[Archived] Open Letter From Venky's

[Tom]

I see no reason to complain about it.

Sure it may have been initiated by Alan Myers but it hardly says anything out of line.

It's a step in the right direction for Mr Myers at least.

[47er]

Incredible that grown adults think they've had any more involvement in that bog-standard PR guff than " That will do Mr Myers. Now go and see if you can sell some season tickets."

At this rate the early bird deadline is going to be Hallowe'en

By the way let's have a count of all the people who've felt moved to write to Venkys this season as they claim

anyone on here?

Getting close to Kean "500 fan letters a day" territory

I agree season-tickets are not irrelevant to that apology.

[Rover_Shaun]

Thanks Kamy. Still way short of what it should be but it's something, if a tad contrived, full of lip service and never in a million years was actually constructed by Desai.

They can still jump in the Leeds to Liverpool for me but "hey, they spoke to us via a 4th party"

Many supporters have contacted us this season in recognition of the hard work and passion of the team and that has been welcomed.

Steve Kean is alive and well. They must be using his postal sack to fit them all in lol

[ABBEY]

Thanks Kamy. Still way short of that it should be but it's something, if a tad contrived and full of lip service.

Steve Kean is alive and well. They must be using his postal sack to fit them all in lol

They don't have a dog either

[Willie Eckerslike]

"we are deeply sorry we haven't, so far, been able to bring the success we all desire for Rovers."

Not really an apology for the mess is it?

Just sorry that we aren't in the Prem and are losing money hand over fist.

More Myers spin for me.

[patrickvalery]

By the way let's have a count of all the people who've felt moved to write to Venkys this season as they claim

anyone on here?

Getting close to Kean "500 fan letters a day" territory

That part jumped out at me too Meadows. I can't see it.

Barry venky,

Big crass house,

The one with the iron bar missing from the fence and them new cars out front,

Poon,

India

Asia I think.

Dear mr Barry, Madam Barry, baby Barry and snowball Barry,

Sorry this is written in crayon. When aggers left he swiped the box of bic ballpoints. Anyways, just wanted to say that I am a happy fan this season. Gary has got the lads well fired up and that.

Um, the kit looks nice this year and I liked me new hat what I got at Yeovil.

Next season North End, sorry Rovers will get promoted for definite.

Thanks for all the money and stuff. Don't sweat about the debt cos I believe Derek Shaw is the bestest man for the job.

All the best

Derique (its ethnic and we ethnic types are getting really interested in rovers nowadays - success!!!!!)

[Riverside67]

Almost an apology in the tone of that letter and certainly an admission of mistakes.

Coming form a culture where it is important not to lose face this is a significant piece of contrition.

No doubt all part of the over all bridge building plan to get everyone on board but we have to start somewhere and this is essential.

One thing's for sure it is hard enough to be successful when all the horse are pulling and nigh on impossible when they do not.

Some wise words of advice from Bowyer and Myers in there and importantly this is not a second hand messeage. The whole family have put their hands up and accepted the accountability.

Well done for that and now can they execute a plan to get us back where this all started from?

[IbizaRover]

some people will never be happy. This is a start from them so lets give them a chance. Think it was Perth blue who is asking for explanations. Why? Thats stuff we, as fans, dont need to hear. We just need them to keep financing us as owners should and back the manager in the transfer market. I am really looking forward to next season and we should be building fan spirit to try and encourage stay away fans to come back. Im almost certain that say in December we are in Leicester position last year, fans will start to come back

[Rover_Shaun]

I wouldn't count on droves IbizaRover

After having a season ticket for 23 years (price, division or playing style was never a factor) I stopped going after the Bolton home 'kean out' debacle and haven't been back. That anger still hasn't fully abated. I still want Rovers to do well and win and spend Saturdays checking the scores whenever I can get a signal in the wilds, but I have no inclination to attend Ewood whilst the loons are there. They took the p*ss out of me for too long so I decided never to give them a penny again. I'd like to think I'm someone who sticks to his guns.

I've turned down free tickets to every dingle derby since (I never thought I'd ever think that fixture was one I'd least like to attend again but it is) and I won't be back until we have new owners. I've found other enjoyable things to do on a saturday than watch Rovers 'maybe' not defend like idiots or see Jason Lowe embarrass himself (one to flame the lovers). Promotion would be nice for the club and the fans but whilst 'they' are there the club will always be tainted for me. I feel sorry for the father in law. He got the Rovers bug in his retirement and still goes on his own. I know he misses our pre and post match sessions in the Navvy and Station but the football started to feel like it got in the way of a nice day in the pub. It's sad but there you go

[Mike E]

As I expected, an apology gets bashed. They've said what most were 'demanding', so I'll say thanks for the words and move on.

As long as they keep schtum like last season, I think we could make it 2 years w/o madness and get up

[arbitro]

No mention of why they got us into a mess, no specifics about Allardyce, Finn or Williams. No mention of Anderson, Kean, Singh, Kentaro. That is what I want to hear them talk about so the wider world knows exactly what has gone on.

Probably the most insincere 'apology' I have ever read. And yet once again we have people fawning over them and accepting their token words which in reality were probably penned by their spin doctor.

[Rover_Shaun]

Did I miss the word sorry in the letter in a context other then being in relation to lack of success? We haven't been successful BECAUSE OF THEM

It seems this new communications guy is a slippery as Agnew. Maybe he has some insight into the lack of gumption in the area?

[47er]

Coming from their background of privilege and aristocracy, even the acknowledgements they've made could not have been easy. They come as close as they could to publicly accepting they have been conned.

[T.J.Newton]

Its communication with the owners(of sorts) thats what many of us have been after,

Reading it has made me feel a little more optimistic about the summer and next season(call me naive I dont care, life to short to be hating all the time)

[TBTF]

No mention of why they got us into a mess, no specifics about Allardyce, Finn or Williams. No mention of Anderson, Kean, Singh, Kentaro. That is what I want to hear them talk about so the wider world knows exactly what has gone on.

Probably the most insincere 'apology' I have ever read. And yet once again we have people fawning over them and accepting their token words which in reality were probably penned by their spin doctor.

Couldn't agree more Arbitro. Patronising keans.

Unreal that some on here are suitably wowed and encouraged by such hogwash. Bet Barry Venky really thought long and hard about what to say .How much better would this have been if they had done it on Rovers TV/Radio Rovers/Radio Lancs or whatever during their trip to see the Queen and stayed for the Yeovil game? But no its a cowardly letter from their bunker in Pune .

Also, people seem to think that more cash will now be coming to support Bowyer by improving the squad again by spending money this summer. How does or how can that happen when we are a million miles offside with FFP?? I would even go as far as expecting them to trot out at some future point that they limited by the constraints of FFP. Well who's bloody fault is that then you clowns???

[perthblue02]

some people will never be happy. This is a start from them so lets give them a chance. Think it was Perth blue who is asking for explanations. Why? Thats stuff we, as fans, dont need to hear. We just need them to keep financing us as owners should and back the manager in the transfer market. I am really looking forward to next season and we should be building fan spirit to try and encourage stay away fans to come back. Im almost certain that say in December we are in Leicester position last year, fans will start to come back

Well according to some Desai, and the two Rao brothers are gullible fools and collectively or individually had no part to play in our swift collapse as a stable Premiership club apart from buying the club.This may be the case but If it was me and I had a clear guilt free conscience and somebody's actions had cost me millions and millions that I had not consented to as part of a possible contract agreement I certainly would want to clear my name and point the finger or take action against people because of their actions taken against my company.

If they want trust and respect then they need to earn it and explanations are the only way they are going to get it, not a swift throw away drawn up by a PR man. It is an unfortunate trait of some cultures that the best way to get respect is to buy it, fortunately being born in Blackburn people have to earn my respect so that unfortunate trait does not wash with me .

Unfortunately the situation at present is that people are giving them the benefit of the doubt because they see the alternative scenario's as to frightening. A situation has been created on parallel of an absused wife frightened of leaving her husband

[Jimmy612]

Talks cheap / Actions speak louder than words

We've been waiting for an apology for a number of years now and it's no coincidence it has come right in the middle of ST renewal.

Just get us up and we'll go from there

[Riverside67]

47er spot on

Shame others will not accept this at face value and get behind the club again, Shades of the 1960 cup final debacle means the clubs fan base will be weakened at a critical time.

I think venky's need to back these words up with deeds and support Bowyer's attempts to improve the side further.

If they do that I think some of the disenfranchised fans should try to get behind the club again as we need every supporter back that we can.

[OJRovers]

Well I suppose it's a start.

It does appear on the surface that the penny has dropped.

Hopefully Alan M has explained that they are never going to win most fans over, even if we did make it back to the premier league.

As a Bowyer supporter (after the strong finish to the season), i'm glad that his position appears safe.

(Did anyone else read the letter with a scouse accent in mind?)

[Jimmy612]

I wouldn't count on droves IbizaRover

After having a season ticket for 23 years (price, division or playing style was never a factor) I stopped going after the Bolton home 'kean out' debacle and haven't been back. That anger still hasn't fully abated. I still want Rovers to do well and win and spend Saturdays checking the scores whenever I can get a signal in the wilds, but I have no inclination to attend Ewood whilst the loons are there. They took the p*ss out of me for too long so I decided never to give them a penny again. I'd like to think I'm someone who sticks to his guns.

I've turned down free tickets to every dingle derby since (I never thought I'd ever think that fixture was one I'd least like to attend again but it is) and I won't be back until we have new owners. I've found other enjoyable things to do on a saturday than watch Rovers 'maybe' not defend like idiots or see Jason Lowe embarrass himself (one to flame the lovers). Promotion would be nice for the club and the fans but whilst 'they' are there the club will always be tainted for me. I feel sorry for the father in law. He got the Rovers bug in his retirement and still goes on his own. I know he misses our pre and post match sessions in the Navvy and Station but the football started to feel like it got in the way of a nice day in the pub. It's sad but there you go

I wondered why you were so dismissive of Bowyer and the playing staff we have now. You've not seen them play yet.

Ewood is a very different place now to what it was in those days. It feels like a normal matchday, with the fans enjoying the football. There's no infighting or venomous atmosphere and you genuinely feel that every staff member connected to a match day is giving everything the have for the cause.

You might have taken a stance and I commend your boycott decision because I actually did the same until Kean was sacked. But I urge you to make a return now (even if it's only on a free ticket) and enjoy a normal match day to experience a happy, if half empty Ewood again.

regarding the pub btw - I felt the same in 'that' era. It didn't feel the same going to the pub and getting more and more wound up when that prick did a post-match interview. Now I just enjoy the day for what it is again. I meet the lads at 1, have a few beers locally, get over to the Brown Cow for one, enjoy the match, and then start all over again. I love going to the Rovers again and at one point I wasn't sure I'd ever be saying that.

[DE.]

Talks cheap / Actions speak louder than words

We've been waiting for an apology for a number of years now and it's no coincidence it has come right in the middle of ST renewal.

Just get us up and we'll go from there

Indeed.

I don't respect Venky's so their words mean nothing to me. I haven't desired any communication from them personally, I'm happy for them to keep quiet and let Gary Bowyer get on with trying to sort out the mess they created. I don't trust them, so how can I take anything they say at face value?

As a few others have said, actions speak louder than words. If you're sorry and have learned lessons - prove it. A PR letter isn't enough.

[BooyakaSha]

Immediate reaction----shock, I never expected it.

Disappointment-----it doesn't look like they are leaving anytime soon!

Some measure of respect----we are deeply sorry etc, learned some costly and expensive lessons etc,commitment ....will not waver

We have constantly asked for recognition of and apology for what they have done, and, on the surface at least, its been done very graciously.

Need some time to take it in!

Just about spot on. As others said it's as good as we're going to get but I'm pleased to see there's no unrealistic promises in there for once.

Roll on next season!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

47er spot on

Shame others will not accept this at face value and get behind the club again, Shades of the 1960 cup final debacle means the clubs fan base will be weakened at a critical time.

I think venky's need to back these words up with deeds and support Bowyer's attempts to improve the side further.

If they do that I think some of the disenfranchised fans should try to get behind the club again as we need every supporter back that we can.

People have been asking for some form of apology from the Raos for some time - but no matter how it was put (letter, on the pitch etc) or how contrite - it was always going to split the fans and for some was never going to be enough. However - for me you are right - actions speak louder than words. At the moment they are continuing to fund the club - whether you agree GB should be manager or not - they have placed a lot of faith (and financial backing) onto GB who is a truee football man with the club at heart (or so it appears). For me this is enough for now - justing waiting for ST prices etc.

[JBiz]

People have been asking for some form of apology from the Raos for some time - but no matter how it was put (letter, on the pitch etc) or how contrite - it was always going to split the fans and for some was never going to be enough. However - for me you are right - actions speak louder than words. At the moment they are continuing to fund the club - whether you agree GB should be manager or not - they have placed a lot of faith (and financial backing) onto GB who is a truee football man with the club at heart (or so it appears). For me this is enough for now - justing waiting for ST prices etc.

DMTP always a voice of reason

[den]

There's no apology there for anything they have done, just an apology that they haven't done better, along with an admittance that they've made mistakes. Which is fair enough. Personally I've never sought or expected an apology, I'm more interested in the financial situation and how they deal with that. Sadly, there's nothing there at all about that.

The open letter was drafted by Myers and rubber stamped by the family in my opinion. Hopefully this is just the start of better communications from the owners. In the past anything they have said has been open to derision - and probably rightly so due to the unprofessional way those communications were conveyed. Now there is no excuse for keeping the fans in the dark. There are certain things that any owner would be better advised to keep to themselves, - details about finances being one. However, they should now feel a bit more confident that they can give, at least, some kind of general commitment to keep the club in good financial condition.