[Archived] The Boycott Feeling

[AggyBlue]

Stop being literal.

You can only comment on what posters post.

[Mike E]

You can only comment on what posters post.

You can also comment on the statement you chose to ignore (the one that adds context to the part you criticised), which was:

'It looks like Rovers but is a pale imitation.'

[Paul]

Come February 1st, if the club hasn't addressed it's playing and managerial issues then there should be a complete boycott from all Rovers supporters forcing the club into administration.

I don't want to involve myself in the comments which have followed this post but I'm interested to know how or why you've reached this conclusion?

The bulk of supporters who still attend are ST holders with, I imagine, very few walk ons. Judging by the concourses at HT match day revenue from bars etc probably doesn't cover the costs. Match days are probably loss making and a large percentage of the revenue was collected, and I imagine spent, before the season began.

If there was a 100% boycott match day costs such as stewarding might, arguably, reduce.

Overall I'd be in favour of a 100% boycott but I don't think it would force administration. Can you explain why it would?

[Parsonblue]

Stop being literal.

Is this the same Blackburn Rovers as when Venkys took over? No.

We were in the Premier League, the Gold Standard of responsible finance in football, with a nationally respected board of directors, a squad crammed with international players and 'captains', managers of international repute, and regular attendances of 25k.

We are now in relegation zone of the Championship, have accrued over £100m in debt, we have a single actual director alongside 'the finance guy' and a bunch of agents in the background, a squad barely strung together by a strategically shaven ape who lies and contradicts himself as much as Kean ever did, and regular sub-10k attendances according to the few who still go.

Blackburn Rovers is NOT the same! ALL caused by those utter @#/?S from Pune! I will still be there tomorrow, but I'm at my wits end. If not for my very ill father enjoying the craic of a matchday, I'd be far away from Ewood.

How some fans DARE to insult others by claiming 'it's the same' baffles me.

When I first started watching we were a solid First Division club, littered with internationals and promising young players in the Reserves - the likes of Clayton, Woods, McGrath, Dougie, Pickering, England, Newton etc. We sold the lot and ended up at the foot of the Third Division. This club - and it's still the same club - was founded in 1875 and has gone through numerous changes, for a variety of reasons, that have brought good times and bad. This is probably the worst of those changes but in time things will change again. Of course things may well get worse before they get better but it is still the same club it's just the situation that it finds itself in that has changed over the past few years, just as the club that was anchored at the foot of the Third Division was a in a different situation to the one which found itself winning the Premier League. In football, as in life, things rarely stay the same. History changes and eventually things will change at Ewood and the club will no doubt see better times again. When we were struggling in League Three with very poor gates - much worse than today - we never dreamt of the successes that would come twenty years later. It's the reason why there will never be a total boycott of the club because no matter how bad things get - and they have the potential to get far worse than today - there will always be a few thousand fans who will continue to turn up at Ewood filled with the hope that things will improve at some point. I really don't understand how holding those views can be interpreted as insulting others.

[AggyBlue]

You can also comment on the statement you chose to ignore (the one that adds context to the part you criticised), which was:

'It looks like Rovers but is a pale imitation.'

That is an opinion, which he's entitled to have.

The quote I commented on was a statement aimed at another poster that the other poster had posted something incorrect but the other posters post was factually correct.

[Oldgregg86]

Can I just throw a concept into the mix. People have argued the reasons for a boycott and one reason which keeps coming up is that the venkys have destroyed businesses (which they have before you jump on me). If everybody boycotts then stewards , programmes sellers,car park staff, food and drink, club shop staff all lose their jobs as well as the team not being supported In a relegation battle. I read and see both sides of the arguement but it's a point never mentioned. You would be damaging your own town to prove a point to people for damaging your town

[Mattyblue]

When I first started watching we were a solid First Division club, littered with internationals and promising young players in the Reserves - the likes of Clayton, Woods, McGrath, Dougie, Pickering, England, Newton etc. We sold the lot and ended up at the foot of the Third Division. This club - and it's still the same club - was founded in 1875 and has gone through numerous changes, for a variety of reasons, that have brought good times and bad. This is probably the worst of those changes but in time things will change again. Of course things may well get worse before they get better but it is still the same club it's just the situation that it finds itself in that has changed over the past few years, just as the club that was anchored at the foot of the Third Division was a in a different situation to the one which found itself winning the Premier League. In football, as in life, things rarely stay the same. History changes and eventually things will change at Ewood and the club will no doubt see better times again. When we were struggling in League Three with very poor gates - much worse than today - we never dreamt of the successes that would come twenty years later. It's the reason why there will never be a total boycott of the club because no matter how bad things get - and they have the potential to get far worse than today - there will always be a few thousand fans who will continue to turn up at Ewood filled with the hope that things will improve at some point. I really don't understand how holding those views can be interpreted as insulting others.

I still attend Ewood Park and I won't be boycotting, not because I feel I'm a SuperFan, but because I believe we need a core of match going fans to appeal to any future ownership, the lower the crowds drop, the harder I believe it will be to ever recover to even a Championship level of support.

Many matchgoers I know, are devastated but boycotting just doesn't come into it, these are the hands we've been dealt and we just get on with it- the Wolves game showed that there are plenty of matchgoers that aren't ignorant to this reign of terror and will fight.

Where I completely disagree with you Parson is that we are merely currently in a down cycle in the waxing and waning that comes with supporting a provincial football club.

I don't look out at an empty, desperately unhappy Ewood and think 'well, we had a good 20 years, but now it's our time to have a fallow period just like the 1970s'

I think of the completely unprecedented last 6 years, this is nothing like the decline of the late 60s/early 70s, a time when local football people, yes made mistakes but were overcome by events and the general decline of town clubs at the top of the game.

This is a potentially fatal situation for Blackburn Rovers and to merely shrug off another defeat, another relegation because 'it's just like the 70s' is an insult to this great club of ours and a terrible misreading of these owners- they are not Bancroft or Fox, good Blackburn men who tried their best for the club but just didn't have the means, but a destructive force that is wilfully taking the club to the brink.

[MCMC1875]

And if anyone's still not sure, take a look a the picture hanging on the wall in Jack's box.

[Rover_Shaun]

Can I just throw a concept into the mix. People have argued the reasons for a boycott and one reason which keeps coming up is that the venkys have destroyed businesses (which they have before you jump on me). If everybody boycotts then stewards , programmes sellers,car park staff, food and drink, club shop staff all lose their jobs as well as the team not being supported In a relegation battle. I read and see both sides of the arguement but it's a point never mentioned. You would be damaging your own town to prove a point to people for damaging your town

People in failing businesses lose their jobs. It's a part of life. In no way on gods green earth will it ever be the fault of the fans so lets end that here, now

[Stuart]

I still attend Ewood Park and I won't be boycotting, not because I feel I'm a SuperFan, but because I believe we need a core of match going fans to appeal to any future ownership, the lower the crowds drop, the harder I believe it will be to ever recover to even a Championship level of support.

Many matchgoers I know, are devastated but boycotting just doesn't come into it, these are the hands we've been dealt and we just get on with it- the Wolves game showed that there are plenty of matchgoers that aren't ignorant to this reign of terror and will fight.

Where I completely disagree with you Parson is that we are merely currently in a down cycle in the waxing and waning that comes with supporting a provincial football club.

I don't look out at an empty, desperately unhappy Ewood and think 'well, we had a good 20 years, but now it's our time to have a fallow period just like the 1970s'

I think of the completely unprecedented last 6 years, this is nothing like the decline of the late 60s/early 70s, a time when local football people, yes made mistakes but were overcome by events and the general decline of town clubs at the top of the game.

This is a potentially fatal situation for Blackburn Rovers and to merely shrug off another defeat, another relegation because 'it's just like the 70s' is an insult to this great club of ours and a terrible misreading of these owners- they are not Bancroft or Fox, good Blackburn men who tried their best for the club but just didn't have the means, but a destructive force that is wilfully taking the club to the brink.

Great post.

This is exactly why I believe things are now different. At every other time it has been about being as successful as we can hope to be on the pitch given the funds available. Now it's about player sales to generate income and supposedly cover losses that Venkys have created. Yet the debt keeps rising so we aren't even covering the interest rates - or more money is being taken out.

The key word here is wilful. This is not misfortune or just our good times ending for a while. This is pernicious destruction of what used to be a football club. With the added bonus that by pretending they are doing their best the club is enabling fans to blame each other.

[Mike Graham]

I should have gone shopping at BHS - it may have saved jobs.

Or maybe BHS, like Rovers, was badly run by greedy b'astard asset strippers.

B - Blackburn

H - Has been

S - Stripped of its assets

[Stuart]

People in failing businesses lose their jobs. It's a part of life. In no way on gods green earth will it ever be the fault of the fans so lets end that here, now

Wonder if BHS staff blame their customers?

[Mike Graham]

Customers have choices.

My ST money went towards a new gun. I am keeping the Italian gun makers in work.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Ok so " Blackburn Rovers " exist but it's not the football club I've followed for 50 odd years. How long it will continue to exist is another story.

They play at Ewood and they play in the blue and white shirts we all love. After that you've said it. For me it's just " Venkies Rovers ".

It's come to something when I find myself looking forwards to the International breaks because then they can't spoil my weekend !

[ABBEY]

The wife said to me just now , get your arse back to ewood as I'm doing here head in ... it ain't happening

[tomphil]

When I first started watching we were a solid First Division club, littered with internationals and promising young players in the Reserves - the likes of Clayton, Woods, McGrath, Dougie, Pickering, England, Newton etc. We sold the lot and ended up at the foot of the Third Division. This club - and it's still the same club - was founded in 1875 and has gone through numerous changes, for a variety of reasons, that have brought good times and bad. This is probably the worst of those changes but in time things will change again. Of course things may well get worse before they get better but it is still the same club it's just the situation that it finds itself in that has changed over the past few years, just as the club that was anchored at the foot of the Third Division was a in a different situation to the one which found itself winning the Premier League. In football, as in life, things rarely stay the same. History changes and eventually things will change at Ewood and the club will no doubt see better times again. When we were struggling in League Three with very poor gates - much worse than today - we never dreamt of the successes that would come twenty years later. It's the reason why there will never be a total boycott of the club because no matter how bad things get - and they have the potential to get far worse than today - there will always be a few thousand fans who will continue to turn up at Ewood filled with the hope that things will improve at some point. I really don't understand how holding those views can be interpreted as insulting others.

I presume the real crowd was announced back then in terms of turnstile clicks and only massaged when there was a big crowd on. Therefore looking at the history books and looking how many are actually inside Ewood for a lot of games this season i doubt there is a great deal of difference.

That's absolutely barbaric when think less than 5 years ago the clubs active fanbase was over 20 thousand & 12k a year or two ago !

Just why this doesn't sound alarm bells in the bowels of the ownership i don't know, just what are they looking at in the next year or two ?

The boycott isn't total but it isn't far off and it's real, it's happening and most of it is manufactured and self inflicted which again means it bares very little to the 70's.

[47er]

When I first started watching we were a solid First Division club, littered with internationals and promising young players in the Reserves - the likes of Clayton, Woods, McGrath, Dougie, Pickering, England, Newton etc. We sold the lot and ended up at the foot of the Third Division. This club - and it's still the same club - was founded in 1875 and has gone through numerous changes, for a variety of reasons, that have brought good times and bad. This is probably the worst of those changes but in time things will change again. Of course things may well get worse before they get better but it is still the same club it's just the situation that it finds itself in that has changed over the past few years, just as the club that was anchored at the foot of the Third Division was a in a different situation to the one which found itself winning the Premier League. In football, as in life, things rarely stay the same. History changes and eventually things will change at Ewood and the club will no doubt see better times again. When we were struggling in League Three with very poor gates - much worse than today - we never dreamt of the successes that would come twenty years later. It's the reason why there will never be a total boycott of the club because no matter how bad things get - and they have the potential to get far worse than today - there will always be a few thousand fans who will continue to turn up at Ewood filled with the hope that things will improve at some point. I really don't understand how holding those views can be interpreted as insulting others.

You're a newcomer mate. When I had my first season ticket, before I even went to school, Rovers keeper was Reg Elvy so I've got even more perspective than you. My favourite player was Fenton. I was devastated when we sold him. No idea why, nothing I've read has suggested he was any good at all!

And, let me tell you, when you try to draw comparisons between "the old days" and now, you are completely wrong. It was never like it is now.

I won't go over the differences, they've been gone over many times but you are not listening.

Your whole attitude reeks of complacency and it's totally misplaced. Has it never dawned on you that Venkys or their pals might not want it to get better? What then?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

When I first started watching we were a solid First Division club, littered with internationals and promising young players in the Reserves - the likes of Clayton, Woods, McGrath, Dougie, Pickering, England, Newton etc. We sold the lot and ended up at the foot of the Third Division. This club - and it's still the same club - was founded in 1875 and has gone through numerous changes, for a variety of reasons, that have brought good times and bad. This is probably the worst of those changes but in time things will change again. Of course things may well get worse before they get better but it is still the same club it's just the situation that it finds itself in that has changed over the past few years, just as the club that was anchored at the foot of the Third Division was a in a different situation to the one which found itself winning the Premier League. In football, as in life, things rarely stay the same. History changes and eventually things will change at Ewood and the club will no doubt see better times again. When we were struggling in League Three with very poor gates - much worse than today - we never dreamt of the successes that would come twenty years later. It's the reason why there will never be a total boycott of the club because no matter how bad things get - and they have the potential to get far worse than today - there will always be a few thousand fans who will continue to turn up at Ewood filled with the hope that things will improve at some point. I really don't understand how holding those views can be interpreted as insulting others.

Being pedantic can I just point out that Ronnie Clayton, Bryan Douglas and Matt Woods retired as Rovers players and Mick McGrath was allowed to leave at the end of a long Rovers career to take up a player coaching role at Bradford.

[tomphil]

Just look around at gates in the championship and hell fire we are getting less than Wigan through the doors now. If that doesn't tell the story then i don't know what else does. When has that ever happened in history before ?

Real level, 70's again, my backside this is a unique modern day Rovers crisis and it has no signs of stopping yet.

[Amo]

Can I just throw a concept into the mix. People have argued the reasons for a boycott and one reason which keeps coming up is that the venkys have destroyed businesses (which they have before you jump on me). If everybody boycotts then stewards , programmes sellers,car park staff, food and drink, club shop staff all lose their jobs as well as the team not being supported In a relegation battle. I read and see both sides of the arguement but it's a point never mentioned. You would be damaging your own town to prove a point to people for damaging your town

If you follow the causal chain it all leads back to Venky's gross mismanagement of the club.

[Parsonblue]

Being pedantic can I just point out that Ronnie Clayton, Bryan Douglas and Matt Woods retired as Rovers players and Mick McGrath was allowed to leave at the end of a long Rovers career to take up a player coaching role at Bradford.

My point being Tyrone, that selling players in nothing new. The reasons may be different but the result is the same - a weaker team, disillusioned supporters staying away and a drop down the Leagues.

Your whole attitude reeks of complacency and it's totally misplaced. Has it never dawned on you that Venkys or their pals might not want it to get better? What then?

At the end of the day, if they don't want it to get better then boycotting plays right into their hands. Much easier to run it down even more once we are out of the championship. For me, it is important that there is still a club that is functioning and employing folk, so that when the ownership changes - and it will at some point in the future - there is something left to build on. Sadly, history has shown that once people stay away for any length of time the tendency is that they never come back.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

My point being Tyrone, that selling players in nothing new. The reasons may be different but the result is the same - a weaker team, disillusioned supporters staying away and a drop down the Leagues.

At the end of the day, if they don't want it to get better then boycotting plays right into their hands. Much easier to run it down even more once we are out of the championship. For me, it is important that there is still a club that is functioning and employing folk, so that when the ownership changes - and it will at some point in the future - there is something left to build on. Sadly, history has shown that once people stay away for any length of time the tendency is that they never come back.

I wasn't happy with our decline in those days Parson but disillusioned ? Never, otherwise I wouldn't be writing this now. We had our ups and downs, lots mistakes were made but I never thought for one minute the management of the club were " The Enemy Within "

There's something different about this decline. It appears to be a deliberate act of destruction. What other conclusion can you come to ?

[toogs]

when the ownership changes - and it will at some point in the future - there is something left to build on.

I admire your optimism

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Myself and many others firmly believe this whole situation is being 'Engineered' to happen Parsonblue.There is very possibly to be no happy end game here.

Never before in the long history of our club have we faced a similar situation...it's truly unprecedented.

In the near future all we may have left of Rovers is our memories and the history books,you'll do very well Mike I'm sure.

[tomphil]

Right at this moment in time sits a man in Brunei with several million quid of Blackburn Rovers money in his tax haven bank account. This guy came into Rovers as an unemployed cones and bibs man on a few grand per week then left a few years later a millionaire through his connections to the 3rd party AND the Venky mob. Leaving behind him a mess of epic proportions that still hasn't been cleared up today because no one with any power has actually tried to clean it up, why would they when there was still money to be made.

This isn't conspiracy it's cold hard facts and he's just the tip of the iceberg, the only one we really know about and really makes the Rovers situation rather unique in comparison to most other clubs in a mess. I'm sure had this happened in the 60's or 70's there'd have been uproar of probably a more aggressive style than we see today.

Apart from league position there really can't be too much to draw comparison to from days gone by.