Venkys - Welcome or Not?

[islander200]

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

It's this sort of lunacy and inefficiency that has happened throughout the Venkys reign that causes them losses to be bigger than they need to be.

He couldn't be sold in the circumstances when bids of 6-10 million are coming in.

We have no goalscorers,clubs knew he was available all summer and left it late to put bids in.

If we had sold Brererton then a relegation dog fight on the cards.

Money was spent this summer, more than a lot of other clubs.

[blue_and_white]

51 minutes ago, Gav said:

With the greatest of respect this just isn’t true, where are you getting this stuff from?

We've never had a strong Asian following and never will have, but been in business since 1875. We had regular gates of 5000 in 80’s, football didn’t start in 1992. We have a healthy fan base that would increase with success on the pitch and our support doesn’t only come from Mill Hill and Darwen. 

Where are you getting this nonsense from?

I'm getting it from reality. Maybe the 2001 and 2011 census results for Blackburn are easy to miss living in Yorkshire, but the town has changed massively since the 80s. We'll see what the results of the 2021 census in terms of ethnicity/religion when they're published in November, but I expect another huge shift.

Better put the usual disclaimer that this is in no way a political opinion on anything, its just the facts. Many white people have moved out of Blackburn and into the Ribble Valley, the Preston/Leyland/Chorley area, or other surrounding areas. There's a direct correlation between the distance someone lives from the ground, and their willingness to go to games. Mill Hill, Higher Croft, Darwen etc are a huge source of Rovers support because its as easy as walking out your front door and 10 minutes later walking through the turnstile. Its the same reason clubs with town/city centre grounds tend to do better for gates.

Rovers are losing local fans, have been for decades now. A football message board can live on far-flung supporters, but a football club can't. It needs the locals, so I'm all for Eid prayers on the pitch etc, but its not turning into significant numbers of fans yet and I'm not sure how the club is going to make that happen.

[Gav]

31 minutes ago, blue_and_white said:

I'm getting it from reality. Maybe the 2001 and 2011 census results for Blackburn are easy to miss living in Yorkshire, but the town has changed massively since the 80s. We'll see what the results of the 2021 census in terms of ethnicity/religion when they're published in November, but I expect another huge shift.

Better put the usual disclaimer that this is in no way a political opinion on anything, its just the facts. Many white people have moved out of Blackburn and into the Ribble Valley, the Preston/Leyland/Chorley area, or other surrounding areas. There's a direct correlation between the distance someone lives from the ground, and their willingness to go to games. Mill Hill, Higher Croft, Darwen etc are a huge source of Rovers support because its as easy as walking out your front door and 10 minutes later walking through the turnstile. Its the same reason clubs with town/city centre grounds tend to do better for gates.

Rovers are losing local fans, have been for decades now. A football message board can live on far-flung supporters, but a football club can't. It needs the locals, so I'm all for Eid prayers on the pitch etc, but its not turning into significant numbers of fans yet and I'm not sure how the club is going to make that happen.

Rovers are losing local fans because those parasite chicken farmers have destroyed the football club, no other reason and living in Yorkshire will never change that fact.

We still have a large fanbase across Lancashire, with every post you make you seem to extending the radius, which is the correct thing to do, you're learning. 

If you put this football club back in Premiership next season we'd be back to 17k home fans midweek and 20k a weekends, like we've always had.

Gates are up this season by the way, maybe you'll have to read the 2021 census to understand why, but I can tell you now, its the existing fanbase with some renewed hope, nothing to do with fans moving in or out of the area.

I’m unsure what your motives are with this series of posts, I get the feeling something else is grinding your gears? 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by Gav

[Armchair supporter supremo]

2 hours ago, miqaayil said:

The club is nothing more than a financial institution to write overseas spending on their revenues for tax and other reason with more assets slowly chipped away stone by stone...

 

i am hoping and even praying at times to get back to PL, but realistically i know venky want us mid table Championship club, which in their heads is a sweet spot that does not shine spotlight on them, a.k.a flying under radar...they will not sell as that brings out skeletons in closet...so basically its a slow death...

 

God bless

You seem to be under the false illusion that the powers that be in football haven't already been made fully aware of the shady shenanigans that have gone on at the club! Especially in the early sem years anyway. 

They did nothing about it then (because they know they'd come out of it with just as much egg on their faces) so I cant even see them entertaining it now 10+ years on.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Armchair supporter supremo

[lraC]

22 minutes ago, Armchair supporter supremo said:

You seem to be under the false illusion that the powers that be in football haven't already been made fully aware of the shady shenanigans that have gone on at the club! Especially in the early sem years anyway. 

They did nothing about it then (because they know they'd come out of it with just as much egg on their faces) so I cant even see them entertaining it now 10+ years on.

SEM and the football authorities were very conveniently doing lots of business together, when the takeover happened. They were also pretty much in bed together, for the first few years of the the current owners tenure. 

[TimmyJimmy]

If Venkys won't sell then at some point we have to draw them into our passion for the club. Constantly saying "you're not welcome", "you're not in our gang", "you're corrupt", "come to Ewood and I'll give you a piece of my mind", etc., etc., isn't going to make them get what it is to be a real Rovers supporter.  They need to turn up and experience reality rather than understand us only as a line item on their P&L.

Nobody has enjoyed the last decade, I guess they haven't enjoyed pissing 200M up the wall but at some point I think all parties should draw a line under the nightmare and invite them to start with us again.

Hopefully they'll be chasened by their experiences, dislike and avoid SEM and their like as much as we do and try to be become real fans like the rest of us.

They'll learn nowt staying in Pune, get them over here, by em a few pints, watch a few matches, post a few comments on here, show them what it means to be real Rovers fans.

 

[Miller11]

13 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

If Venkys won't sell then at some point we have to draw them into our passion for the club. Constantly saying "you're not welcome", "you're not in our gang", "you're corrupt", "come to Ewood and I'll give you a piece of my mind", etc., etc., isn't going to make them get what it is to be a real Rovers supporter.  They need to turn up and experience reality rather than understand us only as a line item on their P&L.

Nobody has enjoyed the last decade, I guess they haven't enjoyed pissing 200M up the wall but at some point I think all parties should draw a line under the nightmare and invite them to start with us again.

Hopefully they'll be chasened by their experiences, dislike and avoid SEM and their like as much as we do and try to be become real fans like the rest of us.

They'll learn nowt staying in Pune, get them over here, by em a few pints, watch a few matches, post a few comments on here, show them what it means to be real Rovers fans.

 

They have had over a decade and shown no interest in doing any of this.

I know some people, even some of our own fanbase, like to push the narrative that this is all down to the nasty, ungrateful, hooligan-like, racist thugs that go to Ewood… but it’s complete and utter bollocks. The only thing stopping them is their own lack of interest.

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

They'll learn nowt staying in Pune, get them over here, by em a few pints, watch a few matches, post a few comments on here, show them what it means to be real Rovers fans.

 

When I lived in the West of Ireland some years back, there was a saying locally that newcomers were considered 'blow-ins' for at least 100 years before being thought of as being permanent residents. It's the same with the Pune lot - there is a lot more to being a Rovers fan than turning up at the ground occasionally, and there is a lot less to owning a football club in a real sense than having a wad of cash to spend...

For me, Venkys will always be 'blow ins' - not part of the club, clearly not interested in the wider club (fanbase, local connections, history, potential) and completely clueless about football and the meaning of Blackburn Rovers to its supporters. End of.

I don't care one way or another whether they turn up to games. It won't be because they WANT to be there, after all, will it?

Edited September 4, 2022 by Shirley Crabtree Wrestler
Fat, round, I'd roll around the ground, for BRFC, BRFC!

[OldEwoodBlue]

51 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

If Venkys won't sell then at some point we have to draw them into our passion for the club. Constantly saying "you're not welcome", "you're not in our gang", "you're corrupt", "come to Ewood and I'll give you a piece of my mind", etc., etc., isn't going to make them get what it is to be a real Rovers supporter.  They need to turn up and experience reality rather than understand us only as a line item on their P&L.

Nobody has enjoyed the last decade, I guess they haven't enjoyed pissing 200M up the wall but at some point I think all parties should draw a line under the nightmare and invite them to start with us again.

Hopefully they'll be chasened by their experiences, dislike and avoid SEM and their like as much as we do and try to be become real fans like the rest of us.

They'll learn nowt staying in Pune, get them over here, by em a few pints, watch a few matches, post a few comments on here, show them what it means to be real Rovers fans.

 

What utter bollocks.

Put us into admin, fuck off and take your debt to yourselves with you, don't forget to sell the training ground back to the club for £1, take your legacy with you (oh sorry you never created one) and don't ever come to Blackburn again.

Then we will rebuild our club regardless which division we are in.

[tomphil]

6 hours ago, blue_and_white said:

True but IMO that's where Rovers are fighting a losing battle.

Rovers' future hinges on getting Blackburn's Asian population to matches. Every year that isn't happening (in large numbers, know there are some that go), our fanbase is decreasing. Without Mill Hill and Darwen I shudder to think what our attendances would be these days.

There's also the gloryhunter effect that takes its toll on us more than most clubs. We've Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool practically on our doorstep and if anyone still plays a bit of 5-a-side in the area (the Soccerdome in Guide for example), you don't see many kids running around in Rovers shirts.

I genuinely think we're a League One size club now without Venkys, that's just the way things have gone in the area.

To grow it the future yes for sure but to get people back in now it needs imaginative pricing. The majority of fans picking and choosing or lapsed are no doubt from the non Asian community. 

The biggest immediate problem facing the club is to hold on to what we have and get a few thousand of the others back regularly.

Whilst of course trying to grow regular attenders from other communities and the wider areas, it should go hand in glove not one or the other.

Edited September 4, 2022 by tomphil

[matt83]

They were shite 12 years ago and are still shite today. Every area of the club from players to manager, ground to ground staff, boardroom to fanbase, league position to reputation within the game, debt to turnover is significantly worse today than it was when they arrived to look after “their baby.”

The cost of rovers to our regal owners is probably the equivalent cost of an annual unused gym membership to us mere mortals. Too little to be bothered to cancel it but just enough to remember it’s there. The club cannot move on until they bugger off and hopefully it’ll be one day soon 

[broadsword]

12 minutes ago, matt83 said:

They were shite 12 years ago and are still shite today. Every area of the club from players to manager, ground to ground staff, boardroom to fanbase, league position to reputation within the game, debt to turnover is significantly worse today than it was when they arrived to look after “their baby.”

The cost of rovers to our regal owners is probably the equivalent cost of an annual unused gym membership to us mere mortals. Too little to be bothered to cancel it but just enough to remember it’s there. The club cannot move on until they bugger off and hopefully it’ll be one day soon 

Hear hear. 

 

Let's not forget these people aren't whiter than white innocent dupes. Yer man balaji got the jump with a minion and slapped him about with an iron bat on a cellar. Lady desai got into trouble for railroading environmental concerns when doing a debtor. 

 

And just look at the state Ewood has fallen into. 

I'm not forgiving or forgetting and I'll not become an uncle Tom just too spare the feelings of these shit bags who've done so much damage to this club. 

FUCK 'EM! 

Edited September 4, 2022 by broadsword

[TimmyJimmy]

26 minutes ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

What utter bollocks.

Put us into admin, fuck off and take your debt to yourselves with you, don't forget to sell the training ground back to the club for £1, take your legacy with you (oh sorry you never created one) and don't ever come to Blackburn again.

Then we will rebuild our club regardless which division we are in.

Well the title is "Venkys - Welcome or Unwelcome" and so naturally I assumed it was inviting a variety of commentary, obviously though I missed the fact that you hold the "utter bollocks" veto. I'd better run away with my tail between my legs now that you've spoken.

Your opinion though is not my opinion so bollocks or not I'm going to state it.

If you don't want the relationship to work then fair enough, I suggest you start a thread titled something along the lines of "Should we declare bankruptcy/liquidation", I'd be interested in the yes/no response.

If we start from the premise that Venkys won't sell and are here to stay then my question to you is how do you make the best of that situation. Not making the best of a bad job hurts the club and personally I don't see that as being sensible.

If you favour the nuclear option then fair enough I respect your opinion - though I think it's  totally wrong headed.

It helps us both that we don't know each other as I find your tone overly aggressive and I don't think we'd get along.

[Blue blood]

3 hours ago, TimmyJimmy said:

If Venkys won't sell then at some point we have to draw them into our passion for the club. Constantly saying "you're not welcome", "you're not in our gang", "you're corrupt", "come to Ewood and I'll give you a piece of my mind", etc., etc., isn't going to make them get what it is to be a real Rovers supporter.  They need to turn up and experience reality rather than understand us only as a line item on their P&L.

Nobody has enjoyed the last decade, I guess they haven't enjoyed pissing 200M up the wall but at some point I think all parties should draw a line under the nightmare and invite them to start with us again.

Hopefully they'll be chasened by their experiences, dislike and avoid SEM and their like as much as we do and try to be become real fans like the rest of us.

They'll learn nowt staying in Pune, get them over here, by em a few pints, watch a few matches, post a few comments on here, show them what it means to be real Rovers fans.

 

I totally get where you are coming from and see the reasoning. The problem with this is - beyond is the past forgivable - is you can't draw a line when one party is still screwing over the other. 

There has been so many muck ups over the last few years alone, and imo, they continue to run us in a shoddy manner. How do you draw a line under things when one party continues to do what caused the rift in the first place? How do you move on when the same issues remain (much less any statement of regret or apology, albeit these are wishful thinking)? How can you draw a line under it when one party clearly and demonstrably doesn't care? 

Tbh I think the majority or at least a decent number of fans would welcome them. However that doesn't seem to have increased their inclination to be involved or visit. In fact their lack of attendance again underlines why we can't move on. They just don't give a stuff. 

[Crimpshrine]

I've recently been in USA. Americans are sports mad and like to talk about it. In addition to baseball, American football etc, I talked with a number of locals about our football and they were all asking about Wrexham. I saw adverts for the 'Welcome to Wrexham' TV series in at leaset 3 different cities. Ok, so the two guys that bought Wrexham are famous Hollywood actors so already have a high profile but they are really putting a lot of effort, care and attention into the club and America is loving it. One guy I spoke to knew that Wrexham once beat Arsenal but didn't know that the Red Sox guy owns Liverpool which just goes to show what can be done with a bit of marketing. I really believe that Wrexham will benefit massively from all this and the club will go from strength to strength.

In terms of Money, Venky's blow the Wrexham guys out of the water. India is also a sports mad country and the potential is massive. Remember when Rovers were going to be India's Premier team and there would be Rovers' academies all over the country. What happened to that? If Venky's wanted to, they could drum up interest in India. Imagine if a fraction of the sports loving country were interested enough to pay for Rovers TV or buy a shirt. Why not have a link to an Indian IPL cricket team and show Rovers matches before a cricket match or during the breaks in play? Why not a TV series in India on the Indian owned football club ?

We all know the endless possibilities, however, it is quite clear none of this will ever materialise because Venky's don't want it to or simply can't be arsed.  This will never change.

We all want Rovers to win football matches but, in my opinion, any talk of chumming up to the owners and expecting some sort of benefit for the club at this point is simply a lost cause. If we have any desire to put the club back on a steady footing and have something to believe in once again, we should put all our effort and endeavour into persuading Venky's to sell up. How best to do that is the question.

[TimmyJimmy]

2 hours ago, Blue blood said:

I totally get where you are coming from and see the reasoning. The problem with this is - beyond is the past forgivable - is you can't draw a line when one party is still screwing over the other. 

There has been so many muck ups over the last few years alone, and imo, they continue to run us in a shoddy manner. How do you draw a line under things when one party continues to do what caused the rift in the first place? How do you move on when the same issues remain (much less any statement of regret or apology, albeit these are wishful thinking)? How can you draw a line under it when one party clearly and demonstrably doesn't care? 

Tbh I think the majority or at least a decent number of fans would welcome them. However that doesn't seem to have increased their inclination to be involved or visit. In fact their lack of attendance again underlines why we can't move on. They just don't give a stuff. 

Fair comment, I get that. I guess it comes down to whether we think they are incompetent or malicious. Agree that after so many years the second option has a lot going for it.

Still though we really don't know them and there's a possibility that they're decent people who just mess up by trusting others - they clearly don't have a clue about running a football club themselves.

To make progress I'd vote to welcome them to Ewood and see where we get to, you never know, they might become fans.

I respect other views, this is just my two pennies worth.

[lraC]

5 hours ago, TimmyJimmy said:

Fair comment, I get that. I guess it comes down to whether we think they are incompetent or malicious. Agree that after so many years the second option has a lot going for it.

Still though we really don't know them and there's a possibility that they're decent people who just mess up by trusting others - they clearly don't have a clue about running a football club themselves.

To make progress I'd vote to welcome them to Ewood and see where we get to, you never know, they might become fans.

I respect other views, this is just my two pennies worth.

I would add a third reason here which is disinterested. They were sold this in the first place and the rumors it was not their money that bought the club, could well be true. Fortunately for them they are rich enough to carry this and for some reason continue to do so. They have placed an employee in Pasha here, who says nothing ever to anyone. 

[arbitro]

10 hours ago, matt83 said:

They were shite 12 years ago and are still shite today. Every area of the club from players to manager, ground to ground staff, boardroom to fanbase, league position to reputation within the game, debt to turnover is significantly worse today than it was when they arrived to look after “their baby.”

The cost of rovers to our regal owners is probably the equivalent cost of an annual unused gym membership to us mere mortals. Too little to be bothered to cancel it but just enough to remember it’s there. The club cannot move on until they bugger off and hopefully it’ll be one day soon 

I spoke to an employee of long standing at Rovers recently and was told that in the 12 years since that lot rocked up the majority of non footballing start have had two pay rises in that time.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

14 hours ago, broadsword said:

Let's not forget these people aren't whiter than white innocent dupes. Yer man balaji got the jump with a minion and slapped him about with an iron bat on a cellar. Lady desai got into trouble for railroading environmental concerns when doing a debtor. 

And just look at the state Ewood has fallen into.

 

 

 

Fit and proper owners eh?

TJ enthuses about opening the door to them?..they have had twelve years but have chosen to slam that door shut in the faces of the fans.For all their supposed financial opulence and Philanthropy the overall general opinion of them is negative.

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Mattyblue]

Unlike a few years ago, if they came next week they’d get a largely decent reception, but as they don’t give a flying feck, they won’t come, so won’t get any reception.

Not sure what else there is to add and why we have this debate every season. The ball is in their court, there’s nowt stopping them - the fanbase doesn’t need to roll out the proverbial red carpet (though the nouveau riche cretins would expect the pleb staff at Ewood to lay one down anyway).
 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Take a look at the picture of a 2/3 empty Riverside on the front page of site....a damning evaluation if ever there was one of their tenure at this Club.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The obvious answer - don't come when it is snowing.

[lraC]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

Unlike a few years ago, if they came next week they’d get a largely decent reception, but as they don’t give a flying feck, they won’t come, so won’t get any reception.

Not sure what else there is to add and why we have this debate every season. The ball is in their court, there’s nowt stopping them - the fanbase doesn’t need to roll out the proverbial red carpet (though the nouveau riche cretins would expect the pleb staff at Ewood to lay one down anyway).
 

Even if one of the just turned up, to an away game in London, when he makes one of his trips to the capital. At least it would show the fans that there is the slightest bit of interest still from these ever so humble people.

[broadsword]

1 minute ago, lraC said:

Even if one of the just turned up, to an away game in London, when he makes one of his trips to the capital. At least it would show the fans that there is the slightest bit of interest still from these ever so humble people.

Instead there'll be some bs letter at the start of the season, a copy and paste job of what was send the year before

[47er]

3 minutes ago, lraC said:

Even if one of the just turned up, to an away game in London, when he makes one of his trips to the capital. At least it would show the fans that there is the slightest bit of interest still from these ever so humble people.

So given that they haven't come can we assume there isn't the slightest bit of interest?