[Archived] Boycott

[Iceman]

Cheston Out!

[oldjamfan1]

It's really not the same, Mike.

Some of the emotional elements of it are Stuart.

[Parsonblue]

It may still have the same badge, it may 'still' wear the same shirt but it's no longer the club we fell in love with. Therefore it's an easy and logical course of action.

It may not be for you Shaun, but it's the same club that I started watching 50 odd years ago. I'm still going to the same Ewood Park - admittedly a renovated Ewood, as I was all those years ago, still watching players in the famous 'blue & white' shirt - that hasn't changed - and still getting the same buzz when watching the team home and away. Owners, directors, officials, managers, players, even supporters come and go but the 'Club' remains the one constant.

[47er]

You still get the "same buzz" as you did pre-Venkys? I can't even imagine that.

50 years ago I really did get a buzz from everything Rovers. That continued until 6+ years ago.

[CAPT KAYOS]

It may not be for you Shaun, but it's the same club that I started watching 50 odd years ago. I'm still going to the same Ewood Park - admittedly a renovated Ewood, as I was all those years ago, still watching players in the famous 'blue & white' shirt - that hasn't changed - and still getting the same buzz when watching the team home and away. Owners, directors, officials, managers, players, even supporters come and go but the 'Club' remains the one constant.

Are you really PB - some of your recent posts would suggest different.

Not been going as long as you but have over 30 years to boot but find the whole experience it as dull as dishwater and worse now mixing with everything else that is going on - this is not all loon reason as my own personal circumstances have dictated a very much reduced attendance it for the last few seasons - but the 'buzz' must be the flies from the stench of the loons as its certainly not in evidence at Ewood on matchdays at present imo

[gumboots]

I'm with you there. Even under poor managers there was a buzz because if results were poor you could influence that as fans either by lifting your team or by getting rid of a manager. It's the fact we have absolutely no influence on anything that takes the buzz away

[ABBEY]

It may not be for you Shaun, but it's the same club that I started watching 50 odd years ago. I'm still going to the same Ewood Park - admittedly a renovated Ewood, as I was all those years ago, still watching players in the famous 'blue & white' shirt - that hasn't changed - and still getting the same buzz when watching the team home and away. Owners, directors, officials, managers, players, even supporters come and go but the 'Club' remains the one constant.

its venky fc

[Parsonblue]

Are you really PB - some of your recent posts would suggest different.

Not been going as long as you but have over 30 years to boot but find the whole experience it as dull as dishwater and worse now mixing with everything else that is going on - this is not all loon reason as my own personal circumstances have dictated a very much reduced attendance it for the last few seasons - but the 'buzz' must be the flies from the stench of the loons as its certainly not in evidence at Ewood on matchdays at present imo

Of course nobody agrees with the way the club is run at present. But ultimately, I still enjoy watching my club play football and that is what it is all about for me. Look at what Portsmouth endured - far worse than what has happened here - and yet their fans stuck with it and have come through the other side and are able to think about rebuilding. We are not the first club to have shocking owners and we certainly won't be the last. The support may well be down to levels of 8,000 or so, but ultimately it's about the club surviving and retaining as much of it's present infrastructure as possible to ensure the club can rebuild under new owners. And no Abbey, it's not Venky FC it's still Blackburn Rovers F.C. and long may it continue to be.

[DE.]

Venky's have been here 6 years and gradually eroded everything that was once good about the club. Except our academy, apparently, which has gifted us with the likes of Henley and Lowe, so no comment on that.

Portsmouth's owner troubles started in 09 and ended in 13 with the fans trust takeover. They were also "only" £58m in debt whilst we are now £100m+. I'm afraid the situation here is far worse, so consoling yourself with the story of Portsmouth is just false hope.

[Amo]

Of course nobody agrees with the way the club is run at present. But ultimately, I still enjoy watching my club play football and that is what it is all about for me. Look at what Portsmouth endured - far worse than what has happened here - and yet their fans stuck with it and have come through the other side and are able to think about rebuilding. We are not the first club to have shocking owners and we certainly won't be the last. The support may well be down to levels of 8,000 or so, but ultimately it's about the club surviving and retaining as much of it's present infrastructure as possible to ensure the club can rebuild under new owners. And no Abbey, it's not Venky FC it's still Blackburn Rovers F.C. and long may it continue to be.

Watch you don't drown in de Nile.

[blueboy3333]

Venky's have been here 6 years and gradually eroded everything that was once good about the club. Except our academy, apparently, which has gifted us with the likes of Henley and Lowe, so no comment on that.

Portsmouth's owner troubles started in 09 and ended in 13 with the fans trust takeover. They were also "only" £58m in debt whilst we are now £100m+. I'm afraid the situation here is far worse, so consoling yourself with the story of Portsmouth is just false hope.

We're two divisions higher. A lucky season with a few miracles thrown in and we might reach the play-offs one day. A few more miracles and we might scab our way to the Prem. Pompey may never get out of League 2.

Anyway i thought £80m of the debt was not levied against the club?

[AshleyClifford]

Portsmouth debt was much larger but they had to sell absolutely everyone and everything ! Their situation was bizarre, they went for it big time ! Bank rolled for players like Defoe etc they if I remember rightly were the 5/6th highest wage payers. For their troubles they won the fa cup.. Not sure what they were hoping for ... Wigan won the fa cup but did not bankrupt the club in the process.

Of course our debt will still grow however, venkies not funding expensive signings etc is a stick to beat them with. If they did then are 104m debt would soon be 120/130/140m ,how much should we spend?

[blueboy3333]

Of course nobody agrees with the way the club is run at present. But ultimately, I still enjoy watching my club play football and that is what it is all about for me. Look at what Portsmouth endured - far worse than what has happened here - and yet their fans stuck with it and have come through the other side and are able to think about rebuilding. We are not the first club to have shocking owners and we certainly won't be the last. The support may well be down to levels of 8,000 or so, but ultimately it's about the club surviving and retaining as much of it's present infrastructure as possible to ensure the club can rebuild under new owners. And no Abbey, it's not Venky FC it's still Blackburn Rovers F.C. and long may it continue to be.

Very true. FA Cup final and Premier league to League 2 in a few short years and they'll probably have more home fans than us this season.

[Parsonblue]

Venky's have been here 6 years and gradually eroded everything that was once good about the club. Except our academy, apparently, which has gifted us with the likes of Henley and Lowe, so no comment on that.

Portsmouth's owner troubles started in 09 and ended in 13 with the fans trust takeover. They were also "only" £58m in debt whilst we are now £100m+. I'm afraid the situation here is far worse, so consoling yourself with the story of Portsmouth is just false hope.

Portsmouth were stripped of everything by a series of owners - training ground etc all sold. We haven't got to that stage yet.

[DE.]

We're two divisions higher. A lucky season with a few miracles thrown in and we might reach the play-offs one day. A few more miracles and we might scab our way to the Prem. Pompey may never get out of League 2.

Anyway i thought £80m of the debt was not levied against the club?

I think a lot of fans would rather be in Pompey's position than ours right now. A flick of the switch from our owners and we are sunk, we could potentially go out of existence. In the meantime what fans we have left are at each other's throats and engulfed by a feeling of utter helplessness.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, are now debt free and have a decent, united fanbase from which to build from. They may be a couple of leagues lower, but they are a proper football club. Our club, right now, is not.

Portsmouth were stripped of everything by a series of owners - training ground etc all sold. We haven't got to that stage yet.

At least they got their problems out of the way relatively quickly. The difference here is that we are suffering a very slow, agonising death. It's a very different situation.

[arbitro]

Portsmouth debt was much larger but they had to sell absolutely everyone and everything ! Their situation was bizarre, they went for it big time ! Bank rolled for players like Defoe etc they if I remember rightly were the 5/6th highest wage payers. For their troubles they won the fa cup.. Not sure what they were hoping for ... Wigan won the fa cup but did not bankrupt the club in the process.

Of course our debt will still grow however, venkies not funding expensive signings etc is a stick to beat them with. If they did then are 104m debt would soon be 120/130/140m ,how much should we spend?

I think you are missing the point here. It's not just that we aren't spending money on players. Six years ago we were a stable PL club, arguably the best run club in England. Then that lot came along and systematically dismantled pretty much everything we were identified with. The huge debt is down to them and them alone, the fact that around 16000 people have stopped going is down to them. The fact that we have had despicable characters involved in decision making is down to them. I could go on but really can't be bothered.

Your point is the tip of the iceberg and at the rate of destruction displayed over the last six years we are heading for oblivion in the next few years.

[tomphil]

At the end of the day Pompey were not an established Prem club like us nor did they have our infrastructure. They gambled and went boom and bust, not that I'm saying it's right but it's different to the systematic dismantling that's been going on here for 6 years.

Give it another 5 we'll likely be worse off than them.

[arbitro]

Portsmouth were stripped of everything by a series of owners - training ground etc all sold. We haven't got to that stage yet.

The word yet almost tells me you are almost expecting everything to be sold Parson.

[Parsonblue]

The word yet almost tells me you are almost expecting everything to be sold Parson.

Actually, I don't believe we will get to that stage arbitro. I'm not saying there won't be further cut backs, I suspect there will, be we are some way off what happened to Portsmouth. At some point Venky's will look to get out and at the moment the club's infrastructure at Ewood and Brockhall are going to be the main things which might attract a buyer to offer something close to what Venky's may want.

[JHRover]

Everything that has happened over the last 12-18 months points towards cashing in wherever and whenever possible. Venkys 'playing hard ball' as some give them credit for hasn't really helped our cause other than for them to pocket a few extra quid from the deal. None of it has found its way into the transfer pot or improving the club.

The cashing in strategy is unsustainable in its current form. We're down to the last 3-4 players. 12 months ago, largely due to Gary Bowyer's excellent work, we had a squad that was the envy of many in this division. One of the most potent strike partnerships banging in 40+ over a season, a midfield containing Marshall and Cairney, Josh King on the bench. Now we've barely got a squad and are relying on slotting in 3-4 lads from the Under 21s to put a team out in pre-season friendlies.

If this summer develops as I expect then come this time next year Marshall, Duffy and Hanley will be nowhere near the club, and we'll have no players of significant value left.

Then what? Where do Venkys turn next? They have a simple choice then - either put the money in out of their own pockets, sell to someone else, or start cashing in on other assets beyond the playing staff - namely Ewood Park and Brockhall - nightmare stuff but I'm struggling to contemplate many alternatives at this point given their recent behaviour.

[BlueMonday]

We've continued cashing in on player assets while having stopped investing in the squad. Thats going to end when Hanley, Duffy and Marshall are sold.

Then we are onto the youth squad, which is why in imo they are pushing so many up the batting order. They are obviously hoping to generate some sell on value, but promoting so many into a poor, thread bare squad has absolute disaster written all over it. How any supporter can be optimistic about this set up is mind boggling.

And that is not normal 'selling club' activity. You sell to to reinvest, build for the future. Sell, yes, but you leave some meat on the bones so you can continue into the future. What we are seeing is ASSET STRIPPING, without reinvestment.

[K-Hod]

The Portsmouth comparisons, especially the debt free ones I think are a little wide of the mark. I'm sure they're still paying the likes of Kanu, Nugent and others from the PL era. They were never walking away from the contracts they were given and why should they?

[Amo]

Oh, we're not at Pompey level of asset-stripping yet... Hallelujah! I thought we were in trouble for a second.

[Parsonblue]

The Portsmouth comparisons, especially the debt free ones I think are a little wide of the mark. I'm sure they're still paying the likes of Kanu, Nugent and others from the PL era. They were never walking away from the contracts they were given and why should they?

Ironically, one of the few Portsmouth players who tore up his contract and walked away without any money to help out the club was Aaron Mokoena.

[DE.]

The Portsmouth comparisons, especially the debt free ones I think are a little wide of the mark. I'm sure they're still paying the likes of Kanu, Nugent and others from the PL era. They were never walking away from the contracts they were given and why should they?

From what I read, Portsmouth actually have paid off all outstanding creditors from that timeframe. Could be wrong on that one though.