[Archived] Blackburn Supporters Consultation Minutes

[Ricky]

5 minutes ago, mark1875 said:

As chairman of the BRFC Action Group i have a duty to hold these people accountable to their actions.  Our line of questioning is honesty no different in this meeting than it is in any other meeting involving the club and group officials, which is probably why the current administration refuse to meet with the group directly.

Sadly 99% of what we say in meetings never makes the official minutes and i therefore applaud the person who wrote up this transcript as it gives everyone a true insight in what is actually being said.

I must admit I was impressed with your line of questioning Mark. Really putting pressure on them to give the answers that the fanbase are looking for. Being 170 miles away makes it difficult for me to attend these meetings and it's pointless listening to the edited audio so a big thank you to the person who put this together.

[Baz]

Big thanks to the person who took the time to do this.

 

I'm fed up of the continued stance by anyone from the club of trying to avoid the current situation and mistakes made over the past several years, as some kind of negative exercise, and that we should just look forward. Looking to the future is obviously important, but so is learning from the past. 

Regarding Cheston, it's unclear to me if it's his incompetence or the starvation of funding from the owners that is forcing him into short-term funding issues. The money from incoming transfer fees is obviously being used to fund the day to day running of the club, so it's worrying that that's a diminishing resource, and there doesn't seem to be a replacement plan for those funds.

[Stuart]

Rinse, repeat, re-Venky:
PS: "I appreciate there are some sensitive topics looking back but we can’t control looking back but what we can do is influence going forwards."
Typical of life under Venkys. When things start to go South, do nothing, appear confused and/or keep quiet. When things go down the toilet, change the talking heads that you've installed and get them to talk about "not being able to change the past" and "let's all be positive about the future"

Communications:
MF: to MC "You’ve been worse as Managing Director, there’s no communications for supporters, we don’t get to talk to anybody at the club anymore."
...
PS: "With regards to that we have had a number of Fans Forum events as well. There are folk here today who have attended those meetings which I understand is a representation of the various groups, where these meetings are due to take place on a regular basis every couple of months."
These exchanges suggest that the FF has now become the only regular fan meeting, which probably isn't the wrong thing. The problem is that Senior either believes or is happy to believe that the FF are representative of the fanbase. If the FF is to be used in this way, it should be made up of representatives of each fan group.

PS: "During January, having just started at the Football Club there was regular communications with several of the aforementioned people that you’ve just alluded to because during January was the January transfer window and there was other things going on at the Football Club and as well maybe a duty of care to ensure that how I felt the club was going, in my early observations. And that has been lessened now in terms of there isn’t that need for a daily, regular communication.  Results on the pitch are improving so there is less intensity off the pitch if you like, for all of our departments, not just the first team. So that regular feedback loop is not as intense as it was during January."
This busy January required such major dialogue with the owners when he decided we didn't actually need anyone because of a lack of value? Did selling Marshall really require such 'intensity'?

Ewood:
PS: "Ewood Park will have four stands open next season. There’s no foundation to that rumour, Andy."
This makes no sense to me in the context of our financial position. Our fanbase is dwindling, with the remaining ones still divided, and the home atmosphere is badly lacking. The TV cameras (when we are barely on TV anymore) have been moved across the pitch. The only logical reason is to present the club in a better light - but the visible stands aren't full. Whilst it would be a major issue for many it would be the next logical step to close the Riverside and DE lower to home fans. Relocating fans at a reduced rate to other stands. Maybe a three year price freeze on Riverside prices. The only other reason would be that they believe they can still increase attendances and fill these stands - yet they are doing nothing visibly to achieve this. The final reason for this dysfunctional so-called planning is that there is absolutely no coordination, let alone reasoning, about any of it.

Finances:
"James" was an absolute star in his grilling of Cheston over the finances. The point about our wealthy owners allowing the club to take such high interest loans is brilliantly made. The responses were less than convincing.

Politician Paul:
"there was regular communications with several of the aforementioned people that you’ve just alluded to "  
"it’s incumbent on us to anticipate the potential that we may be relegated"

[DE.]

For me the most damning omission is this section from Mark: 

Mark Fish: Don’t sit there and expect us to respect the owners. Don’t ask us to respect the owners of this Football Club after what they’ve done to it over the last seven years. Do not ask us to respect the owners. You’ve just done it – don’t.

Because with this being omitted, it makes it seem like everyone agreed with Cheston's offensive suggestion that we should be grateful in any way to the charlatans who have wrecked our club and left us on the verge of dropping into League One. Mark hasn't said anything controversial there, he hasn't sworn or personally insulted anybody. He's just made it clear that asking any respect of the owners is a slap in the face considering everything that's gone on.

This type of censorship is poisonous and proves that none of the official channels have the fans best interests at heart. Nobody wants to risk ties being cut with the club. 

 

 

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Dunnfc said:

Read the test it only applies to companies or directors with a uk or Eu history. The test is one and a half pages compared to a financial directors uk test which is a hell of allot more 

Cos the PL or FA or UK government cannot tell overseas owners or directors what to do. 

The test did stop some Chinese investors buying Hull. So the test can work. 

But I said before and has Martin Samuel says in the article that nobody can know how successful business people will run a football club. These people can be influence by the right people and wrong peopls. 

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Cheston put his name to hiring Coyle 

But several people have said he was on holiday when Coyle was appointed

[Leonard Venkhater]

This is your omission, if you choose to accept it.....

BBC Radio Lancs...as if your credibility re Rovers could get any lower!

[tomphil]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Cos the PL or FA or UK government cannot tell overseas owners or directors what to do. 

The test did stop some Chinese investors buying Hull. So the test can work. 

But I said before and has Martin Samuel says in the article that nobody can know how successful business people will run a football club. These people can be influence by the right people and wrong peopls. 

But several people have said he was on holiday when Coyle was appointed

Lets look at what he himself has said he's been daft enough to put his name to the 'outstanding candidate'. I've no doubt in reality he was appointed over Chestons head but it's a two way thing Magic Mike should have stressed to the owners this is a very bad appointment. He wouldn't dare though would he then when grilled on it by fans he should have been honest.

This is what you get on every level at Rovers under Venkys, backside covering, yes men and lies and no one taking responsibility for anything yet refusing to point the finger at those really to blame. It all adds to the continuing damage.

[den]

A BIG thank you to everyone who took part - including the club (but then again they had to).

I was very impressed by the questions and follow ups. Some of you people obviously thought long and hard about how to put searching, but honest questions to the club. These meetings aren't about "presentations" for goodness sake, they're about all parties holding the others to account. Let's hope this sinks in and the clubs reps understand the true feelings of the supporters and give them answers that they can stand by, knowing that all parties are doing the right thing. Let's hope they absolutely clarify Suhails position at the club and persuade him to attend the next meeting - just as the EFL guidelines ask.

[Dunnfc]

Just now, Suhail Slayer said:

after the meeting one of the directors told me that Suhail would never attend a meeting or communicate with supporters simply because he has been specifically instructed not to, by the owners not to and is 100% loyal to their word. The reason given was to avoid previous errors made by Shebby Singh.

He's happy to take a salary off the fans and club though.

[Stuart]

51 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

This is your omission, if you choose to accept it.....

BBC Radio Lancs...as if your credibility re Rovers could get any lower!

"Please take out".

Isn't it more likely that The Club asked Radio Lancs to remove certain things that the owners might not like to avoid them cutting ties? I imagine things are very delicately poised and job security is not at all assured.

I wonder what assurances the board have about their own salaries and futures in the event of a Venkys-led (by their omissions/neglect) relegation...

[roverandout]

Cheston came across as

"Uuughh, ugghh. Owners, uggghh, finances, uugghh, what was the question?, uugghh' (starts to melt)

[Gav]

We have owners that don't communicate.

We have a new set club officials protecting their own jobs, sack then repeat, We have a new set club officials protecting their own jobs, sack then repeat..........We have......

We have high profile supporters nowhere to be seen or heard

We have the local radio station censoring the minutes.

We have the local paper who are absolutely useless at holding the club to account.

But we have a few shining lights in this whole sorry saga that need to be given the keys to the town once the rats are run back under the rocks in Pune.

You can rest assured that plenty of higher profile pretenders are already penciling in that day to claim some sort of victory, one person in particular has been heard saying as much astonishingly, but I for one won't stand by whilst the real heros in all of this are overlooked.

Lets hope that day comes sooner rather than later and the right people get the credit they deserve.

 

[Dunnfc]

Just now, Gav said:

We have owners that don't communicate.

We have a new set club officials protecting their own jobs, sack then repeat, We have a new set club officials protecting their own jobs, sack then repeat..........We have......

We high profile supporters nowhere to be seen or heard

We have the local radio station censoring the minutes.

We have the local paper who are absolutely useless at holding the club to account.

But we have a few shining lights in this whole sorry saga that need to be given the keys to the town once the rats are run back under the rocks in Pune.

You can rest assured that plenty of higher profile pretenders are already penciling in that day to claim some sort of victory, one person in particular has been heard saying as much astonishingly, but I for one won't stand by whilst the real heros in all of this are overlooked.

Lets hope that day comes sooner rather than later and the right people get the credit they deserve.

 

Don't we also have injunctions stopping reporting of certain articles in the media.....

[Dunnfc]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

Politician Paul:
"there was regular communications with several of the aforementioned people that you’ve just alluded to "  
"it’s incumbent on us to anticipate the potential that we may be relegated"

This! It wasn't edited out either, i remember first hearing it and it was like someone used to many words mid sentence to try and complicate a simple answer. I noticed the other forum Rovers talk - http://www.roverstalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5880&sid=021a587b28106a2bf0fbecaeb13a052c&start=120 Seemed to be enamored with his Senior and his words.

Interestingly enough the last half of the finance question appears edited out, these being the amounts and institutions it's been lent by. Anyone find it borderline extortion or pretty pitfull a national organisation like the FA/PL seemed fit to make money out of this at an excessive yearly APR 9.5% plus 2.5 % Libor for two years on five million, i make that almost a million in interest if not more....

Last week i recall someone on twitter quizzing Andy Bayes, who i think used to be a very good presenter on the edited issues:

Andy Bayes‏ @AndyBayes

Following

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Replying to @Davids2444 @TheStigsGloves @mickb95

The question where the fan mentioned the finances & went through various borrowings was broadcast David

6:07 am - 9 Apr 2017

[davulsukur]

6 hours ago, DE. said:

For me the most damning omission is this section from Mark: 

Mark Fish: Don’t sit there and expect us to respect the owners. Don’t ask us to respect the owners of this Football Club after what they’ve done to it over the last seven years. Do not ask us to respect the owners. You’ve just done it – don’t.

Because with this being omitted, it makes it seem like everyone agreed with Cheston's offensive suggestion that we should be grateful in any way to the charlatans who have wrecked our club and left us on the verge of dropping into League One. Mark hasn't said anything controversial there, he hasn't sworn or personally insulted anybody. He's just made it clear that asking any respect of the owners is a slap in the face considering everything that's gone on.

This type of censorship is poisonous and proves that none of the official channels have the fans best interests at heart. Nobody wants to risk ties being cut with the club. 

 

 

To be honest, all of the omissions are shameful from radio lancs.

The finance section gets heavily edited when the fan (James) lays it all out for everyone to hear.

Completely changes the perception. Disgraceful.

[AllRoverAsia]

10 hours ago, davulsukur said:

To be honest, all of the omissions are shameful from radio lancs.

The finance section gets heavily edited when the fan (James) lays it all out for everyone to hear.

Completely changes the perception. Disgraceful.

Senior and Cheston will send the edited audio version to Bling.

They will not want even Ballsup to know the truth as he may want out and cost the Ewood tossers their jobs.

A truly disgraceful bending of the truth which shows the dishonesty and self interest rampant at Ewood.

[Mattyblue]

Don't know what anybody expects from 'Official Club Partner' Radio Lancs.

The amount of away commentaries that I've listened to in which our decline is the elephant in the room. The owners are never mentioned and of course, the defeats had nothing to do with Coyle.

[DanielMB]

I dont get the whole "they are private individuals" thing. When they first bought the club they were a lot in the media and attended games and so on. Weren't they private individuals back then? Is it something they have become after ruining the club and finding out that maybe owning a club is not as cool as they thought?

[tomphil]

They aren't private at all they court publicity back home particularly the bling one it's why they bought the club and when it was in the Prem they were always infront of a camera. Full of excrement is what they really are and the only thing they try and be private about is the finances at BRFC  & why the operate the club the way they do when it goes wrong year on year. All that stuff has been cloak and dagger from the word go !

[pk1875]

Venkys are so private they throw lavish £500,000 parties, pay "celebs" such as Akon to have pictures taken with them. Turn up to Ewood in a cascade of Limos. As for Cheston he is another self preserving leach reminds me in many ways of Agnew.

[arbitro]

46 minutes ago, DanielMB said:

I dont get the whole "they are private individuals" thing. When they first bought the club they were a lot in the media and attended games and so on. Weren't they private individuals back then? Is it something they have become after ruining the club and finding out that maybe owning a club is not as cool as they thought?

They weren't private individuals whe they rocked up at Ewood in a fleet of luxury cars and looked down their noses as us peasants. I believe they just can't face being questioned or criticised due to them being aloof and arrogant. There is also the possibility of having something to hide.

[Mike Graham]

1 hour ago, DanielMB said:

I dont get the whole "they are private individuals" thing. When they first bought the club they were a lot in the media and attended games and so on. Weren't they private individuals back then? Is it something they have become after ruining the club and finding out that maybe owning a club is not as cool as they thought?

I blame the fan who snow balled Mr Desai.  They lost interest and had it in for the fans from that day onwards.

[Rover_Shaun]

Just now, preston blue said:

I blame the fan who snow balled Mr Desai.  They lost interest and had it in for the fans from that day onwards.

They need putting in the coffin this summer

[Mike Graham]

Just now, Rover_Shaun said:

They need putting in the coffin this summer

XXXL size wooden overcoat for Balaji.

[lraC]

Given that these meetings are EFL mandatory, are the true minutes on there way to the EFL with a question as to what's the point of them, if the most salient points are edited out? Surely they EFL have a duty to approach the club and ask them why this was done and why the farcical minutes from last time, took so long to publish. It is brilliant that the true minutes are on here now, but for those at the club, who have hidden some of them, now is the time to come out and explain why and at the same time, release the true version.