[Archived] Protesters Meet-Up Before Wolves

[Roverall]

Reading through the posts on here it's increasingly obvious that, as well as the shared hatred towards the Venkys leeches, a good number of us are utterly disillusioned by the limp-wristed, 'come-what-may' attitude of so many of our fellow Rovers fans.

As such, I propose this: how about those of us of who are 'mad as hell and just can't take it anymore' meet up for a drink before the Wolves game? A bit of solidarity in these jellyfish times. We could then move on to stage a protest in front of the Jack Walker statue.

If we're going down the pan, which seems more likely with every bloody day, I'd like to go down fighting, in the company of all those who have ever spent too many unhappy nights on this MB, and tried their best to stand up against the criminal destruction of a great football club.

Just an idea.

[Neal]

I'm in.

[wazzarover]

Im in too, seems the logical thing to do.

[Mike E]

I'm in.

[sambo]

I'm definitely keen for this. I owe Mike a pint for him helping me with a Burnley ticket, and it'd be good to meet some like minded folk before.

[Mike E]

I'm definitely keen for this. I owe Mike a pint for him helping me with a Burnley ticket, and it'd be good to meet some like minded folk before.

Best cool to meet more BRFCS'ers! Should do a more regular meet up!

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Where's the suggested meet up point?

[Roverall]

Good to see fellow Rovers would like to do this! I'm not a local (although I have sampled the delights of the Brown Cow and Havelock). Probably best if one of you suggests the meet-up point.

I'll be coming from Sheffield with my brother on the Saturday, good and early!

[Leonard Venkhater]

Reading through the posts on here it's increasingly obvious that, as well as the shared hatred towards the Venkys leeches, a good number of us are utterly disillusioned by the limp-wristed, 'come-what-may' attitude of so many of our fellow Rovers fans.

As such, I propose this: how about those of us of who are 'mad as hell and just can't take it anymore' meet up for a drink before the Wolves game? A bit of solidarity in these jellyfish times. We could then move on to stage a protest in front of the Jack Walker statue.

If we're going down the pan, which seems more likely with every bloody day, I'd like to go down fighting, in the company of all those who have ever spent too many unhappy nights on this MB, and tried their best to stand up against the criminal destruction of a great football club.

Just an idea.

I'm in. Need to channel my rage into constructive action....or something....

[glen9mullan]

Count me in too

[JAL]

Have you guys organised your Marshalls to operate in every home stand to make your protest effective ?

[ABBEY]

I will be there but won't buy a drink at fanzone , not a penny more . Tinnies n Jim beam mr thinks

[mhead]

I am flying in the day before. Just had a 40 line text on how "it won't do any good blah blah blah'" rom one of my dear mates.

Suggest 3.30 to 4pm in Ewood WMC.

[donnermeat]

I've heard the same from most of my mates too, how it won't do anything, won't work etc.

What is there to work anyway about the protest? At a completely base level it's about standing up for what you believe to be insufficient handling of the club (using that phrase lightly), to try and make more people aware of what is going on. If that has a knock on effect (along with other schemes and plans) down the line in terms of ramping up any pressure on them, be it through the media or otherwise, then that's great.

I don't think anybody believes that one isolated protest will make them suddenly put the club up for sale etc but that seems to be the line that a lot of people are using for not joining 18/75.

I'm still a season ticket holder, never intentionally miss a game and go to the odd away game, though nowhere near as many as I used to. I think missing 33 minutes of football is quite insignificant compared to trying to make a stand, whilst the Sky cameras are on us and the world is watching. It's not like it will be 33 minutes of total football, besides which 18 minutes of it can be watched on the concourse anyway.

On the flip side, I also think people who are boycotting should come back for this match too, to make the numbers look more significant.

[Roverall]

Staging a protest obviously isn't going to get the Rao family and their 'advisors' to drop to their knees and sell the club, but that's not the point. It is the principle that when something is wrong, you don't bury your head in the sand. You stand up and say its wrong, and draw your line in the sand.

For people who detest both Venky's ownership of the club and the mealy-mouthed passivity of so many Rovers 'fans', now is the time to actually do something about it, to show that you and your like exist and feel this way.

[JHRover]

Whether people are planning on 'boycotting' or walking in on 18 minutes and out on 75 or not, if recent fortunes are anything to go by then there is a message being sent loud and clear to the people owning this club in the form of shockingly low crowds.

I personally believe that home crowds consistently dropping to 7,000-8,000 over the course of this season says a lot more than a one-off united display from fans. Even with Cheston's dressing up of the figures, the revenues from ticket sales won't lie and really should make them sit up and take notice.

If the owners don't sit up and take notice at what our home crowds have been reduced to this season then I personally doubt that a one-off co-ordinated protest will send any greater message. If the people running the club aren't highly alarmed and ashamed of what can only be described as pitifully low gates at Ewood this season after 7 league games and the even more embarrassing crowd against Crewe in the cup, continuing a year on year decline that shows no sign of stopping, then a few hundred or thousand more deciding to walk out 10-15 minutes early against Wolves isn't going to make the message any clearer.

People will make their own decisions on how they want to behave and nobody has the right to say whether that is the correct path or the wrong path. I won't be boycotting or taking part in the 18-75 movement. That's my decision.

[Oldgregg86]

Just found out I won't be working that day so will come down. I've read both arguements and can see pros and cons for both. I suppose you could call me a fence sitter as the only strong feelings I have are for the scum to duck off and give us our club back by any means necessary. If that going to the game and throwing chickens and leaving early I'm in. If it's standing outside and shouting with banners I'm in. I don't have the answers I don't know what's for the best anymore I am so disillusioned I just no we all need to pull together and help were we can in any way. What is the plan for people not attending. I think I will help them as they will have less people than the few thousand in the ground.

[Roverall]

I'm sure everyone who has posted on this thread knows a boycotter or two. Why not contact them and ask them to come for a drink and a protest outside the ground?

A lot will probably not be bothered, but some might actually join us and the bigger the better. The more of us there are, the less easy it is for people to dismiss us.

I for one like the idea of giving the Venky stooges at Ewood a very uncomfortable afternoon. These goons have had it so easy for so long it just beggars belief.

As to the actual protest, what do people think? I'd certainly be on to do up some banners/flyers.

[Waggy76]

I'm sure everyone who has posted on this thread knows a boycotter or two. Why not contact them and ask them to come for a drink and a protest outside the ground?

A lot will probably not be bothered, but some might actually join us and the bigger the better. The more of us there are, the less easy it is for people to dismiss us.

I for one like the idea of giving the Venky stooges at Ewood a very uncomfortable afternoon. These goons have had it so easy for so long it just beggars belief.

As to the actual protest, what do people think? I'd certainly be on to do up some banners/flyers.

I can see Coar and Cheston being many miles away from Ewood , on the day !

[perthblue02]

I can see Coar and Cheston being many miles away from Ewood , on the day !

As long as there is at least a three course in the Directors lounge I can't

[Ben-2000]

There has also been a suggestion to meet prior to the game at around 4.15pm at the main JW Stand entrance. It seems to be a popular one so would be good to see many people there.

[Stuart]

The protests are doomed to fail.

- Genuine boycotters won't return for one match.

- The 10k-15k stayaways will continue to stay away and won't turn up to protest.

- The hardcore fans do not want to protest and will be delighted there has been no movement.

- The vast majority of remaining fans are happy to watch Rovers regardless of what Venkys do or don't do.

- There has been no momentum or communication, let alone action, following the KGH meeting.

- Nobody outside of a few niche groups even knows if there is or isn't going to be a formal protest.

So this will now be a small minority of disgruntled fans and will not be noticed on TV. Making little and not so loud complaints, blowing whistles like some poundshop pipe band - being laughed at by their fellow fans and belittled by the Sky cameras for the amusement of the armchair "football fans".

It's bad enough that people cannot do the bare minimum, requiring no donations or attending meeting or special preparation. Just get off your bum and leave an empty stadium, but the fact that some people believe the previous protests relegated the club is the final straw for me.

We are all working completely AGAINST each other and there is no protest to get behind.

These protests are being snuffed out, not by the club but by ourselves as a disunited fanbase. The real outcome, as far as I'm concerned, was to show the numbers of disaffected, concerned fans who have had enough. Well there aren't enough. There are those who haven't 'had enough'. Still. They can take plenty more. Relegation? "I'm a true blue, me". Third tier? "Seen it before, can do it again". Penniless? "Got the T-Shirt". Sub-4000 crowds? "I'll still be there".

But it won't be like before. It'll be a new, different, crap future. One without hope because the further you fall in the 21st Century Football League, the more the rules are stacked against you ever recovering. A furrow ploughed not by us but by poor old Blackpool. More and more fans lost. Not because of poor football but because of a lack of empathy with the club. The plastic fans have long gone. The ones that leave from here on in are fans we should not be losing.

So soak it up P.....b..., fill your blue-and-white boots, you and your friends have won. I hope you are happy when we are in League One / Two. The thing is, I fully expect that you will be happy. It matters not about any pride (or shame) at work or at school, or what the club's standing means for the town, and the local area, or whether there will be anything left for our children or grandchildren. The only concern is what the club means to you personally, right now.

I'm so disillusioned. The only thing that gets fans mad are a few defeats in a row. The odd win here and there quashed any signs of rebellion and allows our slide to continue. This is laughed off as normal fickle football fan behaviour by... well, everyone.

Regardless of the odd win against Rotherham or Forest, Venkys continue with business as usual. An approach which has taken us to a point where we are happy to escape the relegation places for while. I love the oxymoron that anti-Kean protesters were seen as a minority who only brought wins, yet are blamed for relegation due to a negative atmosphere.

I feel nothing but contempt for those who do nothing and have done nothing except put down people who have tried to do something. You have the owners you deserve. Your misplaced piety however means that I have to sit and watch them dismantle our club too. Or walk away. I hope you never need any help with anything.

When your grandkids ask why Blackburn doesn't have a proper football club, please be honest with them.

Anyway, despite all of the above, I'll still be walking out on 75 minutes. Not because I think it will work, not because I think we will have the numbers to make it matter, not because I'm a particularly militant type - I'm not - but because in the final reckoning I'll be able to look people in the eye and say I tried. Oh, and I'd rather be considered an idiot "wasting my time" than sit on my hands and do nothing. May as well trade that "Been In Div 3" T-Shirt to one that says "I Don't Care".

[MCMC1875]

Not going to quote you Stuart to save wasting space, but what a bloody good post

[Oldgregg86]

Awesome post Stuart. Well played son

[mhead]

We are on our 5th Generation of Rovers Supporters in my Family.

I will not allow that heritage to be flushed down the pan without at least trying MY best to accelerate a change of ownership.