Venkys - Welcome or Not?

[JHRover]

33 minutes ago, neophox said:

Venkys did alot wrong in the beginning but since going down to league one they disappeared and now the club seems to be running well. Look at Wigan and Bolton...would you swap?

By the same token look at Burnley, Palace, Brighton....would you swap?

We were streets ahead of those clubs until Venkys ruined us and now we are well behind.

There will always be examples of clubs that have or are currently having a worse time than us. Just like there will always be examples of clubs who have passed us by. 

Fact is we are a shell of the club we were and will remain so under this regime.

I struggle to express gratitude that we are a mid table Championship side unable to maintain our stadium properly but celebrate that at least we aren't Bolton.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

14 minutes ago, JHRover said:

By the same token look at Burnley, Palace, Brighton....would you swap?

We were streets ahead of those clubs until Venkys ruined us and now we are well behind.

There will always be examples of clubs that have or are currently having a worse time than us. Just like there will always be examples of clubs who have passed us by. 

Fact is we are a shell of the club we were and will remain so under this regime.

I struggle to express gratitude that we are a mid table Championship side unable to maintain our stadium properly but celebrate that at least we aren't Bolton.

I agree, we'll never thrive with this lot in charge. Irrespective of their sheer lack of football intelligence, you can't run a football club by remote control.

Edited February 3, 2021 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, neophox said:

Venkys did alot wrong in the beginning but since going down to league one they disappeared and now the club seems to be running well. Look at Wigan and Bolton...would you swap?

What is as good/better now than when they rocked up?

Just staying in the PL for their tenure would have been worth nigh on a billion pounds.

[Claytons Left Boot]

16 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

I wonder if our memories of Plymouth 5-2 and Boxing Day at t’Turd would be tarnished by endless replays showing plenty of mistakes in our play. I can recall exactly our goals at Burnley..

I’d pay very good money for a tape/dvd of the Boxing Day 1977 game. Just had a look on YouTube and, as expected there’s nothing. I suppose with the game being at their place, the result and Rovers fans taking over, there would have been very little demand for a tape of the game (if indeed it was taped) from our six fingered ‘friends.’

[Blue blood]

3 hours ago, neophox said:

Venkys did alot wrong in the beginning but since going down to league one they disappeared and now the club seems to be running well. Look at Wigan and Bolton...would you swap?

We here this quite a bit and to be honest neophox  I'm a tad baffled by it on a couple of levels. 

Firstly there's the massive issue of putting the pre League 1 stuff to bed. I mean they took a solid Premiership club, relatively debt free, got us relegated twice, let agents and chancers of players suck us dry, have one of the worst managers ever (Coyle) and the most appalling excuse for a human being in Lean to be manager too. We've now got a huge debt, lost half our fan base and are a mid-table Championship side that are dependent on their largess. That's horrific. Should they be given any kind of second chance in light of that? I'm not convinced.

Then there's the idea of us being well run now. Again I don't think that's the case. In comparison to before, maybe, but that's not well run, it's badly run as oppose to suicidality run. The pitch is terrible, the stadium is run down. The fan base hasn't been re-established. We have picked the last three managers all from the same agency, and the current one seems bullet proof and immune from scrutiny by them. He's been on runs that would see any other manager sacked and even managed to appoint his mate as his boss. We haven't spent a permanent fee on a defender since League 1 and contracts seem to be allowed to be run down. That's not being run well in my book.

Comparing to Bolton and Wigan the only reason why we are different is Venkys have stayed - but even that isn't too laudable given how badly we are currently run. For starters the threat hangs over us should they go, and the alternative is that they run us badly and we get nowhere. It's not a great comparison because when the only alternative to make an owner look good is administration, you know the owner is pretty terrible. It'd be like me asking a girl out and saying well at least I'm not a murderer. It's damning with faint praise at best. . . 

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, neophox said:

Venkys did alot wrong in the beginning but since going down to league one they disappeared and now the club seems to be running well. Look at Wigan and Bolton...would you swap?

Are we back to judging Venkys by the standard of not allowing us to almost go out of business?

[Kie_BRFC]

There's been quite a lot made the past few days about younger supporters experience and how their only awareness of success has been the past few years. Whilst I'd somewhat agree with that, I wouldn't say it's the same for all younger fans. Being 22 my favourite memories were the Hughes years, particularly the FA Cup run till we lost at Old Trafford. 

Although obviously the main success I've witnessed in the league was the league 1 season, people around my age do still remember the better times and what Venky's have reduced us to. Having said that maybe I've only got that opinion because of who my dad is (ABBEY 🙄😂).

The facebook groups on the other hand are absolutely nauseating. Whilst Venky's are backing the club at the minute is a good thing, it's their responsibility as owners, so I don't understand this need to constantly praise them for doing the bare minimum - paying their own bills. 

Edited February 3, 2021 by Kie_BRFC

[Gav]

9 hours ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

I’d pay very good money for a tape/dvd of the Boxing Day 1977 game. Just had a look on YouTube and, as expected there’s nothing. I suppose with the game being at their place, the result and Rovers fans taking over, there would have been very little demand for a tape of the game (if indeed it was taped) from our six fingered ‘friends.’

10,000+ Rovers fans.

Away sections full at 2pm - 1000’s sent to the beehole end, scene from Zulu as the fans battled throughout the game. 

I wasn’t there, gutted.

@USABlue was, @trs was.

Over to you chaps.

[DeeCee]

14 minutes ago, Gav said:

10,000+ Rovers fans.

Away sections full at 2pm - 1000’s sent to the beehole end, scene from Zulu as the fans battled throughout the game. 

I wasn’t there, gutted.

@USABlue was, @trs was.

Over to you chaps.

Yes I was there 😁

[Claytons Left Boot]

16 hours ago, Gav said:

10,000+ Rovers fans.

Away sections full at 2pm - 1000’s sent to the beehole end, scene from Zulu as the fans battled throughout the game. 

I wasn’t there, gutted.

@USABlue was, @trs was.

Over to you chaps.

Atmosphere wise, best Rovers game ever. We got on just before they locked the gates to the away section at 2pm. It was rammed in there. As you say there were two or three thousand Rovers fans on the Beehole End, maybe more. We scored early and Rovers fans queuing to get on the Beehole End thought Burnley had scored, the roar was so loud. Fights were breaking out all over the shop and hundreds of Rovers fans were led out around the perimeter of the pitch and somehow shoehorned into the Longside. I remember EiT commenting about this game in the past, a guy near him crapped into a pint pot and lobbed it over into the six fingered lot. There were Rovers fans in the Cricket Field Stand as well. We absolutely murdered them and missed a pen to make it 4-0 just before half time. They somehow scored twice to make the score look respectable and with the ref playing seven minutes injury time, I was biting my fingernails at the end to say the least. The atmosphere on the Longside with the fans side by side was generally superb and probably the best in the entire league but, with this game being an East Lancs Derby, it was white hot. Never to be repeated, unfortunately. 

[Leonard Venkhater]

21 minutes ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

Atmosphere wise, best Rovers game ever. We got on just before they locked the gates to the away section at 2pm. It was rammed in there. As you say there were two or three thousand Rovers fans on the Beehole End, maybe more. We scored early and Rovers fans queuing to get on the Beehole End thought Burnley had scored, the roar was so loud. Fights were breaking out all over the shop and hundreds of Rovers fans were led out around the perimeter of the pitch and somehow shoehorned into the Longside. I remember EiT commenting about this game in the past, a guy near him crapped into a pint pot and lobbed it over into the six fingered lot. There were Rovers fans in the Cricket Field Stand as well. We absolutely murdered them and missed a pen to make it 4-0 just before half time. They somehow scored twice to make the score look respectable and with the ref playing seven minutes injury time, I was biting my fingernails at the end to say the least. The atmosphere on the Longside with the fans side by side was generally superb and probably the best in the entire league but, with this game being an East Lancs Derby, it was white hot. Never to be repeated, unfortunately. 

One of the best ever days to be a Rovers fan. Pictures marked indelibly into my brain....... Light snow on the pitch, Rovers in blue shorts, Mecky spraying the orange ball with aplomb...Waggy rounding the keeper, Keith Fear's missed pen, Noble's big, fat bald head, extreme tension for the last 15 minutes. Ecstasy at the final whistle......fear ( not Keith)going to the car!

[tomphil]

On 03/02/2021 at 10:35, neophox said:

Venkys did alot wrong in the beginning but since going down to league one they disappeared and now the club seems to be running well. Look at Wigan and Bolton...would you swap?

Point is if or when they did leave we might go that way and it would all be down to them. They've created a scenario that leaves us only their monthly money injections  keeping us away from the cliff edge.

Not sure credit is the right word it's more relief than anything.

[Exiled in Toronto]

5 hours ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

Atmosphere wise, best Rovers game ever. We got on just before they locked the gates to the away section at 2pm. It was rammed in there. As you say there were two or three thousand Rovers fans on the Beehole End, maybe more. We scored early and Rovers fans queuing to get on the Beehole End thought Burnley had scored, the roar was so loud. Fights were breaking out all over the shop and hundreds of Rovers fans were led out around the perimeter of the pitch and somehow shoehorned into the Longside. I remember EiT commenting about this game in the past, a guy near him crapped into a pint pot and lobbed it over into the six fingered lot. There were Rovers fans in the Cricket Field Stand as well. We absolutely murdered them and missed a pen to make it 4-0 just before half time. They somehow scored twice to make the score look respectable and with the ref playing seven minutes injury time, I was biting my fingernails at the end to say the least. The atmosphere on the Longside with the fans side by side was generally superb and probably the best in the entire league but, with this game being an East Lancs Derby, it was white hot. Never to be repeated, unfortunately. 

Your memory is going, old man! Fear missed the pen at the Bee Hole end early in the second half. 😉

Easily the most intense atmosphere at a game I can remember, even more so than VE Day, turbo-charged by the Longside configuration, standing, pint pots to crap in, and pay on the day.

[JBiz]

16 hours ago, tomphil said:

Point is if or when they did leave we might go that way and it would all be down to them. They've created a scenario that leaves us only their monthly money injections  keeping us away from the cliff edge.

Not sure credit is the right word it's more relief than anything.

I have this in a way.

Never confident that mistakes are behind them but relieved they’ve pretty much left decisions to TM/SW since hiring both. No coincidence this was after spending millions on KPMG and other investigative work into previous governance.

There is a worry that the next decision will be the most important one - and I don’t have “confidence” in this being the right one.

I guess the relief is they’re not simply here to use the club as a cash cow - even after all of the conspiracy stuff over the years, they’ll ultimately cover the shortfall of our income at this level.

Which essentially could be described as “accepting the responsibility of their errors”. 

 

 

[TimmyJimmy]

Welcome or not? OK this is my take on it.

I'm an old guy. I've had to deal with some serious health issues in my past but right now I'm good and have convinced myself that the nightmare times are well and truly behind me. I get up every morning and thank all that's holy that I've been given this day and try to live it with a vigour and verve. The past belongs in the past and it's not going to clutter up my present.

The Venky's made terrible choices, really terrible choices. The club almost went under. At one point I could see no way back. We were not only crap at football but we had lost our soul as a club with allegations of corruption and dirty dealings. Then Mowbray arrived and gave us something back that I feared was lost forever. I'm proud of my club again.

The football has been iffy and patchy but at least we are the Rovers again and I can say that with pride.

What's past is past, today is what's important and looking at the Venky's through that lense, they're doing alright.

I'm grateful for their continued support of the club and for me long may it continue.   Time for the hatchet to be buried, I'll judge them now only on what happens going forward. I'm sure they are as hurt as we are about the naïve and gullible early days but it's time to get on with things, we have work to do and the top 6 calls us on.

Well that's my two pennies worth, I say forgive and forget.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I'd be less angry about it all if they came out in person and admitted they'd ballsed up big time. if they spilled the beans as to just what has gone on in the past. They then need to show up in person to face the music and they need to be seen to be giving the club and the fans the respect we deserve.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Mattyblue]

I sincerely doubt they are ‘as hurt as we are’, to us it’s a massively important part of our lives, generations of support. To them we are a loss making, far flung part of their conglomerate that I doubt they give must thought to, certainly not of the emotional variety, in any case. We go bust tomorrow, we would be absolutely bereft, they would be embarrassed and financially stung, but I’m sure the share price and poultry/pharmaceutical sales wouldn’t take much of a dent.

It’s their pride (and balance sheet) that will have been hurt - which probably explains why they keep on throwing in good money after bad, which is to be thankful of, I suppose...

Edited February 5, 2021 by Mattyblue

[O'Malley]

19 hours ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

Atmosphere wise, best Rovers game ever. We got on just before they locked the gates to the away section at 2pm. It was rammed in there. As you say there were two or three thousand Rovers fans on the Beehole End, maybe more. We scored early and Rovers fans queuing to get on the Beehole End thought Burnley had scored, the roar was so loud. Fights were breaking out all over the shop and hundreds of Rovers fans were led out around the perimeter of the pitch and somehow shoehorned into the Longside. I remember EiT commenting about this game in the past, a guy near him crapped into a pint pot and lobbed it over into the six fingered lot. There were Rovers fans in the Cricket Field Stand as well. We absolutely murdered them and missed a pen to make it 4-0 just before half time. They somehow scored twice to make the score look respectable and with the ref playing seven minutes injury time, I was biting my fingernails at the end to say the least. The atmosphere on the Longside with the fans side by side was generally superb and probably the best in the entire league but, with this game being an East Lancs Derby, it was white hot. Never to be repeated, unfortunately. 

I was there and it was my first away game. I have memories of Accrington town centre being totally blue and white, an Edgar Pickering Transit van with around 20 blokes in the back, a pub in Hapton with hundreds of Rovers fans on the car park, blue and white 'Ecky Thump' hats and walking down the side of the cricket club and seeing the packed mass of Rovers fans bouncing on the Longside. I was in the Cricket Field Stand with my mate and his Dad and, although I was only 10, I have a distinct memory of it being mainly Rovers fans in there.

[tomphil]

The fact they have not only guaranteed to see the club through the covid times but also sanctioning signings as well is quite a statement.

Says to me they really are in it for the long run and have really bought into Mowbrays slow train sales pitch. Either that or they see a large couple of sales on the horizon to cover some of it,

The hunch i have now is they are trying to built up the clubs assets as much as possible. Happy for the core VH group to cover running costs and maybe happy to tie up a bit of cash personal or otherwise on investment signings. 

This could be backed up by the no sales policy for anyone the manager wants to keep unless crazy figures come in.

If they end up with c100 million of assets on the books that on paper at least looks better for the balance sheet. Half jusifies the 150m+ they fenced over here to keep the show on the road ( and fill up the various pigs troughs).  Would certainly look more comfortable to their bankers / shareholders etc.

Edited February 5, 2021 by tomphil

[Butty]

They’re only welcome if it’s snowing 😉

[Vilesinner]

They made a mistake but stuck around to make things right. And supported is in the transfer market in a time of great trouble.

I applaud the Venkys. 

 

[roversfan99]

A mistake? Singular?

[matt83]

23 minutes ago, Vilesinner said:

They made a mistake but stuck around to make things right. And supported is in the transfer market in a time of great trouble.

I applaud the Venkys. 

 

What have they made right out of interest?

[Vilesinner]

2 hours ago, matt83 said:

What have they made right out of interest?

Invested heavily in both the £3 million a year for the thriving academy, and the brilliant support this season in the transfer market. 

[roversfan99]

24 minutes ago, Vilesinner said:

Invested heavily in both the £3 million a year for the thriving academy, and the brilliant support this season in the transfer market. 

"Brilliant" support this season? A few hundred grand on a keeper, a nominal fee for another, a few more hundred grand on a left back from Crewe and a lorry load of loans. In the circumstances the manager cant complain too much but "brilliant" supports seems a little dare I say provocatively hyperbolic.