[Archived] Times article

[thenodrog]

The protest marches were just playing with the problem.

It needed a mass occupation of the pitch during a match causing to be abandoned to publicise our plight.

The worldwide media exposure might even have got through to India.

But as usual apathy reigned.

Why didn't you lead by example and organise it then Jim?

Hows the Burke quote go again? ... 'all it needed for evil to prevail was for jimmk2 to do nowt'

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Indeed. The only people with grounds to complain about the size and effectiveness of the protests are the ones who protested. I recall being dismayed at the numbers whilst standing in the Blackburn End numerous times after matches chanting/holding banners. 95% of our support had buggered off home to watch the X Factor, and a lot of them seem to now be hilariously wondering why nothing was done.

[K-Hod]

Totally agree with that.

He who must not be named amongst other have taken legal action to stop publication. Nick Harris for one has whole load of stuff that he would love to print but can't because of legalities.

However, one day it will all come out.

It will be too late then though!!!!!! They'll all have gotten away scott-free.

[tomphil]

I cant beleive the FA / uefa / fifa etc dont have rules in place for what the dark lord did. Such a conflict of interests to be advised/consulting for a club and then his client gets the managers job and his clients then appear left right and centre in the squad.

He probably has many friends in high places and in his pocket. IMO i reckon the rules were being stretched and they were reeled in by the powers that be before it became a full blown public scandal. Then it was a case of get your house in order or your for the high jump. The club will obviously bare the brunt whilst they get away with it because after all who will try and bring them down ?

[funny-old-game]

So Kamy, that implies the facts are not there.

Take for example www.colinhendrylies.com,if this wasn't true, Hendry would had it took down, but because it is true, their is nothing he can do about it!

[Amo]

If people want to get this stuff into the public domain, they can do it through the internets. Glen has more or less admitted he's sitting on the information because he believes it would only damage the club's rebuilding process... whilst in another post saying it would take a miracle to save us from financial oblivion. Personally, I think he's afraid of the effect the fallout would have on BRAG as an organisation.

[funny-old-game]

As much as I admire Glen and BRAG for the unbelievable work they have done solely I believe in the interests of BRFC the club they love.

The time has long passed given the clubs financial position for the Truth to be told by which ever means available, because which ever way you dress it up the club is in melt down!

[Roverall]

I think that it is only just now sinking in for a lot of people that the good old days of great spectacle and 25k+ at Ewood are gone, and not coming back anytime soon.

People are feeling bereft and angry, and there is a strong sense that the perpetrators should be brought to account in some way or another - be that by the anonymous release of documents or recordings of phone-calls (I remember a file with a very nervous southern accent denying all kinds of things).

If this were at all possible, I think it would be the right thing to do.

[darrenrover]

The protest marches were just playing with the problem.

It needed a mass occupation of the pitch during a match causing to be abandoned to publicise our plight.

The worldwide media exposure might even have got through to India.

But as usual apathy reigned.

Did you nail your colours to the mast at the time Jim, try to organise the 'troups' , with yourself to be the first over the top leading the others?

Or did 'apathy reign' whilst you waited in vein for someone else to do as you suggest?

It's an appalling place that we all find ourselves in but there's a couple of things regarding our supporters that gall me more than most. The fact that many willingly provide bullets in the hope that somebody else will pull the trigger and that often the very same people then criticise those that have tried to do something.

It's all about opinions and I for one thought the walking protests and those inside the ground were wrong at the time and said so. Given the benefit of hindsight, I was wrong and they didn't attract the level of support that was warranted.

I hoped that 'the fit and proper person title' meant just that, that surely rules and laws were in place to protect heritage and the future viability of clubs such as ours from any wrong doing. Fool me (and I'm far from alone), I guess that's why football in England will ultimately eat itself and implode.

As has been said previously many times regarding the circus and those involved in the feeding frenzy, bast@rds the lot of them.

[broadsword]

Jim wasn't prepared to do anything, but he's happy to criticise others who feel the same way.

Looking at it logically, I would say that a lot of fans got Venky's very very wrong, but no-one is to blame except those who have pulled the levers of power, either directly or indirectly. The fans haven't done anything wrong.

This is classic "divide and rule" with fans now turning on each other, again.

[Tom]

Jim did say at the time that people should go on the pitch - we had to remove those posts legally

However if he truly thought it would work he could have done it himself and lead by example (he said he did it in his time and now it was someone else's turn - I personally think a protest by an older generation would have been more striking than angry youths)

The protests were well organised and peaceful but under populated, a lot of attention was garnered by the spontaneous angry reaction at the Bolton and Wigan games but even then it was shown in the media as 'poor Kean' and painted the fans as the offenders.

I don't think the Action Group could have done much more themselves but I also think the fanbase as a whole was limited in what we could do to avert this train wreck

[SoldierMo]

My point exactly at one time the keaning kean was unsackable even after relegation

[Leonard Venkhater]

Did you nail your colours to the mast at the time Jim, try to organise the 'troups' , with yourself to be the first over the top leading the others?

Or did 'apathy reign' whilst you waited in vein for someone else to do as you suggest?

It's an appalling place that we all find ourselves in but there's a couple of things regarding our supporters that gall me more than most. The fact that many willingly provide bullets in the hope that somebody else will pull the trigger and that often the very same people then criticise those that have tried to do something.

It's all about opinions and I for one thought the walking protests and those inside the ground were wrong at the time and said so. Given the benefit of hindsight, I was wrong and they didn't attract the level of support that was warranted.

I hoped that 'the fit and proper person title' meant just that, that surely rules and laws were in place to protect heritage and the future viability of clubs such as ours from any wrong doing. Fool me (and I'm far from alone), I guess that's why football in England will ultimately eat itself and implode.

As has been said previously many times regarding the circus and those involved in the feeding frenzy, bast@rds the lot of them.

As with many other topics on this MB, so much of the exchange merely shows our big problem in that the fans are still divided.

Those who protested blame those who genuinely thought it was wrong. Those who refused to buy season tickets condemn those who renewed etc Those who applied ordinary supporter behaviour to what they later learned was a catalogue of abuse feel doubly victimised.. This is further reinforced by the fact that fans have no-one they can confront, so they dump their anger on supporters who responded differently....oh in my opinion!

Before I start to sound self righteous, I had angry exchanges with friends who renewed,while Kean was still in charge. In the same way others could be angry with me that I did not want to boo during games. It is pointless.

.KNOW THINE ENEMY!

The supporters simply have to remember who the perpetrators really are...they are NOT fellow supporters. IMO we need a set of aims that we can unite behind. It must be ok for some to be willing to go further than others ...as with the poll tax in the 80's...some protested until the final red bill, some until the first summons, fewer were willing to go to prison..The point is they all served the same aims.

I do understand the BRAG line. All the same, I have a need to know who did what to land us in this place. Meanwhile, I continue to piece bits together from what has been drip fed

[OJRovers]

How are Rovers different to any other club, what % of Man Utd fans protested against the Glazers?

FC United get 2k max watching them which is c.3% of united fans actually boycotting - comparable?

You've also got to factor in that rovers fans didn't have the media behind our cause. Easy for 200 Geordies to protest after the game and get a big story in the paper.

[darrenrover]

Jim did say at the time that people should go on the pitch - we had to remove those posts legally

However if he truly thought it would work he could have done it himself and lead by example (he said he did it in his time and now it was someone else's turn - I personally think a protest by an older generation would have been more striking than angry youths)

The protests were well organised and peaceful but under populated, a lot of attention was garnered by the spontaneous angry reaction at the Bolton and Wigan games but even then it was shown in the media as 'poor Kean' and painted the fans as the offenders.

I don't think the Action Group could have done much more themselves but I also think the fanbase as a whole was limited in what we could do to avert this train wreck

I agree Tom, not much can be done faced with a metre thick reinforced concrete wall without ears or apparently any grey matter either.

It's almost as if it's punishment for daring to buck the trend and win the title!

[broadsword]

Yes, and in actual fact, some parts of the media smeared us. Wonder who pulled their strings?

Then there was the PA being turned up to drown out the fans. Jason Roberts being asked to claim that Rovers' fans were racist, a certain someone going on SSN dropping dark hints about the fans motives. And the 500 letters nonsense (thanks, Matt Lawton). And basically anything Kean said. And on and on. Kean even claimed not to see the protest plane. Sick.

Let's stop being harsh on the fans.

BRFC has been raped, and the fans were practically powerless to stop it. So let's stop the self-flagellation as we reach the tipping point.

[yoda]

I agree Tom, not much can be done faced with a metre thick reinforced concrete wall without ears or apparently any grey matter either.

It's almost as if it's punishment for daring to buck the trend and win the title!

We have always tended to buck the trend, punch above our weight etc

The lunes don't understand being the underdog and prevailing, Indian silver spoons in their gobs and nowt else in the head

[FGS5635]

The trouble amongst fans is the superiority complex and superfan syndrome that some force upon others who dare to disagree with them.

Add in the 'I told you so....' brigade and you cant help but have a split fanbase

[den]

The trouble amongst fans is the superiority complex and superfan syndrome that some force upon others who dare to disagree with them.

Add in the 'I told you so....' brigade and you cant help but have a split fanbase

There will always be people saying "told you so". It only becomes galling when you're on the receiving end. Do you honestly think that the fans who - for instance - wanted Kean to be given more time, wouldn't be reminding others that they had got it right, assuming of course that they had? If you take part in heated debates, you've got to be prepared to take a bit of stick if you've got it wrong.

[FGS5635]

Debate is fine, just not sure there is a right and wrong in this. It is what it is, as fans we did what we thought was best. Doesnt really matter which side you fell on, its all irrelevant now.

I dont think any less or more of fans who did different from me. You do what you do....thats life 101. Just think some ramm the point continually and cyber pat themselves on the back that they are perceived to be 'Right' now

[yoda]

well if that is the case, all the fans should get on board now and vilify the FA and the Lunes for what they have allowed to happen,

as you say it is what it is, but it may be even less if a very loud noise is not made and soon

[FGS5635]

Agreed, I think all fans ideally should unite now. All stay aways in an ideal world would return and try and make ewood a fortress and help us possibly get promoted.

But you can also see why some stay away. Its just a messy situation

[Athlete]

Yes, and in actual fact, some parts of the media smeared us. Wonder who pulled their strings?

Then there was the PA being turned up to drown out the fans. Jason Roberts being asked to claim that Rovers' fans were racist, a certain someone going on SSN dropping dark hints about the fans motives. And the 500 letters nonsense (thanks, Matt Lawton). And basically anything Kean said. And on and on. Kean even claimed not to see the protest plane. Sick.

Let's stop being harsh on the fans.

BRFC has been raped, and the fans were practically powerless to stop it. So let's stop the self-flagellation as we reach the tipping point.

Certainly has been raped and no amount of protesting did anything the lunes in pune didn't want to listen and as for the media the majority was already boxed off way even before the take over by a certain agent .... Now we don't know what the future holds if there is a future...I said ages back I'd settle for a well run rovers in the conference even as long as we'd be rid of the venkys the crooked friends and cancerous agents

[broadsword]

There will always be people saying "told you so". It only becomes galling when you're on the receiving end. Do you honestly think that the fans who - for instance - wanted Kean to be given more time, wouldn't be reminding others that they had got it right, assuming of course that they had? If you take part in heated debates, you've got to be prepared to take a bit of stick if you've got it wrong.

It's hard to resist the temptation for those who saw this whole sorry mess coming a long way off.

[Jimmy612]

It's hard to resist the temptation for those who saw this whole sorry mess coming a long way off.

It certainly is when we were vilified and ridiculed for protesting. Unbelievable the amount of people that just wouldn't even try. 'Give up they aren't going to listen, they don't care'. @#/? shameful behaviour. If people cared so little that they couldn't be arsed walking from the Havelock and around the ground then I give up.

What happened to a united front. I remember expecting that night at Ewood to be great - People taking beers, having a laugh and a singsong (until 11ish), maybe donations of food or whatever from nearby pubs.

What I found when I arrived (8ish) was about 35 people. Embarrassing to say the whole bloody town knew about it.