v Blackpool (a) - 2/10/21

[1864roverite]

I have not once advocated gratitude, I have simply asked a question - where does the £20m come from to allow us to continue to operate when:

Tv revenue is £8m at best.

Sponsorship money is negligible.

The missing fan base refuse to get behind the club because of the apathy and utterly unbelievable manner in which they have wrecked the solid structure the club once had.

Crowd/Ticket income is paltry to what it has been and what could be.

There still appears to be some gross mismanagement in parts of the football operation side of the business as well as in the commercial side.

 

There is not a doubt better owners would do better because I am certain as blue is blue they would not make the same mistakes as Venkys have. I am also sure that any potential buyer worth their salt would put in place a board that would work across all of the football operation.

It is all good and well wanting them out, I am in that camp but looking at it realistically and with a wider perspective without them the club would not survive in its current guise. 

So to ask the question again, just where is the £20m or so going to come from?

If anyone thinks that if Venkys just upped and left we would see 20k or more fans piling through the gates they are in cloud cuckoo land, 60% of the missing 15k will not come back just because they leave, I doubt we would even see a massive increase in the season ticket numbers (unless of course there is a return to an ambition based pricing policy) and I doubt we would even see a 10-15% increase in general attendances.

 

[Sparks Rover]

48 minutes ago, Gav said:

Absolutely spot on 47er, that’s often ignored in the wider debate.

We are unbuyable Gav.  The running costs are so high for a club playing the shitty football we are and with the very average squad of little value and low gates.

We are.screwed because only a shyster will buy us with the intention of dumbing us down even more.

We need promotion or another Jack.  Promotion means another manager, same owners sadly.

I actually believe they'd chuck a lot of money at us I'd we got up....

[Crimpshrine]

27 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

It’s not a doomsday or any other prediction Gav it’s my opinion and view. Until we see a new owner come forward then we are stuck with what we have and as of yet there is no one coming forwards with either a view to buying or significantly investing to purchase a majority shareholding in the club

There may be no evidence ( that you have seen ) of third parties being interested in buying Rovers - but things may be happening that we don't know about.

There is also no evidence that Venky's will suddenly start taking a proper interest in the club. The last 11 years suggest they won't. At some point they will bail out and the future of the club may depend on their actions at that time. The longer they stay the more money they may try to recoup.

So the sooner they go the better - I'd be confident we would get new owners with a lot more respect for the club and the fans and the town - maybe less money but more engagement. Venky's riches are just wasted anyway due to their own incompetence.

[roversfan99]

A yearly 20m loss isnt obligatory as part of being a Championship club. 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, 1864roverite said:

It’s not a doomsday or any other prediction Gav it’s my opinion and view. Until we see a new owner come forward then we are stuck with what we have and as of yet there is no one coming forwards with either a view to buying or significantly investing to purchase a majority shareholding in the club

The owners could always try something really novel and put the club up for sale though. The fact they haven't even engaged with potential buyers (and are seemingly happy to write off millions each year) tells me that there is a lot more to this than meets the eye and there is something illicit about the whole thing.

[1864roverite]

Crimpshine, lets be brutally honest, IF and I repeat IF there was a credible buyer looking to purchase BRFC, it would be out there for everyone to see. It would not take a sleuth to find out that information, it wouldnt even take a Nicko character to find it, it would be splashed all over for 2 reasons.

The potential buyer would want it leaked to gauge support from the fan base and of course it would probably force our owners to come out and offer explanations be it to quell or flame further speculation.

So, I havent been able to find any credible link as have many others to a likely buyer other than Mssrs Currie and co a good few years back. I doubt it if even those two would have an interest these days because of the lamentable manner in which we are currently being run.

You suggest there is no investment - well look at the academy first, their pitches are high quality and have been prioritised. That has to be number 1 if the club are ever to succeed and progress further academy prospects and you only have to look at the talent in the u18's to realise just how good some of them look to be.

Pay structure at the club is stable, there is a clear effort to bring down the extortionate wages we have apparently seen paid to moderately good players, that again has to be the right way forward.

For the immediate future, the club must/has to reengage with the fan base, its imperative to try and break this deadlock and get more fans into the ground. It is incumbent to get a pricing policy for tickets in place right across the spectrum. This also has to be a priority for the club. The club must seek to bring in the next generation of fans as well as fans from our BAME background. Ewood has to become the friendly club it once was, a community club and a club that is proud of its heritage. Likewise the fans have to also buy into this so the club moves forward as one.

Communication is virtually non existent unless you go to a fans forum. The club has to realise fans forums represent themselves they DO NOT represent the whole Rovers fan base so they have to break that cycle and reach out to ALL fans. Relying on twitter isnt a good thing, getting the message out there has to be done properly.

Rovers need to ensure the match day experience is memorable. Fanzone is the way to generate a good start to the matchday experience along with the Blues Bar, why they invoke a membership and entry fee is beyond me, its wrong it doesnt generate an income to cover costs and should be available to all fans. The area outside the Blackburn End is big enough to have a couple of bars, large tv gantry and a dj as well as a good number of fans. Its pretty simple to put together if you ask me.

So many things have gone into a rabid decline and need changing and I hope that they succeed with their ambition and current plans.

[simongarnerisgod]

im`e not bothered about promotion,it would be nice but im`e more concerned about getting back to being a properly run club,growing up in the 80`s we did`nt have a farthing to rub together but it felt like we were all in it together with a chairman and manager who had the best interest of the fans and the town,hell we almost got promoted twice during the 80`s on a budget that was non existant,if it goes back to being reminiscent of that era then so be it,ridding ourselves of the indians,maggot and moggadon is the most important issue,they are all toxic and for any happer clapper who thinks mowbray is a saviour they need to take a long look at themselves

[lraC]

1 minute ago, arbitro said:

The owners could always try something really novel and put the club up for sale though. The fact they haven't even engaged with potential buyers (and are seemingly happy to write off millions each year) tells me that there is a lot more to this than meets the eye and there is something illicit about the whole thing.

Spot on and you just need to look back and see what happened in the first 3 years to see a pretty clear picture.

If you haven't watched it, have a look at the Al jazeera documentary on only laundering in football, as it doesn't half tell a tale.

[1864roverite]

3 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The owners could always try something really novel and put the club up for sale though. The fact they haven't even engaged with potential buyers (and are seemingly happy to write off millions each year) tells me that there is a lot more to this than meets the eye and there is something illicit about the whole thing.

Like what exactly?

At worst they write the losses off against the whole VH business empire and the last time I looked there was about 25 different companies aligned.

Looking at the share prices earlier on, they are slightly down but still operating in profit margins that would suggest a £20m loss is pennies tot hem in the grand scale of things.

[lraC]

1 minute ago, simongarnerisgod said:

im`e not bothered about promotion,it would be nice but im`e more concerned about getting back to being a properly run club,growing up in the 80`s we did`nt have a farthing to rub together but it felt like we were all in it together with a chairman and manager who had the best interest of the fans and the town,hell we almost got promoted twice during the 80`s on a budget that was non existant,if it goes back to being reminiscent of that era then so be it,ridding ourselves of the indians,maggot and moggadon is the most important issue,they are all toxic and for any happer clapper who thinks mowbray is a saviour they need to take a long look at themselves

Most fans would settle for that, hence no need for £20 million a year to fund it.

Start again and sell the odd diamond every now and again, just like we used to and bring in the odd bargain, now and again too.

We were looked up to with envy, by most of the football world, when we had the likes of Howard Kendall and Don Mackay who had us punching above our weight, almost every year.

[1864roverite]

2 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

im`e not bothered about promotion,it would be nice but im`e more concerned about getting back to being a properly run club,growing up in the 80`s we did`nt have a farthing to rub together but it felt like we were all in it together with a chairman and manager who had the best interest of the fans and the town,hell we almost got promoted twice during the 80`s on a budget that was non existant,if it goes back to being reminiscent of that era then so be it,ridding ourselves of the indians,maggot and moggadon is the most important issue,they are all toxic and for any happer clapper who thinks mowbray is a saviour they need to take a long look at themselves

Spot on but then again we had a manager that knew his team and knew how to get the best out of the players he had. We also had a united CROWD and fan base, no division and one of the best away followings around.

Thats the difference!

[lraC]

2 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Like what exactly?

At worst they write the losses off against the whole VH business empire and the last time I looked there was about 25 different companies aligned.

Looking at the share prices earlier on, they are slightly down but still operating in profit margins that would suggest a £20m loss is pennies tot hem in the grand scale of things.

And what fun is there in that?

Are you happy to see us repeat the cycle of the last 10 years again?

[lraC]

5 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Spot on but then again we had a manager that knew his team and knew how to get the best out of the players he had. We also had a united CROWD and fan base, no division and one of the best away followings around.

Thats the difference!

Dare I suggest it is Venky's who have caused most of this and get rid of them and we are back to a family run harmonious club again.

Did you notice how harmonious the home fans were on Saturday at Bloomfield, now that their bad apple has been removed?

Edited October 4, 2021 by lraC

[1864roverite]

No I am not. What I would hope for is for wholesale changes across the Football operation.

A change of manager.

A proper board in place.

A full restructuring of the commercial aspect of the club with a proper ambition to generate more funds into the club.

A radical change in ticket pricing, incentives and ambition based for season ticket holders. Next generation of supporters to be brought in and to get them hooked into BRFC. A standard match day ticket price across three stands leaving only the main stand as a slightly dearer ticket. Visiting fans should be charged a standard ticket price for example £23 is ample. The club would get more fans through the away turnstiles and more money into the club.

A full and proper re-engagement with the clubs fan base including better communication across the variety of networks, better day to day news bulletins from the club, better liaison with local media and a return to the friendly atmosphere we once had.

The club needs an ambition message, ONE ROVERS TOGETHER. The club should not be about the owners it should be about the fans and the players who represent our shirt.

[1864roverite]

6 minutes ago, lraC said:

Dare I suggest it is Venky's who have caused most of this and get rid of them and we are back to a family run harmonious club again.

Did you notice how harmonious the home fans were on Saturday at Bloomfield, now that their bad apple has been removed?

I don't disagree with your view. They are responsible for it and must shoulder the blame.

10000 fans from Blackpool didn't make it totally harmonious, it was the 3200 fans from Ewood that embraced it and made it. If the police had allowed 4500 rovers fans in to the ground then we wouldn't have really heard them even when they scored !

They haven't got rid of him and his family just yet, there are further financial battles ahead, they still have their thieving fingers in the pot ao to say !

[arbitro]

11 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Like what exactly?

At worst they write the losses off against the whole VH business empire and the last time I looked there was about 25 different companies aligned.

Looking at the share prices earlier on, they are slightly down but still operating in profit margins that would suggest a £20m loss is pennies tot hem in the grand scale of things.

I haven't a clue but something doesn't and hasn't sat right about this from day one. You make it sound like it's normal to write off £20m. I have never heard of anybody who is happy to throw £20m into a black hole every year irrespective of their wealth. It's absolute madness especially when you consider it is a business thousands of miles away and they have no emotional attachment to.

[1864roverite]

Of course its not normal but these are not normal owners!

Wealthy businessmen now how to make money and often do so by losing it from other sources.

I don't profess to know about business but it is a pretty simple model to use I am told. I suppose the kudos attached to owning such a famous brand in Rovers adds to their Indian profile especially in their sporting and social circles.

[arbitro]

Just now, 1864roverite said:

Of course its not normal but these are not normal owners!

Wealthy businessmen now how to make money and often do so by losing it from other sources.

I don't profess to know about business but it is a pretty simple model to use I am told. I suppose the kudos attached to owning such a famous brand in Rovers adds to their Indian profile especially in their sporting and social circles.

Do you know of any other individual/families that happily write off £20m particularly on something they don't appear to be interested in?

[1864roverite]

I wish I did !

[lraC]

I know a fair bit about business, having run one for at least 20 years. One thing I can point out to them, is a very quick way of adding £20 million, to their  profits over night. 

There is no kudos attached to owning Blackburn Rovers right now, that disappeared about 11 years go. If there is such a word as anti kudos, then that's exactly what they will get, if the club does ever end up in administration or worse and they are in serious danger of doing exactly that.

[riverholmes]

Magloire got a lot of blame for the two Blackpool goals, as well as his performance but just going on the highlights, which are limited, admittedly, I can't see him doing a lot wrong for the first goal. He is out of position because the left winger is dropping off and there is no-one else picking him up. Travis, Rothwell and Buckley are all caught up field or out of position as the ball drops into central midfield and Magloire is left with little option but to close the forward down and leave his right back position. Then Ayala, I think it is, barely makes an effort to block the shot, for some reason, when it's finally struck by Lavery.

For the second goal, clearly, Magloire lets the winger come in field and get the cross in but there is no team-mate backing him up, as you'd expect if you had a novice centre back playing at right back. 

It does sound that Magloire struggled badly, especially, in the first half, but the manner of the goals, in particular, are no surprise. We've seen similar conceded for the last two seasons, with Nyambe and others at full back. Time and again, the full back is left isolated and the central midfield all caught up field. If you have four attacking players who don't defend much, as we do in our 4-2-3-1 then the remaining have to be very disciplined, otherwise, you're asking for conceding goals. With the formation we play, I think Travis and Rothwell should barely be getting over the half-way line, to try and plug the gaps left by the four in front, as well as full backs going up.

PS. Really was a great cross from Buckley for Brereton to score. Brereton was four versus one in the box and got picked out at the far post.

Edited October 4, 2021 by riverholmes

[1864roverite]

17 minutes ago, lraC said:

I know a fair bit about business, having run one for at least 20 years. One thing I can point out to them, is a very quick way of adding £20 million, to their  profits over night. 

There is no kudos attached to owning Blackburn Rovers right now, that disappeared about 11 years go. If there is such a word as anti kudos, then that's exactly what they will get, if the club does ever end up in administration or worse and they are in serious danger of doing exactly that.

If you know a bit a bit about business then take a look at their profits per quarter and you will see £20m appears to be very small in relation to a multi billion dollar operation.

[chaddyrovers]

is there any creditable potential buyers who wants to buy the club currently? 

Whoever would want to buy the club would be willing to fund the losses cos with a club of our size they will always be there until we got to the PL. 

What would like to see any new owners do

1. Appoint an experience football CEO.

2. Appoint a head of football operations who will run the footballing side of the club including the next manager/head coach, recruitment staff, etc. 

3. Keep investing in the academy and make sure it is key part of any future plans at the club

4. Improve and modernise Ewood Park. Re paint the stadium, clean the outside of the stadium, More better speaker and TV screens. Offer free wifi to all supporters on match day within the stadium 

5. Bring in a a more affordable ticket prices to attract more fans to the club whether its new fans or fans to return back to the club. 

6. better quality food within the stadium at reasonable prices and more choice of alcohol for those who want to do that at games(I dont btw but seen others commented on lack of choice)

7. Improve the commercial side of the club by attract more sponsors to the club. 

8. Would like to see a new indoor football centre open behind the Darwen stand where the club can open for community use and have schools come to play a few games before going to a game to watch the Rovers. I remember doing this when I was at Primary School back in the 90's. I still memories from those days now. 

9. More engagements with Schools, Community centres, social care centres including the elderly to offer these them merchandise, shirts, books, day outs at the club, etc. 

COYB!

We Are the Rovers

Rovers till I die

[broadsword]

There's no credible buyers and even if there were, they wouldn't be given the time of day by Venky's. 

Guess we just have to wait out until something happens. Feels like a combination of the Martian and groundhog day at the moment. 

We're stranded and no one is coming to rescue us. Unfortunately whereas matt Damon eventually got his ass off Mars , every sad season for us is a replay of what went before. Supporters mollified by a letter from venkys telling them that things will be different this year. Toni Moroni promising defenders, bigging up lads helle barely play, starting well and then suddenly fading fast in a blizzard of players out of position, soft goals, best players sold off, cat naps on the bench and David Lowe trying to get people interested in what he's saying. 

 

Is either that or it's admin. Choose your poison. It's either get kicked in the nuts by fat Barry's minders year after year, or take a one off beating from the administrator, and be forever free of Venky's 

[chaddyrovers]

21 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

Magloire got a lot of blame for the two Blackpool goals, as well as his performance but just going on the highlights, which are limited, admittedly, I can't see him doing a lot wrong for the first goal. He is out of position because the left winger is dropping off and there is no-one else picking him up. Travis, Rothwell and Buckley are all caught up field or out of position as the ball drops into central midfield and Magloire is left with little option but to close the forward down and leave his right back position. Then Ayala, I think it is, barely makes an effort to block the shot, for some reason, when it's finally struck by Lavery.

Maglorie was poor and caught out a few times positional. For the first goal he didn't need to come in so far with the Blackpool player Anderson(10) but Ayala should have gone over and cover Lavery more and not allow him a couple yards of space. When Maglorie went inside it left Lavery more space cos he runs of Ayala. 

29 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

For the second goal, clearly, Magloire lets the winger come in field and get the cross in but there is no team-mate backing him up, as you'd expect if you had a novice centre back playing at right back. 

Magloire should be showing Anderson on to his left foot but allowing him on his right foot