Steve Waggott

[Andy]

3 hours ago, 47er said:

Given that Venkys are going nowhere. and therefore nor is Suhail, and nor it seems is Waggot, what we need is some informal little group of 2 or 3 supporters that he meets from time to time and can talk with him. People who can tell him what the fans really think and  what's needed to win some back and create new ones. Plenty of good ideas come up on this forum but there's no mechanism to do anything about them.

Rovers Forum is the nearest we've got but....

One day, when/if 50+ comes in all clubs will have fan input, in the meantime Waggot is operating in a vacuum. He's not a Rovers supporter, he's not from round here, he doesn't really seem to have much clue about what's needed to rebuild this great old club. It starts at the bottom---with the fans.

 

I was thinking exactly the same.

It's easy for rumour or misconception to become truth, as we've seen so many times.

Having an open channel of (honest) communication would make a massive amount of difference for all of us.

I'd love to be involved in something like this.

[oldjamfan1]

Well I have nothing to prove to anyone in respect of my job and my talents as an organisational leader and I can definitely smell bullshit from a mile away but I have met worse chief execs than Steve Waggott, far far worse ones. I do think his heart is in the right place and I do think that those of us who have met with him need to continue to be his ‘critical friends’. 
 

Well done to Glen, Chaddy, Nick, 1864Rover, the Rovers Trust and anyone else who has influenced him over the past 18 months or so. Keep it up!

[Mattyblue]

And that’s all fine, I’ve absolutely no issue with him on a personal level, sounds like a jovial host, an enthusiastic chap.

I do, however, have an issue with his actual results when it comes to the commerical/attendance aspect of the job he has done. He has been an appalling CEO on that vital aspect of being the main man at a football club, and I don’t need to sit across a table, to ‘see the whites of his eyes’ and all the rest of it to come to that conclusion, his record speaks for itself.

When it comes to the commercial side, the club can and must expect better from Execs, I.e they actually have a track record of tangible success, not just be happy that the CEO is a positive fella who can hold court with fans and whose ‘heart is in the right place’

Edited July 23, 2022 by Mattyblue

[roversfan99]

I don't get why people who meet Waggott feel the need to go out of their way to suggest that their background/job makes them less likely to be "fooled" into being bullshitted by him.

Ultimately I don't think many if any people have questioned him as a bloke, but there seems to be a shift following these meetings to people judging him on how he is rather than what he does, these meetings are a very savvy move by him.

[Upside Down]

Results are what counts. If he's a right good bloke and has passion then great. But time and time again he has failed. The season ticket prices this year are a prime example of this. I understand that it isn't just him making all of the decisions but he is the top man and therefore the buck stops at his door. 

Under his stewardship the club has done very little to proactively deal with the issues that are faced. Instead its just more and more penny pinching and austerity. The only thing that comes out of austerity is more austerity. 

Oh and trying to flog half the training ground is a bit of a negative as far as I'm concerned. 

Also, if there is all this money available from the owners, who apparently never refuse to sign a cheque, then why is the stadium in the state it is, why don't we have a first rate pitch at all times and why don't we have absolutely world class training facilities? 

Edited July 24, 2022 by Upside Down

[oldjamfan1]

18 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I don't get why people who meet Waggott feel the need to go out of their way to suggest that their background/job makes them less likely to be "fooled" into being bullshitted by him.

I’ll tell you why. Mainly in response to the many childish comments on this forum about ‘Waggott’s Kool Aid’ and other snidey remarks alleging that  people who are die hard Rovers fans simply trying to improve communications with the club are being brainwashed in some way. I particularly think that @1864roveritehas taken a lot of unwarranted stick in relation to his background in interviewing people and his subsequent views on Waggott.  It’s a pretty sad place really when people (myself included) felt a need to caviat/defend our opinions of the Rovers CEO in that way. 
 

 

[Mattyblue]

1864 brings it on himself with his childish tone and never actually offering any feedback that isn’t either cryptic, ‘I know things you don’t know!’ or ‘Err, well, YOU run the club then!’ (and I agree with you, by the way, on the personal nature of some of the stuff towards Waggott on here also contributing nothing to the issues at hand.)

However, you and the other conduits are consistently missing the point. No issue that you have opened a line of communication, that’s obviously a good thing. No issue that you find him a solid bloke doing his best, glad to hear it after some of the scumbags we’ve had here previously.

The point is, he has been an abject failure on the commercial side, yet you, 1864, darren etc seem to want to skirt past his incompetence as you find him a convivial fella.

Results, dear boy results, and he ain’t delivered them in five years, so it’s time for a new approach. Nowt personal, just business - and we surely all must agree that we are in a very big hole commercially and he obviously isn’t the answer.

Edited July 24, 2022 by Mattyblue

[damo100]

35 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

1864 brings it on himself with his childish tone and never actually offering any feedback that isn’t either cryptic, ‘I know things you don’t know!’ or ‘Err, well, YOU run the club then!’ (and I agree with you, by the way, on the personal nature of some of the stuff towards Waggott on here also contributing nothing to the issues at hand.)

However, you and the other conduits are consistently missing the point. No issue that you have opened a line of communication, that’s obviously a good thing. No issue that you find him a solid bloke doing his best, glad to hear it after some of the scumbags we’ve had here previously.

The point is, he has been an abject failure on the commercial side, yet you, 1864, darren etc seem to want to skirt past his incompetence as you find him a convivial fella.

Results, dear boy results, and he ain’t delivered them in five years, so it’s time for a new approach. Nowt personal, just business - and we surely all must agree that we are in a very big hole commercially and he obviously isn’t the answer.

Great Post. 

100% spot on.

[iacok]

3 hours ago, damo100 said:

Great Post. 

100% spot on.

Agreed!

[Gav]

4 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I’ll tell you why. Mainly in response to the many childish comments on this forum about ‘Waggott’s Kool Aid’ and other snidey remarks alleging that  people who are die hard Rovers fans simply trying to improve communications with the club are being brainwashed in some way. I particularly think that @1864roveritehas taken a lot of unwarranted stick in relation to his background in interviewing people and his subsequent views on Waggott.  It’s a pretty sad place really when people (myself included) felt a need to caviat/defend our opinions of the Rovers CEO in that way. 

Not aimed at you OJF.

Its the cock waving I believe that pisses everyone off OJF, the private messages to attack other posters was a particular low point on here for me.

One poster had a meeting with Waggott and published every last word, which put things into perspective.

Edited July 24, 2022 by Gav

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, Gav said:

Not aimed at you OJF.

Its the cock waving I believe that pisses everyone off OJF, the private messages to attack other posters was a particular low point on here for me.

One poster had a meeting with Waggott and published every last word, which put things into perspective.

I understand that Gav, my response (that you quoted) was a direct answer to   the poster who seemed to take issue with me caveating my Waggott remarks with “I can smell bullshit from a mile away”. It doesn’t really matter what my background or experience is but given the general mood of the forum (and the frankly childish comments aimed at anyone that had met with Waggott) made me feel like I did have to make the point that Waggott wasn’t dealing with Mr Gullible. My convos with Waggott are a matter of record and rightly so. 
I am not aware of any of the willy waving you describe as tbh I don’t follow this thread that closely.

[Guest]

On 23/07/2022 at 10:44, Mattyblue said:

It is just bizarre that as more and more of our fanbase lives outside the town (their own ticket data will tell them that) the club is doing less and less in those areas and seems to think fan engagement begins and ends at the arbitrary BwD borders.

All this lauding of Waggott needs to be dialled down, the bloke has been a complete disaster commercially.

It's an interesting point I'd never thought of. The group of 5 I sit with, as well as the 15-20 I attend away games with, none of them live or have ever lived, in Blackburn town.

[lraC]

2 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

It's an interesting point I'd never thought of. The group of 5 I sit with, as well as the 15-20 I attend away games with, none of them live or have ever lived, in Blackburn town.

It is massively important that we keep the fans coming from as far and wide as possible. I lived in Blackburn for the whole of my childhood and fell in love with Rovers as a 7 year old. My son and daughter were born in Blackburn, but with their late mother being from Bolton,  meant they were brought up there. They both had season tickets as kids and my son is still Rovers mad to this day.

Mt Grandon was born in Preston and is now a Rovers fan and has been to a few games, even though he is only 8. All three of us, will be at the Swansea away game, which is the next time, I am in the country.

It upsets me that directly due to Waggott, I know of a family that no longer buy a season ticket or attend matches, as I am sure other fans like me, secure what hopefully is the next generation of fans, by simply passing on our passion to our children and grand children. It is terrible that loyal fans have been lost  to ineptitude and crazy remarks aimed at people by the CEO.

I love the club enough to do that and that why I said what I did about GM's meeting with SW. we need everyone pulling in the same direction, including these that may only see it as a job.

[Sweaty Gussets]

The Envelope Works become an Official Club Partner! | rovers.co.uk

Waggott has got this commerical stuff licked. He always delivers. 

[arbitro]

7 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

The Envelope Works become an Official Club Partner! | rovers.co.uk

Waggott has got this commerical stuff licked. He always delivers. 

He has certainly stamped his mark on our club. He still wears the fools cap to me though.

[Hasta]

Don’t get it. This deal is nothing to write home about.

[Sweaty Gussets]

5 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Was it really necessary to post that?

Quite frank(ing)ly, yes it was. 

[oldjamfan1]

Stick to your day jobs lads.

[tomphil]

Waggot needs returning to sender.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Waggot needs returning to sender.

I just wish he was, not known at this address.

[Oldgregg86]

Letterbox

[Hi Mack]

I hate the fact Ewood won’t be bouncing tomorrow. You look at Preston and Burnley and they’ve smashed ST sales. I wouldn’t say either are expecting exceptional seasons  but with a few clever ideas they’ve bonded the fan bases and ST sales have been exceptional.

is Waggot totally oblivious or totally pigheaded to realise this? 

[Mattyblue]

We scraped 10k on the first day last season.

Looks like c13k tomorrow, so an obvious new era boost even at these ridiculous prices… so just imagine what a bit of imagination could do.

[chaddyrovers]

51 minutes ago, Hi Mack said:

I hate the fact Ewood won’t be bouncing tomorrow. You look at Preston and Burnley and they’ve smashed ST sales. I wouldn’t say either are expecting exceptional seasons  but with a few clever ideas they’ve bonded the fan bases and ST sales have been exceptional.

is Waggot totally oblivious or totally pigheaded to realise this? 

I reckon they will be over 12k Rovers fans on for the QPR game

[JHRover]

According to Waggott (I know, I know) there are around 1,000 people who held season tickets last year who haven't yet renewed for this year.

I find that to be alarming and I would hope Waggott does too. Given we are only starting from a base of circa 8,000 season ticket holders to begin with, to face a situation where 13% of those are not renewing, despite a decent season last year and the new manager ''bounce'' suggests there is something very wrong.

Of course some of that is natural drop off and will be replaced by new people which has been the case since the start of time, but I do think that is a high number / percentage, especially when you factor in that renewals got the cheaper 'loyalty' price  - so I'm not sure how much of this can be put down to pricing alone.