Darwen End Closure / New Singing Section

[tomphil]

Leeds with the early KO a few times in the recent past have only brought 3k ish despite having all the DE so they are not really a certainty either.

Derby have had some shockers up here, sub 1k when struggling although the Lampard effect should mean a good effort this time.

Edited August 7, 2018 by tomphil

[JHRover]

Double edged sword. According to Rovers if the away side is having the full Darwen End then a noon kick off is required. That in itself knocks a fair amount off the travelling support.

It will look well when they give Villa 7,000 for the Sky 5:30pm game and the lies are exposed.

[MarkBRFC]

Think it depends with Villa/Leeds, if they are flying (which there starts suggest they might be) then I can see them both filling at least the lower tier.

I can't see many other sides filling it though, Preston maybe depending on how they are doing, Stoke/WBA other possibility's but doubt the latter.

After that I'm struggling.

[barry_]

14 hours ago, pk1875 said:

When we raised this point with Waggot his estimation was that half of the visiting teams would sell enough to warrant the full Darwen End, so that is expecting more than 23 teams to bring over 5,500 fans. I still think this is a massive overestimation. Lets see how it goes Millwall up first

waggot knows nothing about attendances.

The games that we traditionally had to move from the DE were handled well by the club (less by the old chaps running security)

He's starting to make Derek Shaw look a better chairman than himself.

[SBlue]

15 minutes ago, barry_ said:

waggot knows nothing about attendances.

The games that we traditionally had to move from the DE were handled well by the club (less by the old chaps running security)

He's starting to make Derek Shaw look a better chairman than himself.

Christ alive that’s some statement. You cannot possibly mean that?

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/blackburn-rovers-slammed-as-woeful-and-unforgivable-by-judge-in-henning-berg-pay-dispute-8575711.html

Remember this? Amongst others?

Yeah you didn’t want the Darwen end closing but shit the bed.

 

[tomphil]

Waggott in his short time here has already proved himself twice the guy slithering dithering gravy train Dereck ever did that guy should've been nowhere near the place.

Whether he continues that remains to be seen but I hope he hasn't been handing out Shaw style contracts !!!!

[barry_]

12 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Waggott in his short time here has already proved himself twice the guy slithering dithering gravy train Dereck ever did that guy should've been nowhere near the place.

Whether he continues that remains to be seen but I hope he hasn't been handing out Shaw style contracts !!!!

waggot came aboard a few months back.

Just what has he done (that was already being done)

We were on the way to being promoted before he came.

Mowbray had a good connection with the owners.

What has waggot done to earn your praise??

[tomphil]

You don't sound like you've been following it very closely Barry lad if you can't see a marked difference in certain things since he's been here. I think he's done alright and he seems prepared to stick his neck out and put his head on the block when in reality closing the DE wasn't his decision.

The football side of things has improved two fold since he's arrived although again a lot of it will be down to TM & co.  Like I said it remains to be seen whether he's the real deal or just another figure head or human shield for others behind the scenes whose head will get served at a later date if us natives begin to get angry of things again.

What has he done to get your hackles up so much apart from the obvious ?

[SBlue]

11 minutes ago, barry_ said:

waggot came aboard a few months back.

Just what has he done (that was already being done)

We were on the way to being promoted before he came.

Mowbray had a good connection with the owners.

What has waggot done to earn your praise??

Not being Derek Shaw for a start.

Edited August 7, 2018 by S8 & Blue

[barry_]

42 minutes ago, tomphil said:

You don't sound like you've been following it very closely Barry lad if you can't see a marked difference in certain things since he's been here. I think he's done alright and he seems prepared to stick his neck out and put his head on the block when in reality closing the DE wasn't his decision.

The football side of things has improved two fold since he's arrived although again a lot of it will be down to TM & co.  Like I said it remains to be seen whether he's the real deal or just another figure head or human shield for others behind the scenes whose head will get served at a later date if us natives begin to get angry of things again.

What has he done to get your hackles up so much apart from the obvious ?

whose decision was it?

He came aboard January ish? We were well on our way to being promoted.How has he improved it errr 'two fold'.

The whole Darwen End debacle is what he's done.

That's it.

Unless you know something I don't what else has he done (that wouldn't of normally been done in the everyday running of the club).

So.

HE has stated he closed the Darwen End.

He didn't have the decency to contact the season ticket holders who were affected until there was some feedback from his decision.

His promises to help the supporters effected have proven false.

Time will prove him wrong in his estimation of the amount of away fans.

And lets not forget the amount of season tickets he was aiming to sell. A fail.

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by barry_

[pk1875]

Waggot has stated in both public and private meetings that the decision to close the Darwen End to home fans was solely his.

He talks the talk, but the jury is out on whether he can walk the walk in my opinion.

[Parsonblue]

25 minutes ago, meadows said:

Who sits on this mythical jury? I think if you were to poll all 9,000 season ticket holders and ask them if he’s done ok you might get a shock. 

Totally agree.  I think Steve Waggot has been a breath of fresh air in terms of the running of the club.  

[tomphil]

8 hours ago, barry_ said:

whose decision was it?

He came aboard January ish? We were well on our way to being promoted.How has he improved it errr 'two fold'.

The whole Darwen End debacle is what he's done.

That's it.

Unless you know something I don't what else has he done (that wouldn't of normally been done in the everyday running of the club).

So.

HE has stated he closed the Darwen End.

He didn't have the decency to contact the season ticket holders who were affected until there was some feedback from his decision.

His promises to help the supporters effected have proven false.

Time will prove him wrong in his estimation of the amount of away fans.

And lets not forget the amount of season tickets he was aiming to sell. A fail.

 

Fair enough although unless i'm mistaken the BBE upper fell victim to cost cutting in similar fashion last summer probably upsetting more people and the rumours of the DE closure has been around a long time. I'm not in favour of it but it wasn't that unexpected and maybe he's like I said put his head on the block for that one which at least shows he has minerals whereas other directors have just hidden or failed to comment i'e Coyle fiasco.

He might well be wrong on the STs and away fans but whether we like it or not anyone coming in in his position will have a Venky remit of increasing revenue and cutting costs but they are at least trying to keep things together on the pitch this time, for now. We've been crying out for an actual football director for years now and at last we have one but we won't like all his decisions although we have to remember who he actually works for !

Securing all the players in quick time before all that who's going to leave to pay the bills nonsense started again surely has to be partly down to him ?  That's a new one and a big plus in my book.

[barry_]

Things at the club had changed last summer (with venkys backing the manager) and there was a new belief around the club before waggot.

We have need someone other than Mr bean-counter at the club, and again this was done because of TM in charge

waggot closed the DE. He didn't talk to any fans about it, didn't even do anything (even after saying he would) to help with a new section

Fresh air? just more hot air.

 

 

 

 

 

[SBlue]

Not really going to go into how impressed I have been with the structure, contracts, relationship with the manager, budget management and fan engagement over the last few months.

Just to say that a good CEO takes credit for nothing and the blame for everything.

Doing a good job for me.

[pk1875]

4 hours ago, meadows said:

Who sits on this mythical jury? I think if you were to poll all 9,000 season ticket holders and ask them if he’s done ok you might get a shock. 

Run your mythical poll amongst the fans who without warning or consultation had their stand removed for the new season and you too might get a shock.  

[pk1875]

Just now, meadows said:

Presumably every single one of them was aware of the plan to locate the Singing section in the last section of the Enclosure. I was. Is the fact that many have decided not to bother Steve Waggott’s fault? 

Anyone who wanted to join you afresh was surely aware too. 

 

Seriously? When was you made aware of the Darwen End Closing? I spoke to two lads a few weeks ago who still didn't know?

The club could have and should have announced this ahead of the last game of last season.

[oldjamfan1]

4 hours ago, pk1875 said:

Waggot has stated in both public and private meetings that the decision to close the Darwen End to home fans was solely his.

He talks the talk, but the jury is out on whether he can walk the walk in my opinion.

These two sentences seem to contradict each other. Walking the walk means taking responsibility, which he appears to be doing, for that particular decision.

[pk1875]

2 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

These two sentences seem to contradict each other. Walking the walk means taking responsibility, which he appears to be doing, for that particular decision.

talking the talk is in reference to promises made about working with fans to promote and develop the new W01 W02 area, walking the walk is about delivering on such promises which as of yet hasn't happened.

[pk1875]

2 hours ago, meadows said:

I made no reference whatsoever to the announcement to close the Darwen End to home fans or the timing of it. I have no strong opinion on it other than to say it often looked tawdry seeing a bunch of 14 year olds run towards the away fans. I can’t say the singing from that corner ever registered where I sit level with the Blackburn End penalty area on the Riverside

What I did say was there was plenty of time for everyone to make alternate arrangements and if a singing section on the Nuttall St was an attractive proposition surely you didn’t need a club-led and endorsed marketing plan to sell the idea?

What did you want Waggott to do, forcibly re-locate people and instruct them to sing? 

Maybe it didn't travel that far? I do know the noise reached the halfway line as managers would acknowledge it but I appreciate it wouldn't be heard at the other end of Ewood as the BBE couldn't be heard 90% of the time but I've no doubt they would be singing.

Id say finding out during the last game of the season didn't leave plenty of time, a fact that was agreed by Waggot and he apologised for that. Posting on FB etc only reaches a limited audience. Given a few week notice every one in the Darwen End could have been made aware of the plans.

No I want the club to STOP forcibly re-locating people, as for singing we all no the two side stands simply don't bother the BBE no doubt do but not loud enough as was the case with the DE.

When it is the turn of the Riverside, which  will happen, I genuinely hope the club afford you better treatment than the BBE Upper and DE received.

 

[pk1875]

Just now, meadows said:

Quite seriously what exactly would you have expected the club to do in this regard? Football is all about spontaneity and fans organising themselves, not being regimented and packaged and homogenised by club hierarchy. 

How do we think The Kop, the old Stretford End and North Bank, The 1970s Blackburn End and The Long Side became places of communal celebration & togetherness?

I’d genuinely like to know how you think Waggott should have pitched any attempt to drum up support for what after all was your vision and suggestion more than three months ago?

Steve Waggot was very enthusiastic about the W01 - W02 idea, he actually stated he thought that was the ideal place to move the DE fans too. Steve also promised the club would promote the idea via the clubs social media platforms. @Rovers twitter has around 500k followers, I have around 700 so the difference in promoting this would have been significant. This wasn't a fan group idea, this was just a small number of fans from the DE trying to work together.
I dare say had the club promoted the idea as promised we wouldn't be having this idea now as you would then agree it was a wonderful idea and great initiative by the club

[pk1875]

3 minutes ago, meadows said:

If the club wrote to me today and informed me that the Riverside was shut for the season I’d be quite capable of deciding what to do between now and the Reading match which is the first game I can attend. I might be disappointed and disillusioned with the decision but as a grown man I’d be capable of deciding whether I wanted to continue attending and consulting with my kids as to what our preference was within a fortnight. 

 

Are you being deliberately pedantic? I could have organised a new seat with my wife and kids too, without the help of the club but sadly I'm not able to discuss ideas every other fan in the DE over dinner.

[barry_]

1 minute ago, meadows said:

Quite seriously what exactly would you have expected the club to do in this regard? Football is all about spontaneity and fans organising themselves, not being regimented and packaged and homogenised by club hierarchy. 

How do we think The Kop, the old Stretford End and North Bank, The 1970s Blackburn End and The Long Side became places of communal celebration & togetherness?

I’d genuinely like to know how you think Waggott should have pitched any attempt to drum up support for what after all was your vision and suggestion more than three months ago?

I'm only sorry that the '?' isn't available anymore as this is beyond amusing.

Football is all about being 'packaged'. You are nothing but a unit to the likes of waggot

Communal celebrations and togetherness' wow, the BBE has certainly changed since i was last in their.

Usually, it's a bunch of unenthused spectators sat being quiet.

When waggot made the announcement of closing the DE he could've said 'we are opening a srction in' xxx'(my preference would've been in Riverside side of the BBE) and season ticket holders are welcome there.

 

[tomphil]

Wouldn't be surprised if the thought of the D enders being scattered about instead of in one group near the away fans quite appealed to the stadium manager and head of match day police hence the alleged lack of encouragement whipping up a singing section from the club.

I'm sure TM and the players would be in support of it but they don't run the stadium ?

[Mattyblue]

23 minutes ago, meadows said:

Quite seriously what exactly would you have expected the club to do in this regard? Football is all about spontaneity and fans organising themselves, not being regimented and packaged and homogenised by club hierarchy. 

How do we think The Kop, the old Stretford End and North Bank, The 1970s Blackburn End and The Long Side became places of communal celebration & togetherness?

I’d genuinely like to know how you think Waggott should have pitched any attempt to drum up support for what after all was your vision and suggestion more than three months ago?

Not sure that's quite true these days, I'm pretty sure a lot of these new 'Ultras sections' for want of a better word that are springing up in a lot of English grounds have been encouraged by the clubs themselves - Huddersfield and Bristol City spring to mind