[Archived] 9.30Pm Tonight - New Social Media Hashtag

[punerover]

The amazingly English sounding Punerover with a bit of crafty divide and conquer

Maybe he's on commission if he can flush someone out with 100 million..........

Like you say, I know too much for an outsider

[yoda]

Fair enough. But trying something does not equal to results specially when you do not have enough support. People who do not protest have their own reasons for not protesting, maybe they dont want to protest even if they may not say so openly as they might be termed as "traitors". Everyone has their own reasons to protest or not to protest, we should not be judgmental about it. But as a result, we do not see a completely empty stadium.

Talk to the hand

[punerover]

We need to keep asking the simple yet fundamental questions.

What is Venkys long term plan for the club?

Why don't they install a football club chairman to run it?

Will they sell? If so when?

What exactly are they still doing here?

Until these questions are answered everything will continue on the same downward trajectory and we will eventually have a small group of people who hate them. In a battle of Venkys vs Gravity, the latter will win easily so why don't they go? Pride? They are a joke. There is nothing to be proud about.

Things are going to be very uncomfortable for Cheston. If he cares - which I'm sure he does, if it's only about his own reputation.

1. Hoping and praying that they can somehow magically get to the premier league.

2. Because they do not know how to run a football club. They don't even come to watch the damn game. Clueless?

3. When all hope has been killed that they can ever take us to the premier league or their parent company here in India goes bankrupt or they are offered an unbelievable exit route.

4. Still listening to snake oil salesmen.

[47er]

Isn't it against league rules to enter into such agreements with Agents? (i.e. give them power over transfers etc)

Exactly. EIT is another confusing illegality with rule-breaking. And has nothing to offer other than carry on the descent into oblivion.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Exactly. EIT is another confusing illegality with rule-breaking. And has nothing to offer other than carry on the descent into oblivion.

Happy to follow your lead my friend! Or was that it?

[47er]

Here we are indeed, at a dead end. Rules were circumvented but not broken. Contracts were structured to enrich the people signing them, but were not illegal.

In all of this, Anderson has not acted out of charater, he's just been smarter than the Trust, The FA and Venkys in extending his sleazy agent activities.

The reason I say turn the fire on the Trust is I think it's a good bet he didn't act out of character during the owner search process. I'd love to see the contract that engaged him to find a buyer. Who signed it. As they always say, follow the money and you never know what you might find. What happened to the 30 million pieces of silver the Trust took. What happened to Andersons finders fee from the club? I wonder if he kept all of it or some was used to "ease" the sale process? Was he behind Ali Syed?

In practical terms, what can be achieved by focussing our attack on the Walker Trust? They are responsible for selling our club to these duffers alright but what do you expect from them now? An apology? Even if we got one nothing would change. We'd still be run by barmpots taking us down.

It would be a complete waste of effort.

Focus on the Raos, make it too uncomfortable for them to continue.

[47er]

Just had to laugh at the Collymore tweet to that Danny Guy

What did it say?

[Ribble Rover]

Maybe Mr Collymore can ring one of the Rao's on Talksport and ask those questions for us?

Hasn't he been potted from there? Not heard him on this season.....he is a bit of a knob though.

[47er]

Only violent, direct action can work. Maybe Sanjay Dutt can find us some guns...........

It seems only a well connected suicide bomber or two can get Venky's out!

No, complete boycott would work.

[OJRovers]

Agreed with punerover that only the right money would get rid of the owners or maybe a total boycott.

Neither going to happen, so I think the only route is to put more pressure on the Board. They are purely there to comply with the companies act and league requirements. If they resign then the club may fail in its duties as a company and that way the owners might be forced out. The FA would surely have to act if the club had no Directors.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Plenty going on since the docs became public, but you'll not read it on here, the real fight is not for public forums like this, I'm sure you understand

I've been hearing this for years and wouldn't bet a penny of Venkys on it being the answer. ITKers working themselves into a frenzy over stuff they pass between themselves and when some of it finally gets into the public domain and into the hands of people who investigate wrongdoing for a living, the response is "nothing to see here, move along."

To my mind only three things have looked like they might achieve something: the Bolton game protests - now impossible to replicate in a largely empty stadium - the chicken on the pitch, and last week's mass release of documents. Everything else gas just been endless chatter

[Gav]

Just for the record I don't think you have an agenda, I think you're one of the good guys.

But plentys going on in the back ground whether you believe it or not.

The release of the docs for one, plenty had never seen them, it's unprecedented really on here so don't be so dismissive EIT.

[47er]

removed

[Exiled in Toronto]

Just for the record I don't think you have an agenda, I think you're one of the good guys.

But plentys going on in the back ground whether you believe it or not.

The release of the docs for one, plenty had never seen them, it's unprecedented really on here so don't be so dismissive EIT.

I do believe it Gav, I just don't think secrecy is a part of a winning strategy.

The only reason I come on here these days is because the one area I think I can contribute is strategy. I've made my living doing it, written books about it. Do I have the answers? Of course not. But I do think can I recognize muddled strategic thinking when I see it, and unfortunately I think I've seen a lot of it in the last six years.

The early focus on Kean Out was an example, and I said so at the time. We had attention of the press but banged on about Kean. He's been gone years and look where we are.

The released documents seemed like a big breakthrough, but the value was in the release. I think I read they had been circulating for a few years but to what end. It took some bloke going rogue in Twitter to create a stir.

We got them in the hands of proper investigative journalists but, in the eyes of a dispassionate outsider, the smoking gun was more one of those Bugs Bunny guns where a flag saying Bang pops out.

This should be a reality check, yet on here this Heidi goes from hero to zero - she didn't read them, Venkys paid her off and she wasn't very good anyway. We have to stop believing what we'd like to be true and step back a bit.

If we have documents that prove illegality, get them out on Twitter. If we don't then the reality is that Venkys are bomb-proof. They don't care what happens here and they are invulnerable over there. Boycotts do nothing other than boost Lidl's Saturday on takings.

Maybe there was illegality in the search for a buyer. Slim chance I agree, but, if there was then that becomes newsworthy over here. People with reputations to protect over here can be got at. Shake the tree and something might fall out.

[Iceman]

I have been consistent with my views. Please refer to the "protests" thread for details. I am still firmly of the opinion that only Money or total boycott can get Venky's out. Nobody attends at all [home or away] or someone [group of fans or whoever]buys the club out from them whatever the cost. [aka 100-120 million]. Ofcourse I cannot see either of these things happening for obvious reasons. I don't expect anyone to agree to my views which is fair enough. But these have been and still are my views in terms of only way to get Venky's out. Let me elaborate a bit.

1. The Blackpool fans have tried almost everything, yet they are nowhere close to getting rid of the Oystons. They made an offer and it was flatly refused. Yes we can all debate what the club is worth but frankly if one needs to really really get it, they should be willing to pay the price.

2. Getting the Venky's out normally via political or legal route would require us to prove that they have done something illegal. Even if they have, its difficult to prove it in the court of law. I am sure the "leaked papers" did not have sufficient enough info to corner them else they would already have left.

3. The only ways that have not been tried yet are COMPLETE Boycott. As Stuart says in one of the treads its not possible because fans have different point of views on whether not attending or attending will make any difference, and fair enough I am not blaming anyone.

4. The last way to force the Venky's hand is a dialogue taken from the movie "The Godfather". For those that dont understand the reference, give them an offer they cannot refuse. While its debatable as fans whether the Seneca offer was good enough or not, Obviously the Seneca offer was not deemed good enough by the people who own the club AKA Venky's.

Apologies to Yoda. I did not want to make it personal. You started it. But you must understand that just like you have your reasons of not being able to make it, you should not questions others reasons of why they are not able to make it. People who do not protest, does not make them Venky admirers or Venky supporters or Venky fanboys.

If 100mill includes the 100 mill debt, then sure. If 100 mill excludes the 100 mill debt, then you must be mad to think anybody would pay 200 mill for Rovers

What did it say?

FollowDanny Davis‏@Blackburndan

@StanCollymore hi Stan if your in Blackburn would be great to chat with you regards the club with all the positives we do on a daily bases.

45]

FollowStan CollymoreVerified account‏@StanCollymore

Stan Collymore Retweeted Danny Davis

Maybe come up, have a chat on air to the owners about their plans moving forward. Lots of fans concerned.

[Paul]

Two of the more popular suggestions seem to be a total boycott and direct action - though I may be wrong on the second.

While I agree a total boycott would have an impact, for a short period, I can't see it being achieved. Direct action, which probably would involve illegal behaviour, will fail because very few are prepared to act in this way.

To my way of thinking the two targets with real potential are the Rao family themselves and their businesses. One example of attacking a business is farmers' action against supermarkets for an improved milk price - I do realise this is an utterly different area - when daily headlines where achieved throughout the media. The end result being the retailers now pay more, some genuinely by locally and there is increased public awareness. Another result is the retailers have turned the massive negative in to positive PR. The point being the retailers were embarrassed and forced in to action to protect their interests.

As an example do Venkys produce chicks? Is this done to a standard? Do people in India care about such things? The nerve needs to be found and touched very hard. Pursuing what may be thought of as a target in the UK won't work. Understanding the potential target in their home market might?

Finding the weak spot, as the farmers did, is the key.

Thinking about the documents which have been released I agree there seems to be nothing illegal in these BUT they do go a long way to proving what we've known for years.

What is missing is the money trail. Follow the money. I've understood for several years there is a money trail. If there is surely this is the big piece of evidence/news which needs to be exposed?

[Iceman]

Two of the more popular suggestions seem to be a total boycott and direct action - though I may be wrong on the second.

While I agree a total boycott would have an impact, for a short period, I can't see it being achieved. Direct action, which probably would involve illegal behaviour, will fail because very few are prepared to act in this way.

To my way of thinking the two targets with real potential are the Rao family themselves and their businesses. One example of attacking a business is farmers' action against supermarkets for an improved milk price - I do realise this is an utterly different area - when daily headlines where achieved throughout the media. The end result being the retailers now pay more, some genuinely by locally and there is increased public awareness. Another result is the retailers have turned the massive negative in to positive PR. The point being the retailers were embarrassed and forced in to action to protect their interests.

As an example do Venkys produce chicks? Is this done to a standard? Do people in India care about such things? The nerve needs to be found and touched very hard. Pursuing what may be thought of as a target in the UK won't work. Understanding the potential target in their home market might?

Finding the weak spot, as the farmers did, is the key.

Thinking about the documents which have been released I agree there seems to be nothing illegal in these BUT they do go a long way to proving what we've known for years.

What is missing is the money trail. Follow the money. I've understood for several years there is a money trail. If there is surely this is the big piece of evidence/news which needs to be exposed?

I said before, and i know people might not want to give money to Venkys, but for 1 televised game, those who dont attend should buy a ticket, go in, and protest. Wait x amount of time, and walk out. It might not move Venkys, but it will get people and the media talking.

[Paul]

Iceman you may be right but getting people talking in this country will get you at best a week's news and more likely 48 hours.

[Iceman]

Iceman you may be right but getting people talking in this country will get you at best a week's news and more likely 48 hours.

Yeh i know that, but if you look at the current situation, and fair play to those attending, there is just not much happening. The stadium is empty, and those in attendance are mainly families and so on, so any form of protests wont happen.

So a gate of say 18000 ( i know) with those who have walked away, could be a good thing even if its for a day or 2 of talking. Its a start... Its clear we wont get Blackpool type of boycott, but those who have walked away, can at least show people all over the country and the world, how they are walking out in disgust. Whether this will get Venkys attention i doubt it, but it will make them think.

Not ideal giving Venkys money, but we not going to get protests from families and rightly so, but those who have said enough, maybe one big push which means buying a ticket. Get in, wait 30 mins, walk out, wave a white flag/scarf or whatever.

Standing outside the ground is okay in protest, but there will still be about 9000 to 10000 people at the Wolves game. I would say, fans protesting at the wolves game should buy a ticket. Wait 20 mins, then everybody enters. Wait another 20 mins or so, then leave.

[Stuart]

1. Hoping and praying that they can somehow magically get to the premier league.

Without a chairman, proper manager and continuing to sell our best players, and not improve the first XI at any point this notion would make them beyond stupid. I don't believe that promotion is in their thoughts.

2. Because they do not know how to run a football club. They don't even come to watch the damn game. Clueless?

This doesn't require much real thought. They could just look at the structure of the rest of the football league.

3. When all hope has been killed that they can ever take us to the premier league or their parent company here in India goes bankrupt or they are offered an unbelievable exit route.

If they still have such hope at this stage then stupid is a kind word.

4. Still listening to snake oil salesmen.

They appear to have stopped listening to everyone.

The Football Authorities should be able to prevent this sort of thing happening. If a conference team don't have an adequate stadium they can be prevented from being offered a league 'share' and therefore prevented from being a league club. This ensures that they are a safe and sustainable entity and to maintain the integrity of the league. Having a clear fit-for-purpose board structure should be another requirement. It's one thing having a club secretary and treasurer to satisfy the governance requirements but being able to demonstrate that the structure is sound and sustainable for a league club rather than the amateurish set-up that Venkys have should be a pre-requisite.

[Stuart]

Iceman you may be right but getting people talking in this country will get you at best a week's news and more likely 48 hours.

Despite being so apparently dumb, Venkys have exploited this short window and the lack of genuine investigative journalism in the UK by keeping their heads down and riding it out. But if plenty of Rovers fans don't care enough why would the rest of the country?

[punerover]

So then what according to you is their true motive for still being here?

1. Pride ? = There is nothing left to be proud of as you quite aptly put it

2. Money? = I don't even think I have to elaborate on this. Everyone knows they are loosing money left right and center

3. Saving face? = Improbable but not impossible

4. Hope? = Probably a light at the end of a tunnel [They might see it this way but ofcourse we fans cant see any light at all at the moment and rightly so.]

I cannot see any other option.

[47er]

They're confused? Don't know whether to get out or not? Or when? Or how?

Can't find the light switch? Who knows?

[Waggy76]

Despite being so apparently dumb, Venkys have exploited this short window and the lack of genuine investigative journalism in the UK by keeping their heads down and riding it out. But if plenty of Rovers fans don't care enough why would the rest of the country?

You are right Stuart but it is easy to keep your head down , when you are in Pune 5000 miles away !

[Iceman]

Worst parents ever...