[Archived] Ian Battersby Interview

[Leonard Venkhater]

In all seriousness, that is what must have happened. Anderson( and that someone on the inside) worked for the sellers and found the buyers who they could con

[DE.]

I bet Anderson couldn't believe his luck when he found Venky's. Not only were they rich enough to buy a premier league club (although ours was admittedly available at a bargain price) but also stupid and/or corrupt enough to go along with his entire plan to put his buddy Kean in charge of literally the entire club and fill both their pockets with cash.

I lean towards the stupid side rather than the corrupt side now, purely on the basis Venky's have made such huge losses both financially and in terms of reputation that corruption alone cannot account for what has happened here.

[Giant]

I bet Anderson couldn't believe his luck when he found Venky's. Not only were they rich enough to buy a premier league club (although ours was admittedly available at a bargain price) but also stupid and/or corrupt enough to go along with his entire plan to put his buddy Kean in charge of literally the entire club and fill both their pockets with cash.

I lean towards the stupid side rather than the corrupt side now, purely on the basis Venky's have made such huge losses both financially and in terms of reputation that corruption alone cannot account for what has happened here.

Agree completely. I am convinced that Venkys know that they have been conned, ripped off and made utter fools of. The problem is that they probably now trust no one in the football world, coupled with the fact that they live in a society where they cannot be seen to lose face, and so are sticking with the Rovers even though it is financially suicidal. I am not an apologist for them, but I believe that they went into this with huge naivety and good intentions, but have had their fingers burned financially and reputations left in tatters.

[chaddyrovers]

Yes I know now that Sam would have gone at the end of the season.

The thing that appalls me is that the plan was to install Kean before they even walked in the door. That was known in footy circles...from the Fulham end/ Andy Cole article etc. Kean had absolutely no management experience. How on earth did Anderson( and Agnew?) pull off such an unbelievable con trick!

do you have a link to this Andy Cole article about saying that he knew that Kean would be appointed manager of Rovers when Big Sam was sacked?

[DE.]

do you have a link to this Andy Cole article about saying that he knew that Kean would be appointed manager of Rovers when Big Sam was sacked?

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/sport-comment/steve-kean-can-do-job-at-blackburn

[47er]

In all seriousness, that is what must have happened. Anderson( and that someone on the inside) worked for the sellers and found the buyers who they could con

You've missed a bit here. According to info already posted on here:

Anderson was hired by the Trust to find a buyer for the club.

However, Anderson was also hired by Venkys to find a club for them.

There were other parties interested in buying Rovers but Anderson recommended Venkys.

He therefore got his commisssion from BOTH parties.

This has been stated on here before but is worth repeating.

[tomphil]

Wasn't it also mentioned somewhere that Kean had been going over with whoever to meet the Venkys before they took over ? All this whilst he was coaching under Big Sam.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Wasn't it also mentioned somewhere that Kean had been going over with whoever to meet the Venkys before they took over ? All this whilst he was coaching under Big Sam.

WHAT?! OMG! Never herd that before, but I am quite new to this MB...otherwise I might have known more about what was going on sooner!

[FGS5635]

Maybe when Kean retires after guiding barca to 10 consecutive CL titles he will do an autobiography and we will finally learn the truth

[tomphil]

WHAT?! OMG! Never herd that before, but I am quite new to this MB...otherwise I might have known more about what was going on sooner!

Yes there was talk of it on here and in other circles. May be nowt in it or it might have been innocent, although innocent and Kean are never 2 words u'd put together lol. Maybe he was sent by the club (on advice ) as part of a meet and greet to help the sale. Big mistake !!!

[pk1875]

WHAT?! OMG! Never herd that before, but I am quite new to this MB...otherwise I might have known more about what was going on sooner!

Indeed Kean went out to Pune with the brothers grim JA and PA long before Venkys purchased the club

[Bucksrover]

And Kean referred to Big Sam as a crook! - that man has some nerve.

I can't believe that Jerome Anderson's company can't be sued for at least some of what went on with our club. Signing the Portuguese unknowns, Rochina's agent fees v his value, Myles Anderson being given a contract, Kean's contract extension for getting us relegated. Surely amongst the wrong things that were done to take money out of our club there is grounds for legal action or some sort of civil claim?! - a £54million claim for example

[AggyBlue]

Anderson was hired by the Trust to find a buyer for the club.

Didn't the Trust hire Rothschilds to oversee the sale of the club, who in turn hired JA?

[thenodrog]

The reason he allegedly didn't want us to go, was that he didn't want Venkys to hear what the fans really thought - are you saying he wasn't correct in allegedly trying to prevent us to tell Venkys the truth?

No. My point was that maybe he shared my opinion that the FF were in the words of Lee Harvey Oswald 'just a patsy'. You were being set up in a Venky PR exercise.

As for telling Venkys the truth, from reports you only got one chance at that and almost at the end of the trip. Am I correct in assuming that you went off to Pune without any meetings arranged?

btw Was he an ex Director at the time? If so why should he even care or even be involved?

[thenodrog]

Didn't the Trust hire Rothschilds to oversee the sale of the club, who in turn hired JA?

That was my impression. Only speculation on my part (and all our parts) but I understood that JA knew of the Trusts intentions, found the venkymob and introduced them to Rothschilds/WTrust for a 'finders fee'. I

[perthblue02]

Indeed Kean went out to Pune with the brothers grim JA and PA long before Venkys purchased the club

Why would a contractor (NOT an employee at the time) of the club be going out to meet possible owners of the club (wonder how they knew that Venky's were going to be the chosen ones ) with a club coach and a football agent, seems very odd . Always wondered why JA and good old life long rovers supporter had the same perma- tans.

Perhaps Mr Lifelong Rovers supporter (did he mention that ever) went to put in a good word for John Williams , which I'm sure he did or perhaps good old keano took his little dog along to get double the duty free.

Really does make you wonder were Venky's got all the silly stories from doesn't it about the club being run badly , some employees being F****** crooks etc

Wonder if the three Amigo's went elsewhere on this particular road trip

[Lancs Rover]

I knew someone who used to work for a tv production company. They were commissioned to produce a documentary on Michael Jackson to be shown at the end of his most high profile court case involving a minor. They produced two: one to be shown if he had been found guilty, the other if the case against him was unproven. He got off. The 'truth' got canned.

The irony isn't so much that there is a big gap between subterfuge and the actualité. It's that we have a frightening tendency to be manipulated by people who know how to play the game. The vast majority of us believe what we are told and others will always exploit that sadly. Especially through the media.

[Athlete]

The irony isn't so much that there is a big gap between subterfuge and the actualité. It's that we have a frightening tendency to be manipulated by people who know how to play the game. The vast majority of us believe what we are told and others will always exploit that sadly. Especially through the media.

That has been one of the fans biggest problems that from day one we were up against people who play/control the media...I hope to good one day the truth comes out !

Also I still can't believe that people are thinking that Venkys were Naieve , confused , badly advised , etc.......FFS they may have been had away/played at their own game by maniuplative people within the football world but at the end of the day they are business people and no sane business person does what venkys have done..simple fact !

The sooner they get rid of BRFC the better it will be to try and pick up the pieces but the longer this charade goes on the harder it will be as BRFC are sinking further into debt day by day............Portsmouth , Coventry , Dunfirmline do these clubs ring a bell ?????

[Guest Norbert]

If this dossier of naughtiness exists, release it (as long as the publishers are legally safe).

[Amo]

That has been one of the fans biggest problems that from day one we were up against people who play/control the media...I hope to good one day the truth comes out !

Also I still can't believe that people are thinking that Venkys were Naieve , confused , badly advised , etc.......FFS they may have been had away/played at their own game by maniuplative people within the football world but at the end of the day they are business people and no sane business person does what venkys have done..simple fact !

The sooner they get rid of BRFC the better it will be to try and pick up the pieces but the longer this charade goes on the harder it will be as BRFC are sinking further into debt day by day............Portsmouth , Coventry , Dunfirmline do these clubs ring a bell ?????

True enough. Hanlon's razor can only handwave so much. Venky's certainly went into this with no idea how to run an English football club and were led a merry dance by their so-called advisers. However, when the club was fighting relegation and fans were protesting against the manager, the only logical thing would have been to sack the man in charge and appoint someone else. That's not business sense, that's plain common sense. No other football club would have shown someone like Kean the unconditional loyalty that Venky's did.

[blondie]

The dangerous thing is that the Venky's family are divided as to the outcome of our football club.Balaji's toy ,Mrs D undivided and misplaced loyalty to Kean,Venkatash still in mourning,and a serious case of one blaming the other .The inability to accept blame, coupled with the unfathomable financial consequences, all rather than losing face,seem to suggest only the most catastrophic events will force them to relinquish control.

[thenodrog]

...........Portsmouth , Coventry , Dunfirmline do these clubs ring a bell ?????

Portsmouth's fans do.

[Athlete]

Portsmouth's fans do.

They now own Portsmouth FC

[broadsword]

If one were cynically inclined, one would suggest the whole set-up has been utterly nent right from the start.

Whether venky's are moronic dupes or cynical co-conspirators is somethling I really couldn't say, or perhaps there was no conspiracy and the delightful steve kean really does have a dog

[perthblue02]

If one were cynically inclined, one would suggest the whole set-up has been utterly nent right from the start.

Whether venky's are moronic dupes or cynical co-conspirators is somethling I really couldn't say, or perhaps there was no conspiracy and the delightful steve kean really does have a dog

Perhaps that's why he signed the contract a good 4 months before the season starts, gives him time to put his invisible dog into invisible quarantine at Brunei airport, Wonder if his invisible pink elephant's need putting in as well