporter for now and for years to come.

Any new owners, and I STRESS this is not a tease, will want the support to back them. What better way than via shared ownership?

The more we are, the stronger, the louder we are. We cannot waste this potential opportunity.

Back the Trust today.

http://www.roverstrust.com/registration-page/

[Dan Furness]

Signing up today myself