[Archived] Blackburn End

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

English football has NOTHING to compare to this.....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2QOCmKD8QeI

[Paul]

I agree, the "family stand" idea is now pretty pointless, im surethat initially the main benefit of the family stand was that it was non-smoking, but now everywhere's non smoking what's the point.

Clearly you don't have kids. I used to take four, aged 5 and upwards, the family stand was and is a great facility.

[tomphil]

Here is the Dortmund Home end signing you'll never walk alone after a fan passed away in the 1st half due to a heart attack

They then went onto pay tribute to the fan singing "You'll Never Walk Alone." #BVB https://t.co/b7ZiVbeivZ

IMO, this is what Rovers/Lambert wants Ewood Park to be like espically the Blackburn end

The first miracle Lambert needs to achieve is get the owners to actually buy some good players. The second ultra miracle of turning the BBE or indeed any English ground into that really is a step too far. I admire the guys drive and ideas though and it's clear he wants to try and build something unique. Sadly Rovers is the wrong type of club for that sort of thing but we have potential to be better in the stands than it is now, that's why I pray they back him and we take it from there.

That Dortmund thing is what Klopp wanted at Anfield but he soon realised the Kop is a myth from the past these days aside from ten mins at the beginning of the odd huge European game.

[Tom]

I agree, the "family stand" idea is now pretty pointless, im surethat initially the main benefit of the family stand was that it was non-smoking, but now everywhere's non smoking what's the point.

i think the darwen enders would be better suited in the jw lower.outer tier(close enough to the away fans to get at them and also closer to the dugout to get at them when we need a kick up the arse) The club needs to lower the tkt prices for the jw outer tiers so that they are the same price as the riverside & darwen end

I go in the family stand - I take my 4 year old to some games, first game this season I had to tell a bloke to go back to his seat and cut out the swearing and posturing.

If I had remained the the Blackburn end I would have no real right to tell people to cut out the language etc but feel I have every right in the Family Stand.

[T J Hooker]

Clearly you don't have kids. I used to take four, aged 5 and upwards, the family stand was and is a great facility.

no i dont have kids of my own but i have young nephews and nieces that have come along to games with me a few times along with other family members and friends and theyve always been happy to sit wherever we normally sit, the only preference they sometimes have is to sit closer to the pitch so they can get a good close up look at the players, so I must be missing something then, what exactly does 'the family stand' offer to kids/families that you cant get anywhere else?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The Hillsborough tragedy changed the face of English football forever and sadly not all for the best.

Personally I would go back to standing on the old BBE terrace in a flash.

[gumboots]

We'll to start with as Tom says you can object to the use of language you don't want your kids to hear persistently and close up. There's a dedicated lounge for the kids prematch. Most people who sit up there are family groups. If I want to bring my grandchildren I feel comfortable doing so. It's a different atmosphere from other parts of the ground and wouldn't suit everyone but we like it. We sit in the front row so we get good leg room and a good view. Don't know what else it offers the families of young kids

[Parsonblue]

no i dont have kids of my own but i have young nephews and nieces that have come along to games with me a few times along with other family members and friends and theyve always been happy to sit wherever we normally sit, the only preference they sometimes have is to sit closer to the pitch so they can get a good close up look at the players, so I must be missing something then, what exactly does 'the family stand' offer to kids/families that you cant get anywhere else?

There were, probably still are, facilities for the kids in the Strikers Lounge situated on the family stand. It is still hugely popular with parents if they want a decent environment to take kids to watch the Rovers. Not every parent wants to expose their kids to some of the language that is on offer in other parts of the ground.

Personally, whilst I can understand what Lambert is trying to achieve, it is a very contentious issue to tell fans where and where they can't go in the ground. Supporters go to different parts of the ground because it suits what they want from watching football. If you want to stand and sing then one block of the Blackburn End and the unreserved seating (or standing) in the Darwen End is the place to be. Moving those in the Darwen End to the Blackburn End will no doubt result in problems with existing season ticket holders in that area. We don't have a large enough fanbase to be antagonising those fans who do come down to Ewood. To suggest that simply moving fans from one end of the ground to the other will suddenly create the type of atmosphere found in other parts of Europe is wishful thinking. We didn't have that type of atmosphere when we were winning the Premier League, let alone being a championship club. People won't come down to Ewood until we get back to the Premier League and even then, it is unlikely that we will see the same sort of numbers when Shearer was in his pomp.

[Tom]

We'll to start with as Tom says you can object to the use of language you don't want your kids to hear persistently and close up. There's a dedicated lounge for the kids prematch. Most people who sit up there are family groups. If I want to bring my grandchildren I feel comfortable doing so. It's a different atmosphere from other parts of the ground and wouldn't suit everyone but we like it. We sit in the front row so we get good leg room and a good view. Don't know what else it offers the families of young kids

Hooray for front row club

We only moved there this season dead in line with touch line at JW side - not central but we like the view.

Last home match my boy came to Rover was wandering the concourse at half time

[only2garners]

I think people are over thinking this. Lambert said he wants the club to sit down with fans and discuss the best way to improve the atmosphere. As much as winning football would bring the fans back eventually, why wouldn't we do the most we can to improve the atmosphere for existing fans?

I think people are over thinking this. Lambert said he wants the club to sit down with fans and discuss the best way to improve the atmosphere. As much as winning football would bring the fans back eventually, why wouldn't we do the most we can to improve the atmosphere for existing fans?

And that's exactly what will be happening at the Fans Forum meeting tonight.

[gumboots]

Hooray for front row club

We only moved there this season dead in line with touch line at JW side - not central but we like the view.

Last home match my boy came to Rover was wandering the concourse at half time

were as far away as we could be from you as we have seats in n10, last 2 seats taken right at the other end of the row. We like the view too. Our season tickets have always been somewhere in that block

[Stuart]

English football has NOTHING to compare to this.....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2QOCmKD8QeI

The thing with those fans is that they do not wait for something to happen on the pitch - or for a goal to be scored - before they become vociferous. They certainly see the onus being in the fans and have a sense of belonging to a football 'club' that different players play for. Football clubs are about the fans.

That said, attendance at matches is a socioeconomic issue as much as a tribal one.

55000 (ST holders) / 572000 (pop)= 10%

12000 (ST holders) / 106000 = 11%

You can also safely stand at matches and pay £160 for a season ticket at Dortmund. Although Dortmund have a massive waiting list for season tickets.

[Paul]

no i dont have kids of my own but i have young nephews and nieces that have come along to games with me a few times along with other family members and friends and theyve always been happy to sit wherever we normally sit, the only preference they sometimes have is to sit closer to the pitch so they can get a good close up look at the players, so I must be missing something then, what exactly does 'the family stand' offer to kids/families that you cant get anywhere else?

gumboots and Tom M have covered everything I would have said. The additions I'd make is it gave the kids a bit more freedom at half time or if, for example, when older they wanted to go buy food unaccompanied. Before anyone jumps on this I'm not suggesting other parts of the ground prohibit this but as a parent one felt the overall environment was "safer" (for want of a better word) and so the children could have more freedom.

If they got bored a few minutes running around the concourse quickly solved that one.

Add to this very low cost STs - I forget the deal but enabled us to take four children at a time when money was very tight. Many of our children's school friends would be there with their parents so it was good for socialising in the same way many BBEers will say match day is about the game, meeting friends for a few drinks etc.

On the language issue there's a difference to hearing songs and being sat next to someone who fs and blinds throughout the match. One gives parents the opportunity to discuss the language, the other doesn't. Generally though the sung bad language passed by without comment.

We sat directly behind the right hand goal post in rows 2 and 3. The kids and four adjacent seats in row 2 and I had one in row 3 directly behind them. Great arrangement for keeping an eye on the kids and the game.

On top of all that it's one of the best views in the ground. Much better than the BBE but with the atmosphere drifting up from the BBE.

[chaddyrovers]

I'd had hoped for a retraction chaddy so that's poor again from you.

What you saw at Dortmund was not a 'good atmosphere' for Rovers fans to aspire to, it was a spontaneous response to a tragic event.

Responding to your actual point sandwiched between inappropriate tasteless ones...

I highly doubt that simply freezing this season's prices (whilst a good deal) will bring the crowds rushing back. Possibly a modest increase with new fans coming of age and current ones dropping out through natural attrition. I'm more inclined to go with the other suggestion of £170 season tickets. The only problem is that it does devalue the product and relies on getting to the PL sooner rather than later to mask the losses.

retraction? For what cos I want a more vocal and louder atmosphere.

Dortmund's atmosphere is unreal and great.

On Season Tickets prices, I would make Adults price from £200, Seniors from £175, 16-21 £150, 8-15 £100, under 8's free.

I would also be going into local schools in the Darwen, Blackburn, Great Harwood, Clayton Le Moors, Whalley to attract younger fans and get them to support Rovers.

I would agree that Rovers owners need to back Lambert with serious funds(between 15-20mil) this summer

[ABBEY]

Do you sing and get songs going Chaddy?

Why have you added another 5 million ? Two weeks ago it was 15m now it's 20 million .

[gumboots]

The going into schools has been tried loads of different ways Chaddy. The kids were I worked could get free tickets from any number of sources. They'd win them as prizes etc but they wouldn't go, partly because ewood park is not on their doorstep. And because they say rovers ae rubbish. And they were saying that when rovers were in the premiership. Most kids, unless trained by significant adults, are glory hunters. Add to that the fact that when our Asian heritage kids families arrived back in the mid 60s rovers were really in the doldrums and it's no wonder they didn't turn out to support the local team, so there are very few rovers supporting significant adults to encourage youngsters to go to the match. I don't know the answer, but I do think people just throw out this give free tickets to schools as an easy solution when it isn't.

When I first started going to Ayresome park at the age of 13, I got on a bus from the bottom of our street and went into Middlesbrough on it. I got off at the gates of Albert park and walked the couple of hundred yards to the ground. Nowadays parents wouldn't let kids do that. They drive them everywhere and you'd be amazed at the ignorance of some people about their local area. The kids I taught wouldn't know anything outside their own few streets. Any further than that and their parents would get the car out. Many wouldn't have a clue how to get to ewood. We once took a group to Witton park. One of the kids suddenly realised that we were less than a mile from his house and he'd never realised the park was there. And I'm not talking ancient past here-this happened only a couple of years ago.

As I said, I don't know the answer and I'm not saying the idea of working with schools has no merit, but it would need to be an integrated scheme. Teachers are increasingly reluctant to take groups of kids anywhere at weekends now as work life balance is already a tricky issue with the vast amount of paperwork now being asked of teachers on top of their teaching preparation and marking but I think some kind of transport route round blackburn and the surrounding area to pick people up might be a possible idea to explore. Make getting to the match easy, and it's not at the moment with the loss of car parking space and the bus route only past ewood and you might then pick up numbers. But the first thing we need is a winning team. Support Lambert with some cash in the summer, let him get us playing well and looking like we stand a chance for promotion and whatever else you try may show dividends. Without a team doing well on the pitch there's no chance

[MCMC1875]

and at the other end you would have 200 MK Dons fans on a Tuesday night in a 8,000 seat stand. Better to have Rovers fans in there when we are attacking that goal imo

Rovers fans should never have been allowed in the DE in the first place.

Plenty of room in the JW if they want to be near MK Dons fans.

Alan Myers confirmed this week that there are no plans to close the Darwen End and rightly so.

Don't hold your breath.....

[sambo]

Rovers fans should never have been allowed in the DE in the first place.

Plenty of room in the JW if they want to be near MK Dons fans.

Don't hold your breath.....

Why? It worked perfectly at first - only our subsequent decline has dampened it. It was Allardyce who wanted fans behind both goals.

It isn't a case of wanting to be near the MK Dons fans. Ben's point is more about Rovers shooting towards Rovers fans rather than 200 MK fans and 7000 empty seats - not sure how you don't understand his point. Given the JW isn't behind the goal, the issue Ben mentions still stands.

I think the relevant parties need to sit down and sort out a solution. Everybody wants a better atmosphere at Ewood, so dialogue is essential.

retraction? For what cos I want a more vocal and louder atmosphere.

Dortmund's atmosphere is unreal and great.

On Season Tickets prices, I would make Adults price from £200, Seniors from £175, 16-21 £150, 8-15 £100, under 8's free.

I would also be going into local schools in the Darwen, Blackburn, Great Harwood, Clayton Le Moors, Whalley to attract younger fans and get them to support Rovers.

I would agree that Rovers owners need to back Lambert with serious funds(between 15-20mil) this summer

The 'retraction' element is more because you championed an off the cuff response to the death of a supporter as the atmosphere we should strive towards. Yes it was a lovely touch, but that was very much spontaneous. I agree Dortmund's atmosphere is brilliant, but you're living in cloud cuckoo land if you think we'll ever get close.

And you're in for a big disappointment if you think Lambert will get £20m to spend this summer. I have no idea why some fans seem so keen for us to return to an embargo.

[Ben-2000]

I suppose there could be arguments to close all or part of any of the 4 stands in order to bunch people closer together.

Darwen End - As already discussed at length

BBE Upper - close and relocate the designated Family area

JW Stand - All 4 sections are very sparse, could close 1 or 2 and move people to equivalent seats in the other half of this stand.

Riverside - Oldest stand, restricted views & poorer facilities. Plenty of seats with better view & facilities in JW stand.

BUT - I don't think we should be closing any area. People are happy where they sit and I don't think the club should (or even would) begin to start uprooting people who don't want to be moved. Let's not forget we now have a fanbase of approx 12,000, approx half what it was 5 years ago - the club needs to tread carefully so not to lose any of the fans that have remained loyal throughout the last few 'turbulant' years.

[AndyNeil]

if any supporter stopped going because they were having to move seat, IMO that would reflect more on the supporter than the club.

[barry_]

if any supporter stopped going because they were having to move seat, IMO that would reflect more on the supporter than the club.

can you imagine how people would react if they were moved from 'their' seats in the BBE/JW.

I don't know why but some people on here seem intent on trying to close the Darwen End.

[yorkblues]

Huddersfield season tickets next year £179 any seat

£69 under 18 and £23 under 8

[Gav]

if any supporter stopped going because they were having to move seat, IMO that would reflect more on the supporter than the club.

Couldn't disagree more.

Plenty of loyal supporters have had their current seats since the stadium was built and have every right to keep sitting in those seats for years to come. I know groups of 10/15 people that buy together each year, those fans deserve to stay put, not be moved because of some hairbrain scheme that's no more than a bit of window dressing in the grand scheme of things.

[AndyNeil]

can you imagine how people would react if they were moved from 'their' seats in the BBE/JW.

I don't know why but some people on here seem intent on trying to close the Darwen End.

I'm not intent on closing anywhere and have had a season ticket in the Blackburn End upper, Blackburn End lower, Darwen End, Jack Walker upper and Jack Walker lower so am not particularly fixated with 'my seat'. As long as I have a good view and my lad is happy, that'll do for me.

[Stuart]

Couldn't disagree more.

Plenty of loyal supporters have had their current seats since the stadium was built and have every right to keep sitting in those seats for years to come. I know groups of 10/15 people that buy together each year, those fans deserve to stay put, not be moved because of some hairbrain scheme that's no more than a bit of window dressing in the grand scheme of things.

They don't have any 'rights' at all GAV, but I see your point.

The trouble is that nobody likes change, especially when they don't have a say in it. It just seems to obvious to have ALL the singers in the BBE. The obvious way to ensure they can congregate with their mates (old terraces style) would be to make some rows or sections unreserved seating. The fact that the singers usually prefer to stand (indeed any singing should be done standing) then it makes sense for the unreserved seating to be at the rear rather than the front which would restrict the views of others.

You will never please everyone. No matter how great an idea there will always be somebody who doesn't like it. I'd suggest that anybody displaced from their seat as a result of this change would be offered a free season ticket (for one season) in any other part of the ground, with the option to relocate during that season.

If we always do what we've always done then we will always get what we've always got. If nobody is willing to change then they can't grumble about the atmosphere... or the impact on the team and manager of the lack of one.