Eustace…GONE

[Devon Rover]

10 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

Well that's me done.

I've supported the club for well over 60 years. I would never hear a bad word spoken about them. I've known many many of the players socially and the pre-Venky directors. I've had a family member play for the club. My family knew Jack. I played a very small part in trying to find a buyer for the club after the Kean horror show.  Family season tickets as far back as I remember. I've done my bit and now I'm done. The Venky's and their people are unfathomable, nothing has ever made sense about them. Rovers are on a managed decline as evidenced by what happens every time we get anywhere near the top six. It breaks my heart but that's it for me. Good luck lads, I know a few on here, the club doesn't deserve you. Fight the good fight but it's not for me any longer.  A super sad day.

Ouch. I'd love to say "hang on in there" or "there will come a day when they are gone and we are still here". But I don't really believe that anymore. I kind of just want it all to go up in flames now. Our club is dead.

[roverandout]

11 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

Well that's me done.

I've supported the club for well over 60 years. I would never hear a bad word spoken about them. I've known many many of the players socially and the pre-Venky directors. I've had a family member play for the club. My family knew Jack. I played a very small part in trying to find a buyer for the club after the Kean horror show.  Family season tickets as far back as I remember. I've done my bit and now I'm done. The Venky's and their people are unfathomable, nothing has ever made sense about them. Rovers are on a managed decline as evidenced by what happens every time we get anywhere near the top six. It breaks my heart but that's it for me. Good luck lads, I know a few on here, the club doesn't deserve you. Fight the good fight but it's not for me any longer.  A super sad day.

Keep your chin up. We'll see a new sunrise one day once the shadow of the venkys has left our doorway. We'll all be drinking beers in the garden of Ewood talking about the good times again 

[duckson]

43 minutes ago, neophox said:

Thought Derby would go for Ryan Lowe or Rob Edwards...could be one of them coming here. If I wasnt wrong Lowe took the decision to leave Preston as he needed a break and a change.

What, after one game of the season? He isn't best liked at Preston at all (my son works for PNE).

[Devon Rover]

13 minutes ago, MB Rover said:

A statement from WATR:

 

Dear Member,   Please find below a statement from the Supporters Trust on recent developments at Ewood Park.   On January 3rd, the WATR board sent the following communication to Steve Waggott: “We are writing on the eve of one of the most important games in recent times. Rovers haven’t beaten our arch-rivals in 14 years, and the fortunes of our respective clubs have taken polar opposite paths during the time Venky’s have been our owners. Ewood Park will be full of passionate Rovers fans for the first time in many years due in no small part to the belief and togetherness that has been driven by John Eustace so far this season. Aside from being a hugely important league game this fixture could also prove to be a watershed in reconnecting the fanbase with the club. Whatever the result, there are encouraging signs that things are improving, and the club must proactively step up its efforts in fan engagement to capitalise on this. Despite this we do have some major concerns. While we hope these prove to be unfounded, we believe it is necessary to outline our current position. Failure to adequately invest in the playing squad during this window would make it necessary for us to change our outlook and public stance. We remain committed to supporting the team on the pitch, and to working with the staff at Ewood to ensure supporters are represented. However, it would mean that we would have to publicly call for the owners to sell the club. To reiterate what we have said many times before, the last 2 January windows have been nothing short of farcical, and damaged the credibility of our club,owners and senior staff. Last year also seriously jeopardised our Championship status. Furthermore, the nature of our failings have led to supporters questioning the competence and motives of the owners and those within their employment. We simply cannot have another similar situation, and there are people within the club who must understand and acknowledge this. A repeat ofJanuary 2023 or 2024 will not only decimate the good work that has been done but would also likely lead to turbulence and protests against you and the owners. Given our strong P&S/FFP position, our current league position, and the overall strength (or otherwise) of the division there are no excuses as to why we shouldn’t be signing players to give the manager and squad the best chance of success. The entire point of a football club is to compete and strive to be better. We are constantly told that the owners are committed to returning Rovers to the Premier League, and now is the time for them to back up their words with actions. For the third time in four seasons, we have a realistic chance to make at least the play offs, thanks to an impressive first half ofthe season. But this can only be achieved with investment in strengthening the playing squad. A third failure to do so during the January transfer window while nicely poised would render the relationship between the owners and the supporters untenable. John Eustace is on record as saying the squad needs investment. You have also stated publicly that transfer funds are required and have been requested from the owners via Suhail. If funds are not forthcoming, we can only conclude that the aspirations of the owners and their representative for the football club do not match those of the management, board, players and fanbase. We believe in the club, and think that John Eustace can bring us success, but neither you nor he can succeed with one hand tied behind your backs. Given our well documented struggles to keep within P&S limits for years,this is an opportunity which may not come around again for many years. Players that command a fee like Adam Wharton are exceptions. The legacy of that sale must be the progression of the squad to promotion challengers, it can’t be to maintain mid table mediocrity in the second tier. We do not think decent investment in the playing side is a big ask, particularly given the transfer fees we have recouped in the last 12 months. It is a necessary expense in football, and the duty of our owners to make the team as strong as possible. The owners must understand how privileged they are to be involved in our football club. We are confident that if any of our members had their financial wherewithal they would do everything in their power to ensure Rovers were a success, and we expect the same from the Rao family. This window represents a real opportunity for them to turn the club into an asset rather than the burden they seem to currently view it as.”

While the club managed to bring in 6 signings, 5 of them are contracted only until the end of this season, and the short term nature of them does nothing toallay our long term concerns for the wellbeing of our club. Evidently John Eustace is of a similar opinion. To lose a manager who has done so much good work to restore some pride and hope to our club is heartbreaking. To lose him from a playoff position to a team currently in the relegation zone is a damning indictment of everything that is wrong with our club. There is a massive amount of completely justified anger from our fanbase at present, and fan unrest has been a near constant for the entirety of Venky’s ownership. This is hardly surprising considering the catalogue of disasters we have experienced over the last 14 years. It’s irrelevant who is employed as a director of the club: Karen Silk, Derek Shaw, Alan Myers, Simon Hunt, Paul Hunt, Mahesh Gupta, Vineeth Errabelly, Mike Cheston, Rohan Bhagwat, Paul Agnew, Ian Silvester, have all come and gone since Venky’s took over, and none of their departures brought about change. What M Sreenivasa Rao and Gandhi Babu do is anyone’s guess. It is apparent that Steve Waggott is expected to run elements of the club without the required autonomy or backing to do so. The one constant throughout the Venky’s tenure has been Suhail Pasha. While his title has changed in that time, his role as advisor/conduit/owners representative has remained broadly the same. With the Rao family remaining absent for over a decade he appears to hold a lot of power despite having no prior experience in football. We feel that the only acceptable advice for Suhail to pass on to the Rao family is to finally do the right thing and sell the club. New owners who care for the club and will treat Rovers and its supporters with the respect we deserve are long overdue. Sent on behalf of the Board of We Are The Rovers Supporters Trust

Good statement. Long overdue, but appreciated. Where is this going to be published?

[TommyRovers]

Forever grateful to experience the pre venkys days.  I feel for the young Rovers fans of today. This is all they know.

[roverstdt]

One thing I want to add is outside of the same d Venkys out spiel, John new the situation understood and accepted. Don’t go crying about family and not being supported you knew what you had to deal with it is well documented. I feel used and let down by the ma 

[Exiled_Rover]

17 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Nicko had his Patreon account is suggesting Eustace has been unhappy since the summer and over the transfers policy over the summer and the winter. he wanted certain players and didn't get them. Plus add Paul Mani comments over the budget he was promise then didn't get it. He wanted quick signings in January and didn't get them. Plus then factoring in Eustace's camp has been looking at other jobs. 

Rovers should have kept their promises to Eustace and give him the assurances he wanted plus a new contract. What a mess. 

Where we go from here, god knows but we need a quick appointment and Rovers should have know since Friday/Saturday this was coming and should have been sounding possible head coaches out. Rovers need to sort out what the transfer policy is and who is picking them and what say the head coach has and make sure he is happy with that. Otherwise, we will back to this again in the summer and next February. I fully expect a head coach who will accept an limited say on transfers come the summer. Probably a foreign head coach but with Championship experience 

Also Rovers need to srt out the contract situation of our key players and why hasn't already been done. What a fucking mess again. No long term planning and thinking. 

We're only three days away from you blaming Eustace. Sooner if they've got another manager lined up. You can set your clock by it. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, TommyRovers said:

Forever grateful to experience the pre venkys days.  I feel for the young Rovers fans of today. This is all they know.

I saw the Dougie and Ronnie team. I’ll die happy thinking about those days. However I’ll be 76 in March. I was hoping these bastards would be gone before I’m too old to enjoy going down to Ewood again. 

[Blue Greyhound]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

I’m tempted to buy a ticket just to give Eustace a round of applause.

I won't il be booing him.

He could of stayed until the end of the season, if he really wanted to, we've been left for dead here.

I hope now, the light can be shown on how corrupt venkys are now, there does need to be new rules in place to stop clubs buying us to be used for none footballing purposes.

Absolutely none of this makes sence other than Venkys don't want promotion, simple as that, whatever reason that may be.

[simongarnerisgod]

1 minute ago, duckson said:

What, after one game of the season? He isn't best liked at Preston at all (my son works for PNE).

lowe would`nt last a month here,he`d be straight out to the press about the state of the club as soon as he had his first promise broken,not sure he`d be to popular with the players either,he`s not the sort of person you would really like or give your absolute best for

[Polky]

https://x.com/henrywinter/status/1889023428226597371?s=46&t=eQpRIP77C9LnHMZexFr0xg

Henry Winter not falling for the “significant investment” bollocks.

Proper journalist 👍🏻

[BigHoz]

After calming down I’ve come to the conclusion, fuck the board/owners, fuck John Eustace. 15 cup finals for the players who have been abandoned by those above. 

[roverstdt]

22 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Nicko had his Patreon account is suggesting Eustace has been unhappy since the summer and over the transfers policy over the summer and the winter. he wanted certain players and didn't get them. Plus add Paul Mani comments over the budget he was promise then didn't get it. He wanted quick signings in January and didn't get them. Plus then factoring in Eustace's camp has been looking at other jobs. 

Rovers should have kept their promises to Eustace and give him the assurances he wanted plus a new contract. What a mess. 

Where we go from here, god knows but we need a quick appointment and Rovers should have know since Friday/Saturday this was coming and should have been sounding possible head coaches out. Rovers need to sort out what the transfer policy is and who is picking them and what say the head coach has and make sure he is happy with that. Otherwise, we will back to this again in the summer and next February. I fully expect a head coach who will accept an limited say on transfers come the summer. Probably a foreign head coach but with Championship experience 

Also Rovers need to srt out the contract situation of our key players and why hasn't already been done. What a fucking mess again. No long term planning and thinking. 

Regardless of our position form wasn’t great I would say get to the end of the season and then see what your end of year performance was 

[Dreams of 1995]

The statement is another master stroke by Steve Waggott

He managed to produce a similar situation under JDT - instead, at that time, he brought in fan groups and senior players to almost provide a show of resistance against a "troublesome" manager

This time, he has realised that won't work. Instead the tactic is to put out a statement that effectively tells Eustace to go and that the Club feel they have done everything they could possibly do to entertain his ambition and demands

Waggott thinks that statement will work.

I think Waggott is correct.

You don't get to where that weasel has got without knowing how to "play the man". Waggott is playing the man here

[Devon Rover]

2 minutes ago, Polky said:

https://x.com/henrywinter/status/1889023428226597371?s=46&t=eQpRIP77C9LnHMZexFr0xg

Henry Winter not falling for the “significant investment” bollocks.

Proper journalist 👍🏻

One of the (few) good ones.

[Mattyblue]

2 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

The statement is another master stroke by Steve Waggott

He managed to produce a similar situation under JDT - instead, at that time, he brought in fan groups and senior players to almost provide a show of resistance against a "troublesome" manager

This time, he has realised that won't work. Instead the tactic is to put out a statement that effectively tells Eustace to go and that the Club feel they have done everything they could possibly do to entertain his ambition and demands

Waggott thinks that statement will work.

I think Waggott is correct.

You don't get to where that weasel has got without knowing how to "play the man". Waggott is playing the man here

Classic divide and rule tactics - and a look at social media says it’s working a treat.

[Upside Down]

10 minutes ago, TommyRovers said:

Forever grateful to experience the pre venkys days.  I feel for the young Rovers fans of today. This is all they know.

I can't imagine how grim it must be if this is all anyone has ever experienced of the club.

[Bronzed A Donis]

24 minutes ago, TimmyJimmy said:

Well that's me done.

I've supported the club for well over 60 years. I would never hear a bad word spoken about them. I've known many many of the players socially and the pre-Venky directors. I've had a family member play for the club. My family knew Jack. I played a very small part in trying to find a buyer for the club after the Kean horror show.  Family season tickets as far back as I remember. I've done my bit and now I'm done. The Venky's and their people are unfathomable, nothing has ever made sense about them. Rovers are on a managed decline as evidenced by what happens every time we get anywhere near the top six. It breaks my heart but that's it for me. Good luck lads, I know a few on here, the club doesn't deserve you. Fight the good fight but it's not for me any longer.  A super sad day.

I liked this though it felt wrong. I feel for you. I think you speak for a lot of people.

We're an unrecognisable club from the one you grew up with.

[DeeCee]

7 minutes ago, Polky said:

https://x.com/henrywinter/status/1889023428226597371?s=46&t=eQpRIP77C9LnHMZexFr0xg

Henry Winter not falling for the “significant investment” bollocks.

Proper journalist 👍🏻

You can like the comments on the pop up 👍

[mustard]

28 minutes ago, sabino said:

What are you referring to. I said the clubis a basket case (that's not good you know). 

JE wasn't lied to. He just didn't get more than he was promised. Many of us would expect a well run club to give him at least part of what he wanted.

You can rewrite this story all day to suit your agenda, but Eustace knew what he was getting into. He just thought he could squeeze the club a bit. He failed.

How do you know he wasn’t lied to?

[yankfan]

20 minutes ago, Irish_Rover said:

Just saw the club statement, jesus f*cking christ!!
"With significant investment being made during the January transfer window.."

What absolute gall they have to say that shit when majority of them are gone in 6 months and they seemingly haven't lifted a finger to tie down our most important players. That statement could have just said that Eustace wants to talk to Derby and we have reluctantly agreed, leave it at that. But that bit is basically there to stick it to the Rovers fans while also making outsiders go that they're grand blokes.

The hope is that when the inevitable relegation comes that we are better off sticking around League 1 and League 2. Hopefully with an extended period down there the cancer that is these tossers finally moves on.

The statement also wants to make it seem as though this diocese is all on Eustace and that the club did everything required. We all know that’s not the car and this isn’t the first manager to find out the owners word is never honored. Hell JDT tried to quite 6 months before he left and was only allowed to leave after he bought out his own contract. Eustace and who ever comes in next will be fools to believe any promises about investments. At best this position is one where you can build a resume, point to how you over achieved, then get a better contract with a more ambitious club (f$cking Derby more ambitious). 

[wilsdenrover]

15 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

We're only three days away from you blaming Eustace. Sooner if they've got another manager lined up. You can set your clock by it. 

He’s already taken the Stoke win away from him. 😁

[Exiled_Rover]

12 minutes ago, Blue Greyhound said:

I won't il be booing him.

He could of stayed until the end of the season, if he really wanted to, we've been left for dead here.

I hope now, the light can be shown on how corrupt venkys are now, there does need to be new rules in place to stop clubs buying us to be used for none footballing purposes.

Absolutely none of this makes sence other than Venkys don't want promotion, simple as that, whatever reason that may be.

If you see a train coming down the tracks do you stand there and take the hit or step out of the way?

He's done everything in his power on the pitch and off it. I do not blame him for leaving. 

Similar to JDT - DESPITE the utter incompetence at Board level, the manager just needed a small transfer budget to get us into the playoffs. Instead they've refused to back him AT ALL and released that utterly pathetic statement, laying the blame clearly at his door.

[wilsdenrover]

12 minutes ago, BigHoz said:

After calming down I’ve come to the conclusion, fuck the board/owners, fuck John Eustace. 15 cup finals for the players who have been abandoned by those above. 

Hopefully 18.

[DuffsLeftPeg]

9 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

The statement is another master stroke by Steve Waggott

He managed to produce a similar situation under JDT - instead, at that time, he brought in fan groups and senior players to almost provide a show of resistance against a "troublesome" manager

This time, he has realised that won't work. Instead the tactic is to put out a statement that effectively tells Eustace to go and that the Club feel they have done everything they could possibly do to entertain his ambition and demands

Waggott thinks that statement will work.

I think Waggott is correct.

You don't get to where that weasel has got without knowing how to "play the man". Waggott is playing the man here

I think the opposite.

This knee jerk statement is the mark of an old has-been who has got it wrong this time.

Anyone with a brain sees straight through it. The “Significant Investment” line especially. I didn’t think the club could stoop any lower.

Mind you their stewards were stealing Cunha’s shirt off a group of children yesterday