[Archived] Fans Forum meeting, plus new website

[Brfcrule1]

Just to keep everyone in the loop I have now joined the fans forum and attended my first meeting in ages it was a pleasure to meet many fans I knew from here and elsewhere and yes it was me asking about champagne flutes and teapots hopefully if we stuff liverpool and reach wembley would make the perfect gift!.

[J*B]

Savio the saviour.

[Brfcrule1]

Thanks Josh I will try my best to make a difference!.

[ABBEY]

Did you ever get a go on Kayleigh's baps ?

[Brfcrule1]

Sorry to disappoint you Abs not yet

[ABBEY]

Oh well was trying to ketchup

[Brfcrule1]

Abs just to keep you informed I know you'll be interested to know me & my good friend Yoda have been to kayleigh's baps and I have had a go!

[ABBEY]

where was my invite dude?

[yoda]

where was my invite dude?

Next week ok

[ABBEY]

depends on time and day ha

[BlueMonday]

Lately there have been some issues raised with regards to treatment of Rovers Supporters, and should perhaps be questions for the FF to raise with Club.

Questions (please feel free to add);

1. Re. the continued 'Bubble' status of certain matches, most notably the Burnley game. Does the Club feel it is at the appropriate level and do they agree it is adversely affecting the atmosphere and supporter experience? Do the Club negotiate on behalf of supporters so that only reasonable measures are implemented, or do they accept any/all Police conditions? For instance early kick off times and enforced busing to games. We now have a situation where well behaved law abiding football supporters are being treated like high risk criminals, when there has been no serious public order issues at either ground for many years.

2. Given that there was segregation in the David Fishwick Stand for the last Derby game, will the Club seek to employ this arrangement for the next derby game at Ewood (should it occur). This would offer home supporters greater opportunity to attend and limit the number of Burnley Supporters. Whether or not this facilitates a sell out attendance, it should be considered from a competitive stand point, as giving a near full allocation to Burnley while limiting Rovers away allocation could be argued as conceding a competitive advantage. It has also been highlighted that in previous high profile games excessive segregation zones were implemented, sometimes in home areas.

3. What is the policy for the bubble matches with regards to flags/banners and dress restrictions. Rovers supporters have reported being refused entry with flags/banners, masks and fancy dress. It has been noted that these restrictions did not seem to be in place at the corresponding home fixture, with Burnley supporters attending with flags and costumes. Why is there a disparity regarding the policing of each set of supporters.

4. Would the Club consider appointing a supporters group onto a Committee, charged with improving the match day experience. The knowledge and experience of supporters should be utilised and supporters given ownership of this issue and thus given a stake in improving it. Anything that promotes and encourages the improvement of the match day experience and possibly increasing attendance should be embraced.

5 With the departure of Derek Shaw are there future plans to install a conventional, functioning management structure at the Club. With the appointment of an experienced and respected coaching team, surely this should be mirrored in the board room so they can work effectively with the coaching staff and the Club can project a professional and competent approach.

6. Will the Club consider consulting a supporters group with regards to future Kit designs as has been done in the past with success. We acknowledge there will be commercial and financial issues which will influence the final choice of designs. However, involving a supporters group at an early stage may help to identify popular designs, helping to improve sales of shirts and avoiding unpopular choices that require a 3rd alternative kit choice, for example.

I know its akin to pissing in the wind with Venkys and the Club set up, such as it is, but my Dander is up this weekend and I need to vent. But could these questions be raised at the next FF meeting, if indeed there are any plans to have one.

I have deliberately avoided questions about footballing and transfer matters

As I said in an earlier post, being a Rovers supporter at the moment feels like having a target on your back.

[Mattyblue]

On point 2, I would hazard a guess that the Darwen End will be away fans only anyway next season.

I would think the club would look to give PNE, (possibly still) Burnley, Leeds, (possibly still) Boro, Aston Villa, Newcastle or Sunderland or both the full end, so the thinking will be to make it a permanent thing (Lambert has already alluded to it).

[rigger]

Lately there have been some issues raised with regards to treatment of Rovers Supporters, and should perhaps be questions for the FF to raise with Club.

Questions (please feel free to add);

1. Re. the continued 'Bubble' status of certain matches, most notably the Burnley game. Does the Club feel it is at the appropriate level and do they agree it is adversely affecting the atmosphere and supporter experience? Do the Club negotiate on behalf of supporters so that only reasonable measures are implemented, or do they accept any/all Police conditions? For instance early kick off times and enforced busing to games. We now have a situation where well behaved law abiding football supporters are being treated like high risk criminals, when there has been no serious public order issues at either ground for many years.

2. Given that there was segregation in the David Fishwick Stand for the last Derby game, will the Club seek to employ this arrangement for the next derby game at Ewood (should it occur). This would offer home supporters greater opportunity to attend and limit the number of Burnley Supporters. Whether or not this facilitates a sell out attendance, it should be considered from a competitive stand point, as giving a near full allocation to Burnley while limiting Rovers away allocation could be argued as conceding a competitive advantage. It has also been highlighted that in previous high profile games excessive segregation zones were implemented, sometimes in home areas.

3. What is the policy for the bubble matches with regards to flags/banners and dress restrictions. Rovers supporters have reported being refused entry with flags/banners, masks and fancy dress. It has been noted that these restrictions did not seem to be in place at the corresponding home fixture, with Burnley supporters attending with flags and costumes. Why is there a disparity regarding the policing of each set of supporters.

4. Would the Club consider appointing a supporters group onto a Committee, charged with improving the match day experience. The knowledge and experience of supporters should be utilised and supporters given ownership of this issue and thus given a stake in improving it. Anything that promotes and encourages the improvement of the match day experience and possibly increasing attendance should be embraced.

5 With the departure of Derek Shaw are there future plans to install a conventional, functioning management structure at the Club. With the appointment of an experienced and respected coaching team, surely this should be mirrored in the board room so they can work effectively with the coaching staff and the Club can project a professional and competent approach.

6. Will the Club consider consulting a supporters group with regards to future Kit designs as has been done in the past with success. We acknowledge there will be commercial and financial issues which will influence the final choice of designs. However, involving a supporters group at an early stage may help to identify popular designs, helping to improve sales of shirts and avoiding unpopular choices that require a 3rd alternative kit choice, for example.

I know its akin to pissing in the wind with Venkys and the Club set up, such as it is, but my Dander is up this weekend and I need to vent. But could these questions be raised at the next FF meeting, if indeed there are any plans to have one.

As I said in an earlier post, being a Rovers supporter at the moment feels like having a target on your back.

Are there any plans and what are the options for a safe standing area?

[only2garners]

Blue Monday - an excellent time to raise matters as the next Forum is on 14th. In the meantime I can give my view on your points.

1. For the last few seasons reps from both sets of fans have attended the planning meetings with both clubs and the police. Between us, whilst we have not been able to change the fundamental decision to make the game a bubble one, we have been able to improve things a bit since the first one - later bus times, different pick up points etc.

I was at the meeting in January re Saturday's match. Rovers' officials were as surprised as we were re the arrangements that Burnley proposed. After the meeting we had a quick meeting at Ewood with Rovers and the police and we drew up a letter complaining about some of the details of the arrangements, particularly the potential for overcrowding, which was forwarded to Burnley. We knew there was little chance of change but wanted to get our frustration in writing. There was supposed to be a follow up meeting before the game but it was postponed and then never happened.

One piece of information we did get was that one of the reasons we have bussing for this game and that there isn't for the NE Derby is that the are simply not enough Lancashire police to man the game if it wasn't done by bussing - they would need more men than they have available.

In reality I can't see any immediate change to these arrangements as it would take a brave policeman to stop them if there was then some trouble.

2. I'm with mattyblue on this. For commercial reasons I can't see the club wanting to turn away revenue and it does seem that Lambert doesn't like the current arrangements. It looks odds on that next season we will have Villa and at least one NE team in the division, both of which could bring plenty of fans. In any case I don't see any evidence that having a lot of away fans in the ground has any detrimental effect on the team's performance. It certainly improves the atmosphere.

3. Good point - needs raising next week. The was no discussion of this at the planning meeting.

4. There already is one, called the Fans Forum. We have discussed this many times over the years. If anyone has any sensible, practical solutions then let us have them now.

5. Again this will likely be raised next week.

6. Again that's another role for the Forum. Over the years we have had some input into future designs. The real problem is the huge lead time for approval before each season. Next season's designs will have been approved a long time ago and it will soon be decision time for 2017/18.

Rigger - there is not a cat in hell's chance of Rovers or any other club going out on a limb to break the law by introducing safe standing areas. You would be better advised lobbying your MP for a change in the law or supporting the national campaigns run by the likes of the FSF.

[BlueMonday]

Blue Monday - an excellent time to raise matters as the next Forum is on 14th. In the meantime I can give my view on your points.

1. For the last few seasons reps from both sets of fans have attended the planning meetings with both clubs and the police. Between us, whilst we have not been able to change the fundamental decision to make the game a bubble one, we have been able to improve things a bit since the first one - later bus times, different pick up points etc.

I was at the meeting in January re Saturday's match. Rovers' officials were as surprised as we were re the arrangements that Burnley proposed. After the meeting we had a quick meeting at Ewood with Rovers and the police and we drew up a letter complaining about some of the details of the arrangements, particularly the potential for overcrowding, which was forwarded to Burnley. We knew there was little chance of change but wanted to get our frustration in writing. There was supposed to be a follow up meeting before the game but it was postponed and then never happened.

One piece of information we did get was that one of the reasons we have bussing for this game and that there isn't for the NE Derby is that the are simply not enough Lancashire police to man the game if it wasn't done by bussing - they would need more men than they have available.

In reality I can't see any immediate change to these arrangements as it would take a brave policeman to stop them if there was then some trouble.

2. I'm with mattyblue on this. For commercial reasons I can't see the club wanting to turn away revenue and it does seem that Lambert doesn't like the current arrangements. It looks odds on that next season we will have Villa and at least one NE team in the division, both of which could bring plenty of fans. In any case I don't see any evidence that having a lot of away fans in the ground has any detrimental effect on the team's performance. It certainly improves the atmosphere.

3. Good point - needs raising next week. The was no discussion of this at the planning meeting.

4. There already is one, called the Fans Forum. We have discussed this many times over the years. If anyone has any sensible, practical solutions then let us have them now.

5. Again this will likely be raised next week.

6. Again that's another role for the Forum. Over the years we have had some input into future designs. The real problem is the huge lead time for approval before each season. Next season's designs will have been approved a long time ago and it will soon be decision time for 2017/18.

Rigger - there is not a cat in hell's chance of Rovers or any other club going out on a limb to break the law by introducing safe standing areas. You would be better advised lobbying your MP for a change in the law or supporting the national campaigns run by the likes of the FSF.

Thanks for the reply O2G.

Its good there is an upcoming meeting which gives a chance for everyone to put forward ideas. Who is chairing it and who are the Club reps as with the current management structure there's hardly anybody around to action anything.

As always with this process, its a case of how much will get through to the Loons.

[JHRover]

Re. the kit designs, I expect the answer from the club on this issue will be the usual story of them having little/no power over the decisions and that decisions on designs/colour are made months/years in advance.

I don't know why this is the case because there are many clubs that allow their supporters to vote on colours/design for the new kit the season before it is introduced.

I don't think Rovers have any interest whatsoever in selling as much kit and gear as physically possible. I don't know the detail of how the deal with Nike/Umbro is structured but the current arrangement appears to be that we are given boxloads of stuff whenever the manufacturers get round to doing it (usually well after most other clubs have had theirs on sale and missing out on the lucrative summer holiday sales period) and that once this stock has been sold then there's no more to be had/ordered. This means that when kits are popular, like last season's sky blue shirt, the club has been unable to maximise sales due to restricted supply. I remember that at Christmas 2014 the shop had run out of childrens size replica shirts and wouldn't be getting any more for the remainder of the season!

Beyond that the club don't appear to stock much by way of training gear. This season they haven't stocked any winter jackets in the shop, things like bodywarmers or polo shirts I'm sure would be popular.

This business with rival sports shops and websites selling the shirts without sponsors has also got to stop. It's unprofessional and can't go down well with the people at Dafabet.

If its true that next season's away shirt is going to be dark blue then once again it is a major error. Blue away shirts don't make any sense fo a club that wears blue and white home shirts and will inevitably lead to problems when playing Ipswich/Bimingham etc. It wouldnt bother me as much if it was a commercial decision to justify a 3rd kit and increase sales/revenues, but that clearly isn't the motivation. It wasnt' the motivation last time because we reused the red shirt with white stripe from the previous season as our third shirt and didn't seek to sell them in the shop.

Rovers away shirt should be either red & black stripes/halves, orange or yellow. It's not difficult. The design/shade etc. can be flexible, but why pick one of the two colours that will ensure a clash on several occasions? It doesn't make sense.

[old darwen blue]

On point 2, I would hazard a guess that the Darwen End will be away fans only anyway next season.

I would think the club would look to give PNE, (possibly still) Burnley, Leeds, (possibly still) Boro, Aston Villa, Newcastle or Sunderland or both the full end, so the thinking will be to make it a permanent thing (Lambert has already alluded to it).

Why do you think the Darwen End will be away supporters only, what makes you think that?

Where has Paul Lambert alluded to it?

Many thanks.

[old darwen blue]

Blue Monday - an excellent time to raise matters as the next Forum is on 14th. In the meantime I can give my view on your points.

1. For the last few seasons reps from both sets of fans have attended the planning meetings with both clubs and the police. Between us, whilst we have not been able to change the fundamental decision to make the game a bubble one, we have been able to improve things a bit since the first one - later bus times, different pick up points etc.

I was at the meeting in January re Saturday's match. Rovers' officials were as surprised as we were re the arrangements that Burnley proposed. After the meeting we had a quick meeting at Ewood with Rovers and the police and we drew up a letter complaining about some of the details of the arrangements, particularly the potential for overcrowding, which was forwarded to Burnley. We knew there was little chance of change but wanted to get our frustration in writing. There was supposed to be a follow up meeting before the game but it was postponed and then never happened.

One piece of information we did get was that one of the reasons we have bussing for this game and that there isn't for the NE Derby is that the are simply not enough Lancashire police to man the game if it wasn't done by bussing - they would need more men than they have available.

In reality I can't see any immediate change to these arrangements as it would take a brave policeman to stop them if there was then some trouble.

2. I'm with mattyblue on this. For commercial reasons I can't see the club wanting to turn away revenue and it does seem that Lambert doesn't like the current arrangements. It looks odds on that next season we will have Villa and at least one NE team in the division, both of which could bring plenty of fans. In any case I don't see any evidence that having a lot of away fans in the ground has any detrimental effect on the team's performance. It certainly improves the atmosphere.

3. Good point - needs raising next week. The was no discussion of this at the planning meeting.

4. There already is one, called the Fans Forum. We have discussed this many times over the years. If anyone has any sensible, practical solutions then let us have them now.

5. Again this will likely be raised next week.

6. Again that's another role for the Forum. Over the years we have had some input into future designs. The real problem is the huge lead time for approval before each season. Next season's designs will have been approved a long time ago and it will soon be decision time for 2017/18.

Rigger - there is not a cat in hell's chance of Rovers or any other club going out on a limb to break the law by introducing safe standing areas. You would be better advised lobbying your MP for a change in the law or supporting the national campaigns run by the likes of the FSF.

What makes you think Villa would fetch enough to fill the Darwen End? I can remember them only bringing a couple of thousand for a Premier League fixture.

Would you not agree that the existing Darwen Ender's be asked their views with regard to moving?

I don't want to move and think that our proximity to the away fans INCREASES the atmosphere by virtue of the chanting "banter" being in close proximity to the away support. Regardless I wouldn't want to return to the Blackburn End. It's not what it once was and the last time I had to sit in it due to being moved the atmosphere was rubbish.

[Mike E]

Why do you think the Darwen End will be away supporters only, what makes you think that?

Where has Paul Lambert alluded to it?

Many thanks.

It was alluded to at the Tea Party and in the LET around the same time.

Particular referred to making it 'them vs us, a siege mentality'.

[barry_]

always interesting to get any snipets from the fans forum but as has been proven with the dingle away game... the club doesn't listen to anything that you have to say and will act as they see fit (or as their police buddy's tell them to)

As for the DE debate, people on here seem to have agendas against the supporters who go in there and seem to think that it's best left either empty or sold off to away fans. You won't find many (who go in there) saying they would rather be in any other part of the ground.

[Mattyblue]

The numbers are dwindling (fair play to the 500 or so hardy souls that are still doing their best to create a din) and I just have a feeling that they will use that fact, plus Lambert's comments to make a move to close it.

Like minded singers should still try and get together, be it in the Jack Walker Lower or Riverside sections closest to the Darwen End, indeed the club should encourage it.

[arbitro]

The numbers are dwindling (fair play to the 500 or so hardy souls that are still doing their best to create a din) and I just have a feeling that they will use that fact, plus Lambert's comments to make a move to close it.

Like minded singers should still try and get together, be it in the Jack Walker Lower or Riverside sections closest to the Darwen End, indeed the club should encourage it.

They have accommodated the singer's at Palace by putting them together but the are pretty much at the front of the stand (as opposed to the back) and from an aesthetic point of view it certainly works.

[BlueMonday]

Re. the kit designs, I expect the answer from the club on this issue will be the usual story of them having little/no power over the decisions and that decisions on designs/colour are made months/years in advance.

I don't know why this is the case because there are many clubs that allow their supporters to vote on colours/design for the new kit the season before it is introduced.

I don't think Rovers have any interest whatsoever in selling as much kit and gear as physically possible. I don't know the detail of how the deal with Nike/Umbro is structured but the current arrangement appears to be that we are given boxloads of stuff whenever the manufacturers get round to doing it (usually well after most other clubs have had theirs on sale and missing out on the lucrative summer holiday sales period) and that once this stock has been sold then there's no more to be had/ordered. This means that when kits are popular, like last season's sky blue shirt, the club has been unable to maximise sales due to restricted supply. I remember that at Christmas 2014 the shop had run out of childrens size replica shirts and wouldn't be getting any more for the remainder of the season!

Beyond that the club don't appear to stock much by way of training gear. This season they haven't stocked any winter jackets in the shop, things like bodywarmers or polo shirts I'm sure would be popular.

This business with rival sports shops and websites selling the shirts without sponsors has also got to stop. It's unprofessional and can't go down well with the people at Dafabet.

If its true that next season's away shirt is going to be dark blue then once again it is a major error. Blue away shirts don't make any sense fo a club that wears blue and white home shirts and will inevitably lead to problems when playing Ipswich/Bimingham etc. It wouldnt bother me as much if it was a commercial decision to justify a 3rd kit and increase sales/revenues, but that clearly isn't the motivation. It wasnt' the motivation last time because we reused the red shirt with white stripe from the previous season as our third shirt and didn't seek to sell them in the shop.

Rovers away shirt should be either red & black stripes/halves, orange or yellow. It's not difficult. The design/shade etc. can be flexible, but why pick one of the two colours that will ensure a clash on several occasions? It doesn't make sense.

The commercial side is a shambles. Running out of junior kits at Christmas is unforgivable!

These are the very reasons we need to push for supporter input. We'll never sell as many shirts as Man U but there's no excuse for not maximising sales. Every shirt on the street and kids football match is publicity for the Club.

You'd think they'd get that!

[Tom]

I think the darwen end needs closing to home fans myself, there isn't enough in there for it to make sense, it looks empty and you can no longer hear them from across the way apart from the odd occasion.

It was a good experiment and let to some good fan initiatives but I think it's had its day now personally.

Maybe try and make a section in either end of the BBE unreserved although it wouldn't go down well with the displaced people from the BBE or the DE.

[LewisF]

I'd say just have the DE for away supporters only, and no unreserved seating in the stadium as it won't go down well with the ones who've had their seat for 20 years or so.

I myself will probably end up moving to the BBE next season anyway