[Archived] Protest Ideas...

[rigger]

I can think of no better protest with bigger impact than a totally empty stadium. Other than away fans. Try explaining that away to the national media.

They would probably say, all the rovers fans turned up at Elland road, as advertise by Sky.

[TBTF]

Don't need to discuss what they've done wrong mike, it's been done to death. Protest directions and ideas are the priority.

Just like I said, the focus of "let's oust the owners" will not fly for everyone. Switch it to a protest for more ambition, transparency and experts employed in their roles - we'd get more involved.

I think the idea that Venkys are irrelevant is wasted on many but that's the way I see it. I just want a club I can support - the thought of that going just to win a battle against ignorant millionaires? Can't support and many won't.

I thought we'd got past the arguments Tomphil but I see we'd rather ignore content for petty squabbles - I never twisted your words, I replied to your content.

I think you are right JB

I think 99% of all fans would vote ''Venkys out'' if a good alternative that they could believe in was put forward. Not knowing what the alternative is makes it hard for some to really have a firm opinion.

I think we all thought we were getting that when Seneca stepped forward and \Venkys killed that one off. That for many was a hammer blow/ turning point and maybe more should have been made of that at the time.

But its all moved on and not for the better

But I do think the campaign needs an alternative option that we can all get behind because at the moment there is too much '' venkys out, then what?''.

[bob fleming]

I'm prepared to make a stand if I can agree with the key concept.

Venkys out. Then what?

Put the club up for sale. Simple as that.

If I put my house up for sale and no one buys it? What happens? I still own it.

If no one buys Rovers or meets their asking price then they'll just have to carry on doing whatever the hell they think it is they're doing in an attempt to protect their investment.

At what point in time do you think they'll realise they're not going to get their money back? All that money in the name of Venkys London Limited? Or do you think that point has come and gone already - so they just pretend this isn't happening instead - that they don't own us anymore. I mean I struggle to see anything they do or say that suggests they own us. Nothing. We weren't even mentioned in their last Board report.

Funny that. You'd think 100m of debt would get a mention wouldn't you? Maybe in the small print? But no. How peculiar eh?

But it's their name above the door. The 6 years of abject misery supporting our club needs to come to an end. You can change the CEO, shelf salesmen, advisors, managers and players over and over and over. It won't make a blind bit of difference.

They've been nothing but an unmitigated disaster from day one. Time to sell.

[Rover_Shaun]

"Venky's remain"

Then what?

League 1? League 2? Conference?

Getting angry by that point?

[MGAndy]

This is what should be happening against Wolves. Get people to bring a tennis ball, write Venkys Out on it and chuck it on the pitch as a prearranged time - clearly visible (assuming enough people do it), in front of the cameras and disrupts the game. The 1875 thing sounds great in principle but the cameras are focussed on the pitch not off it when there's a live game on - and given the tiny crowds we get is anyone going to notice 200 people walking out? They'd notice 200 tennis balls on the pitch for certain.

Charlton did it right and got loads of national media attention: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/15/charlton-coventry-pigs-owner-protest-valley

Actually, maybe we need rubber chickens?

Tennis balls can easily be thrown onto the pitch from outside the ground in the corners.

Boycotters and Attendees unite...who would have thought it.

I'm going to buy one tomorrow.

[Neal]

I'm prepared to make a stand if I can agree with the key concept.

Venkys out. Then what?

@#/? are you on about? Its like someone robbing you and doing nothing about it because the next bloke you see might do worse.

They've started this, along with certain people at the club and now with all these little games they're playing they're pouring fuel on the fire. If they did want to talk they would have, or have acknowledged the protest and said "right how can we sort this out?"... They haven't, they never have and never will.

They've beaten down the fans time and time again and they deserve retaliation, they deserve shame, they deserve bad publicity and humiliation. Its time for people to stop being cowards and stand up to them. If fans allow themselves to be treated like @#/? then it effectively shows themselves up for what they are. Thats not me trying to rub people up, i'm not being diplomatic, i'm being honest... Thats exactly how I feel.

Sick and tired of people picking holes in every little thing because it doesnt suit them... Is the mural exactly what I want? No. Is the 1875 proteat exactly how I would like to protest? Probably not... But its not about that, its about the fans coming together, standing up for themselves for once, stop being pushed around, manipulated and mistreated.

[Mike E]

Tennis balls can easily be thrown onto the pitch from outside the ground in the corners.

Boycotters and Attendees unite...who would have thought it.

I'm going to buy one tomorrow.

Esp with those things dog-owners have for throwing tennis balls for their dogs!

[donnermeat]

Esp with those things dog-owners have for throwing tennis balls for their dogs!

Made me chuckle that. They are mad them things though, they're like a big ladle or something.

I'd be in hysterics if I saw someone use one of those at the game on Saturday. I'd probably ask to have a go. I've never used one before but I've secretly always really wanted to have a do with one.

In laws have a dog so I might just take it for a walk and have a right mad do with one. Reckon it would be a blast.

I think it would be a great 'protest idea' (to keep on topic).

[MGAndy]

Do chickens fetch tennis balls?

[broadsword]

I'm a minister of death praying for war

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000E9757I/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1477600679&sr=8-4&keywords=tennis+ball+gun

[Doaksie]

I'm prepared to make a stand if I can agree with the key concept.

Venkys out. Then what?

I can understand a fear of the unknown JB, it's human nature. I have a much more debilitating and chronic fear of our current reality and the trend it is taking. I honestly cannot fathom how, even in a worst case scenario, new owners could actually do any worse. We are witnessing a robust asset-stripping job, and a club infastructure with a penchant for seemingly spiteful behaviour. I, and many others, are beginning to feel like it's no longer the club we fell in love with. Sometimes in life you have to roll the dice, and what better time than when you really do have very little left to lose. If we wait any longer we will have no stake left to gamble. It's all in time. Show our hands and try to re-take OUR club.

[J*B]

I'm prepared to make a stand if I can agree with the key concept.

Venkys out. Then what?

I'm prepared to break my boycott, return to Ewood and get behind the side if you can answer this:

Venkys stay. What evidence is there that anything will get any better?

[Dunnfc]

Considering we lost "officially" 24 million as VLL (Venkys London Ltd) acting as Blackburn Rovers & Athletic Ltd. Who owns the "Golden Share" in the event of forced admin"?

In contrast the P/L allowed for 13 Million onerous losses i.e obligations/one offs... etc/commissions

11 million "Real" loss on last season before's playing squad before player releases which we've done a few./sold allot Rhodes at 42 PW and Gestade 20 PW for example.

15,000 attendance gives Rovers after Venkys 3-5 million transfer budget a bristol/brighton, 10k PW player allowance for 25 Squad, derby is between 12k-15k. Whilst cost neutral we are re-establishing our significant compared to PNE, Burnley commercial sponsor allowances.

Eye opener might be the fact who owns the season tickets for next year? Not Rovers i suspect? Been mortgaged/borrowed against. Hence spelling mistakes for Bryan Clayton and "Season" on your recently delivered tickets.

do remember football acounts are 30th june to 30th june usually as March is cut off with 3 months grace period. When did we sell Cairney anyone?

[tomphil]

I can understand a fear of the unknown JB, it's human nature. I have a much more debilitating and chronic fear of our current reality and the trend it is taking. I honestly cannot fathom how, even in a worst case scenario, new owners could actually do any worse. We are witnessing a robust asset-stripping job, and a club infastructure with a penchant for seemingly spiteful behaviour. I, and many others, are beginning to feel like it's no longer the club we fell in love with. Sometimes in life you have to roll the dice, and what better time than when you really do have very little left to lose. If we wait any longer we will have no stake left to gamble. It's all in time. Show our hands and try to re-take OUR club.

It's catch 22 for a lot of people and that's understandable and they the V's & co STILL have the power in their hands to turn it around and at least try and go in the right direction. I think it's blindingly obvious they won't and i don't think they actually have the money to do it if truth be told, nor the desire that's for sure. It's all being geared to go the other way and iv'e said it a thousand times go down under this lot it's curtains, they'll slash costs right back, remortgage what they can and sell what they can to run run the club then fill the team with youth.

(Probably the same scenario if they pulled the plug but it's rescueable as long as we ain't saddled with 100 mill debt.)

Bobble around like that for a year or two and get forgotten about and that might just be their convenient exit strategy quietly by the side door with little fuss or great publicity. Knowing the influence their partners have though they'll be persuaded to nurture this next crop of players ready for sale again. Some said they wanted a Crewe style scenario well that'll be it for the future stuck in the middle of league one producing players for every other club outside the Prem for %%%%

For the other more likely scenario see Luton, Coventry, Plymouth, even Blackpool will probably rebuild and pass us !

[toogs]

Protest idea:

Darwen Enders organise yourselves to spell venkys out with your mobile phone torches?

[47er]

I'm prepared to make a stand if I can agree with the key concept.

Venkys out. Then what?

One thing you will never do JBiz is to make a stand.

You'll spend a lifetime arguing with others as to why you shouldn't though!

Most exasperating man on the planet.

[Willie Eckerslike]

One thing you will never do JBiz is to make a stand.

You'll spend a lifetime arguing with others as to why you shouldn't though!

Most exasperating man on the planet.

Don't let him bother you 47er.

A mate of his called him out a few years back as being a wind-up merchant and that appears what he's been ever since.

Just tries to get everybody's' back up and cause ructions by posting opposing views.

Leave him to his sad little world.

[JHRover]

I always remember the £5 million 'investment' figure being mentioned several times before and during their takeover. I think even Desai might have mentioned it in one of her earlier interviews. Presumably whoever talked them into buying the club pointed to the Walker Trust's annual 'investment' and they bought the club on that basis. I reckon that they only ever came into this intending to spend about £5 million a year, and that's where we're heading again. In the Premier League that is do-able thanks to the vast amount of TV money on offer. In the Championship it is impossible, however in League One/Two with Cheston slashing across the board it is probably achievable with repeated player sales thrown in. He's already made a start on the project by shutting down parts of Ewood, the club shop and selling every player of value. I think as long as losses are more or less 5 million a year they will be more than happy just to leave the club in limbo indefinitely with the odd sale of a young player every year or so to top things up.

We can only presume that their inertia this season means they are quite happy with results and performances under Coyle and aren't expecting anything more than a drawn out relegation battle.

[funny-old-game]

Has their been dialogue between fans on both sides of the divide or an attempt to do so?

Maybe something could be done to have a civilised discuss (if possible) and find some common ground to bring fans closer and hopefully have a larger stronger fan base to dive the club in right direction.

Dont give me stick over this comment as I would the happiest fan on earth if Venkys left tomorrow, but I don't think it will happen unless theirs a togetherness amongst supporters for not just our club, but others in the same boat.

The problems within football have never been as highlighted as if is at the minute and the FA are under pressure from all quarters to get their act together. This is the perfect time for fans from ours and others club to make waves as one and pile the pressure on.

[JBiz]

Post your own views on brfcs = obvious wum.

I made a suggestion and replied to a post regarding getting fans on board, on a protest idea thread.

Only Bob Fleming and a couple of others could reply without the pitiful attitude of some who cannot stand (to quote the owner of the site) anyone having a view outside the "hive mind".

Tip for posters; try not to engage the poster but the content. It makes much more interesting reading for the majority.

[Neal]

I made a suggestion and replied to a post regarding getting fans on board, on a protest idea thread.

Only Bob Fleming and a couple of others could reply without the pitiful attitude of some who cannot stand (to quote the owner of the site) anyone having a view outside the "hive mind".

Tip for posters; try not to engage the poster but the content. It makes much more interesting reading for the majority.

For what it's worth I agree with what you originally said about targeting the F.A.

What those people can't stand is fans not willing to cast their egos aside and fight for the cause. You can dress it up with whatever pretentious grammar you want but thats what it is. People have spent too long being diplomatic with each other and pussy footing around, it's time people put their cards on the table and have it out... I'd say people actually expressing how they feel would make for much better reading personally, we're not journalists, we can say what we want and we should... Everyone on here speaks for themselves, fans are getting tired of being quiet and bottling up their true feelings... Now it's coming to the point those fans have had enough of being quiet it seems some can't handle it. I've seen some opposing posters go quiet, some say the site is becoming unreadable and such... Christ, no wonder these folk aren't willing to stand up and be counted, let's be men eh?

Not all aimed at you JB.

[Stuart]

Forget the FA, they won't react when one of their member clubs is in real trouble or even goes to the wall. "There are plenty of other non-league clubs to promote."

Yes, they are culpable but trying to take any action against them is a nonsense. Unless you can rally 50 other clubs to join the fight. Fans can rarely be bothered to do something themselves to try to save their own club, or even show unity amongst themselves against obvious enemies, let alone try to take on the whole of the self-serving English establishment. Jeez, we can't even paint a wall.

This is about Venkys and their stooges. A group of people who whether through accident or incompetence are taking this club to the lower leagues. Then blaming the fans when they do.

We are where we are because of the quality of managers and the quality of players. Or rather, lack of both.

The fans have tried in the past to change the manager (like 95% of other clubs' boards do all the time) and been ignored, so attention must focus on those who won't even allow is the dignity of a functioning board. Every decision has to wait for owner approval? Pah! Amateurs.

"The club" are doing their best to shut down any and all peaceful demonstrations. The only option fans are going to have is to stop going. Do we really want a club that thinks like that? That does that to their fans?

No, we want one that LISTENS!

[Willie Eckerslike]

Post your own views on brfcs = obvious wum.

I made a suggestion and replied to a post regarding getting fans on board, on a protest idea thread.

Only Bob Fleming and a couple of others could reply without the pitiful attitude of some who cannot stand (to quote the owner of the site) anyone having a view outside the "hive mind".

Tip for posters; try not to engage the poster but the content. It makes much more interesting reading for the majority.

Wind back 12 months or so and you were posting ad nauseum about "let's not sack Bowyer cos nobody else will come"., "the next manager will be much worse" etc.

Now it's "the next owners could be much worse".

You obviously have a fear of change for some reason.

And your friend K-Hod did call you out as a WUM when you first started posting, said you were well known for it.

[Amo]

Tip for posters; try not to engage the poster but the content. It makes much more interesting reading for the majority.

Even when the poster's a well-known provocateur?

[punerover]

With all due respect to the protestors, its not like the Venkys do not know that they are unpopular. I do not forsee an AD in the newspapers on sunday saying "BRFC for SALE. Will Sell to any bidder". You only have to analyze the difference between the Kean Out protests and the Venkys out protests to see why one worked and why the other wont. Get everyone on board and the protests will work, easier said then done though. I admit.

Let us assume the protests do work and Venky's put the club up for sale. The devil lies in the details.

1. Let us assume there are lots of potential buyers who can be lined up. Fair enough. Considering the way the chinese are buying all the west midlands clubs, this should not be a major problem at all.

2. Now comes the main point. Hummmmmmmm let see. Last time I checked, in a commercial transaction a buyer and a seller have to agree on a "price" as well as "terms". Now we have no clue as to how much the Venkys want. We need to know this first. Also, all fans are smart enough to understand that the "NOT FOR SALE" sign is used as a bargaining chip to get the price up. Surely nobody is naive enough to think that the Venkys are NOT selling for their immense LOVE of this club.

3. Although I have no clue about the actual details of the Seneca bid [if there was any] but according to the rumors it was in the range of 60 million for taking an executive role at the club. I am assuming that the debt was considered at 120 million and they were offering half the debt to run the club while Venkys had to sit back and enjoy the ride. [basically Venkys have a non executive role aka they do not call the shots in the way the club is run].

4. Now it is very naive to assume that the price and the terms are mutually independent of each other. The price could go higher or lower depending on the terms that are negotiated. For the buyer to have an upper hand, he has to spot a weakness in the seller. This will help him get the price down. Venkys simply wont put up a "club for sale" sign as it does not get them the bargaining power or leverage over a potential buyer.

5. it does not matter what the fans think of what is the value of the club unless they are a minority or a majority shareholder of the club. Heck Swansea fans had no say in the appointment of their recent manager even though they are shareholders of their club. It is well documented.

Having said that, a better way to get rid of the Venkys [if that is what everyone wants. I am not convinced yet and we will surely know by saturday] is.

1. Actively look for buyers. Do we have a list of potential candidates who are interested? Why cant we fans act as an agent in order to facilitate a deal for the betterment of the club? Heck we might even get a seat on the board or a minority share in the club.

2. You can protest all your life, but unless you find anything illegal, the owners cannot be kicked out for free. So put all the resources available on Glen or any of the support groups and pray that they can find something.