WATR (The Rovers Trust)

[lraC]

7 hours ago, We Are The Rovers said:

April 2025 Newsletter

 

We have 2 important items in this latest membership Newsletter.  Our AGM and a statement about the Club; in this statement for call for a change in ownership of Our Club.

 

AGM:

The AGM of We Are The Rovers, the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Trust will take place as follows:

7pm Prompt
Wednesday 25th June
At Blackburn Library (upstairs), entrance via Northgate, Blackburn.

Non-members are welcome to attend.  However you must be a paying member to be nominated for our Board and to vote on any issues (Join via www.roverstrust.co.uk)

We will be holding a free raffle for all attendees on the night.

We are looking for additional Board members. Meetings are hybrid Zoom and in person. This is unpaid and is voluntary.  We are looking to extend and diversify our board and encourage nominations from fans of all ages and backgrounds. We are particularly in need of adding skills in marketing and social mediamanagement.  Please advise if you wish to be nominated by emailing peterridehalgh@talktalk.net with the email subject ‘WATR Board Nomination’ before 15th June at the very latest.

We look forward to seeing you on 25th June.

Mike Graham
Chair 

 

 

WATR STATEMENT re BLACKBURN ROVERS:

On 3rd January 2025 we wrote to the club to advise them we believed the Rao family’s continued ownership of Blackburn Rovers had become untenable and called for them to sell the club.

 

Due to our Memorandum of Understanding with the club, we have since been attempting to arrange one of our overdue mandated meetings as a matter of urgency. We allowed leeway during this time while the club sought to appoint a managerial replacement, and after us chasing up this request numerous times we were granted a meeting with senior club executives on Tuesday 1st April. Our agenda items and questions provided to the Club are listed at the end of this Statement; however, the ultimate reason for our meeting was to press for a face-to-face meeting with the Club Owners. Sadly, the key attendee the Club’s Chief Operating Officer Suhail Pasha/Sheikh who had earlier confirmed his attendance was instead making media appearances to defend the Club’s ownership before going “travelling”.

 

Despite assurances of his attendance, and our willingness to accommodate his diary, COO Suhail Pasha/Sheikh failed to attend. This wasn’t the first time he has done so and indeed has always appeared reluctant to engage despite the best efforts of the WATR board and other club officials.  We have instead been offered a meeting with the Chief Executive Steve Waggott prior to the Middleborough game this Friday evening.

 

Prior to the release of 2024/25 season tickets, We Are The Rovers met regularly with club staff to discuss our proposals for them.

 

After a tumultuous season we were encouraged that some of our ideas had been taken on board. We would have liked them to have gone a lot further and committed to a strategy designed around 3 core activities: Recruitment, Retention and Re-engagement. We were however hopeful that the modest reduction in the early bird phase, and significant savings across concessionary tickets would mitigate the inevitable drop off due to events that occurred during the season.

 

In a previous meeting with the Rovers executive team, Suhail Pasha/Sheikh told us that: 

 

“The biggest mistake we (Venky’s) ever made was listening to Steve (Waggott) and Fraser (Read) and reducing season tickets by £30. What do you want next year, a reduction of £150?”

 

Fraser Read had left the club by this point with his ticketing duties assumed by Yasir Sufi, and Suhail has taken all responsibility for ticketing matters away from Steve Waggott.

 

When we pointed out that an extraordinarily high number (26%) of season ticket holder had opted not to renew due to incredibly poor performances on the pitch and chaotic events behind the scenes, we were told we can’t keep using transfer window failures as an excuse, and that the core support of Blackburn Rovers is only around 6,000 fans.

 

Yasir Sufi also told us to forget about re-engagement with lapsed fans, and that getting the new generation of support in was where their priorities lay.

 

This season there has been very little engagement from the club regarding our proposals. We have been asked how we think we can add thousands to the gate, but any solution offered that involves expenditure or price reduction has been dismissed out of hand.

 

Furthermore, we have continued to highlight the importance of improved communication and engagement with the wider fanbase. While Steve Waggott has been open and approachable and agreed readily to meet and discuss all matters with WATR as an entity, the club has failed to extend this to the fanbase with initiatives we suggested, such as reinstating some form of open consultation meetings ignored. This appears to be a directive from above the level of CEO. Presently we are concerned that the club are completely unprepared for upcoming changes to Fan Engagement rules that form part of the Football Governance Bill, and threats to cease engagement with us, contrary to the terms of our MOU, due to perceived criticism of their running of the club would be in direct conflict with Government recommendations and EFL rules.

 

As an organisation formed by and for the benefit of Supporters, we can only echo the collective fan statement dated 28th of March as regards Suhail Pasha/Sheikh. Our experience leads us to believe his input is detrimental to the desires of Rovers fans and to the success of our club.

 

To reiterate our previous stance, the one constant throughout the Venky’s tenure has been Suhail Pasha/Sheikh. While his title has changed in that time, his role as advisor/conduit/owners representative has remained broadly the same. With the Rao family remaining absent for over a decade he appears to hold a lot of power.

 

We feel that the only acceptable advice for Suhail to pass on to the Rao family is to finally do the right thing and sell the club. New owners who care for the club and will treat Rovers and its supporters with the respect we deserve are long overdue.

 

The WATR agenda items provided in advance to the Club are as follows:

 

1. Club and Owner aspirations

2. Fan Engagement

3. First Team Performance

4. Ticketing and attendances

5. Finances

 

In order to be open and up front we list below the questions we will asking under each of the above discussion headings. We stress our request for direct dialogue with the owners.

 

1. Club and Owner aspirations

 

- What are the owners aspirations for the club?

 

- Have you advised the owners that the best thing they could do is put the club up for sale?

 

- Where do YOU think Blackburn Rovers ought to be?

 

 

2.  Fan engagement

 

- Do you realise you are in real danger of going into a historic anniversary year against a backdrop of protests? And what are you doing to try and prevent this?

 

3.  First team performance 

 

- Ordinarily we wouldn’t want to discuss on pitch matters, however it is evident that off field happenings are impacting upon the team’s success.

 

- What was the hiring process for Valerien Ismael? Who had the final say?

 

- It is well publicised that several player contracts will be expiring in the summer. Are discussions underway currently, and who is responsible for negotiating new deals?

 

- The sale of key playing assets has put us in an enviable position in terms of P&S rules, however, this only gives us a finite window to reinvest in the squad and make a genuine push for promotion. Why didn’t this happen in the last 2 windows? What assurances can you give supporters the summer window will be any different?

 

4.  Ticketing and attendances

 

- What is the rationale around season ticket pricing? Given the disappointing number of adult tickets sold last year, how do you feel increasing prices will impact this?

 

- Who is responsible for setting ticket prices, and is their only success measure based on revenue, or are numbers a consideration?

 

We also want to bring to your attention the following report on an excellent recent initiative at League 2 Bradford City.  If this can be done at Bradford it can be replicated at Ewood.  Initiatives such as this are key to building the longer term health and wealth of our Club.  Do you have the resources to support such an initiative linked to our 150th Anniversary this coming November?

 

[Bradford City link: https://widthofapost.com/2025/03/24/what-place-could-saturdays-superb-win-over-colchester-take-in-bradford-city-folklore/ ]

 

 5.  Finances

 

- Can you explain when Venky’s last remitted any money?

 

- Can you provide an update on plans to bring the training ground back under club ownership?’

 

 

All the very best getting straight answers to those questions, which are all very well thought out and fair play for this statement overall.

It is incredible really that the club are now threatening to disengage, due to the criticism, you have quite rightly given them. I know the term, critical friend has been used, to describe the relationship between the trust and the club, but I think they are now showing that they do not consider you to be their friend at all in fact you appear to be the enemy from the looks of things. It seems it’s a severe inconvenience, especially to Pasha, to have to engage at all and despite their duty to do so, it looks like they want to close down these meetings, as they do not want to accept any form of criticism, especially one that is aimed at the owners selling.

Given their stand on bringing back lapsed fans in favour of attracting new ones, how do they think they can do that exactly? We had around 20,000 when they took over and now by their own admission there are 6,000. So getting 14,000 completely new fans, is laughable, especially when you look at a club like Bolton Wanderers, who are far more likely to attract new blood, due to their pricing structure, which has shown for 3 seasons in a row now DOES persuade people to give it a go. 

[lraC]

2 hours ago, Forever Blue said:

This just highlights the contempt with which Pasha, and by extension Venkys, hold the fan base. The fallout and quotes around the £30 reduction in season tickets are very telling.

Spot on.

Fleece the fans for all we can and two fingers up to what that does to the future of the club.

Attracting new fans, seems to be the aim of the game, yet they have no idea how to do it. 

[Bronzed A Donis]

WATR have given the Club enough rope there to hang themselves. If that was the longer game, fair do's. 

The absolute contempt we are held in. 

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, Bronzed A Donis said:

WATR have given the Club enough rope there to hang themselves. If that was the longer game, fair do's. 

The absolute contempt we are held in. 

It was 100% the longer game. 

[paullarrygher]

The Trust need to recognise and call out that the club are not acting in good faith. They are being strung along and held up by the Board as examples of engagement with fans. No point engaging with Waggott as he doesn't have any power.

They need to put out a statement backing the right to protest and explicitly call for Venky's/Suhail's removal.


 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, paullarrygher said:

The Trust need to recognise and call out that the club are not acting in good faith. They are being strung along and held up by the Board as examples of engagement with fans. No point engaging with Waggott as he doesn't have any power.

They need to put out a statement backing the right to protest and explicitly call for Venky's/Suhail's removal.


 

I agree with this.

In the two recent interviews Waggott has used WATR and the FF as examples of fan engagement. Anyone not familiar with the way our club is run would take that at face value.

[Tomphil2]

If the stuff in the WATR email is correct them i can see why we go nowhere and do nothing with these people in charge.

I'm not for one min saying Waggot is the good guy but he is the only one with any genuine football administration experience whilst this Suhail guy is literally winging it. Overruling everything he doesn't like and pushing the things/people he does.

It's nothing but a balance sheet to him and i suspect a nice wage and ego trip keeping him away from flogging chicken feed under his bosses gaze back in India.

This or should i say he imo has been a major force in the stagnation but he's clearly in panic mode now the rosy picture he sends back to Pune may be well and truly busted.

Edited yesterday at 14:44 by Tomphil2

[Penwortham Blue]

14 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

Let me educate you my friend. Waggott is a former agent as is Pasha. Waggott has formerly worked at Gillingham, Southend, Charlton, Coventry (where he worked with Venus and Mowbray during which time they sold the training ground for housing. They tried the same thing with Brockhall.) He has now been at Rovers for over 7 years. All the clubs he's worked at have been a disaster while he was there (his version - they were difficult times). All of those clubs recovered immediately after he left, except Rovers of course. 

Less we forget, an Agent who basically fleeced Andrew Cole of £30k !

[Tomphil2]

1 hour ago, MCMC1875 said:

Let me educate you my friend. Waggott is a former agent as is Pasha. Waggott has formerly worked at Gillingham, Southend, Charlton, Coventry (where he worked with Venus and Mowbray during which time they sold the training ground for housing. They tried the same thing with Brockhall.) He has now been at Rovers for over 7 years. All the clubs he's worked at have been a disaster while he was there (his version - they were difficult times). All of those clubs recovered immediately after he left, except Rovers of course. 

He learned everything he knows about downgrading from his Charlton and Coventry stints and i suspect that is why he ended up here.

Hes been trying to replicate Mowbray ever since he left but the last two were too ambitious for him.  Now it looks like the guy from above and the guy below have joined ranks and given him what they hope to be the French TM.

But it's certainly an exiting summer for those 3 if they are on commission for wheeling and dealing players.

£30k a pop ?

[Tomphil2]

2 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

Rubbish 

WTF are you on about now ?

[Tomphil2]

31 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

Rubbish. He ended up here because of Mowbray. 

He ended up here because he had experience of running struggling clubs regardless of Mowbray who no doubt recommended him but was doubtful in a position to appoint his own boss.

I'd say the usual agent connections played the biggest part.

[Leonard Venkhater]

On 02/04/2025 at 11:49, paullarrygher said:

The Trust need to recognise and call out that the club are not acting in good faith. They are being strung along and held up by the Board as examples of engagement with fans. No point engaging with Waggott as he doesn't have any power.

They need to put out a statement backing the right to protest and explicitly call for Venky's/Suhail's removal.


 

Yes, they do.

The Trust did have to walk a bit of a tightrope in trying to get some strategic engagement. I am sure they were aware that the danger always lay in the club using the Trust to bolster the illusion of normality etc.

I think it is clear that Waggott and Suhail not only failed to honour their agreement with the Trust, but tried to use the Trust as an alibi, as soon they began to feel the heat.

Well, Messrs Waggott and Shaikh-to use Rory's phrase.-" We don't trust you"...however disappointed you are in us !

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Leonard Venkhater

[glen9mullan]

I did speak with Duncan last night, and obviously Katie putting her efforts into Coalition.

However I said to both, you're going to have good weeks, bad weeks , amazing weeks and terrible weeks.

It's really difficult when your head goes above the parapet. 

The approval polls are up and.

down.

It's extremely hard to not take things personally when you've sweated your guts out to try and make a difference.

The Trust has always had its best days when things are perceived to be just about tenable.

When its got tough and the supporter base muster the energy to fight back, the trust tend to go silent, even when I was secretary we couldn't get the board to come out fighting and it can become frustrating.

Please don't let the latest chapter distract from all the good things you've done and are doing.

Yes things need to change a little, the world is changing, but you all care, that's why you do what you do.

[Leonard Venkhater]

1 hour ago, glen9mullan said:

I did speak with Duncan last night, and obviously Katie putting her efforts into Coalition.

However I said to both, you're going to have good weeks, bad weeks , amazing weeks and terrible weeks.

It's really difficult when your head goes above the parapet. 

The approval polls are up and.

down.

It's extremely hard to not take things personally when you've sweated your guts out to try and make a difference.

The Trust has always had its best days when things are perceived to be just about tenable.

When its got tough and the supporter base muster the energy to fight back, the trust tend to go silent, even when I was secretary we couldn't get the board to come out fighting and it can become frustrating.

Please don't let the latest chapter distract from all the good things you've done and are doing.

Yes things need to change a little, the world is changing, but you all care, that's why you do what you do.

Great post