[Archived] Aston Villa. Post match chat

[thenodrog]

Careful what you're saying. We had a benefactor by the name of J Walker. Was his false input?

Of course it was Jim and I think I've already answered that in my last post.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I've already given my opinion for the drop in attendances...spood fed,glory hunting support that joined the bandwagon when JW arrived combined with traditional fickle support!!!!

The above aren't conditions that should give us the green light for a merger are they though? Rovers have known much harder times,the 70's 80's saw the club on its knees but was a merger ever mooted then?..............

All I'm saying is that clubs in this area have very strong traditions,strong bonds with their respective community's that have lasted for over a century NONE of Blackburn ,Burnley,Bolton,Preston and Blackpool can be considered 'nothing clubs'....this is where your argument for club merger falls flat on its face Theno.

Your serve.

Edited October 4, 2004 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[tashor]

A merger is a non starter.

For us to remain as a Premiership side Blackburn Rovers in their world famous Blue and White halves must become as well supported in Preston, Blackpool, Lancaster etc.....as Manure are.

The whole country provides the fan base to keep them the top club side in England.

Lancashire must do the same for us or we are going to be Premiership history.

I'm not holding my breathe...........

[Paul]

I've already given my opinion for the drop in attendances...spood fed,glory hunting support that joined the bandwagon when JW arrived combined with traditional fickle support!!!!

Plus, and I think these are important:

a generation raised on Sky that either watches on the box or supports MU

an increasingly mobile population that may support Rovers but not live in the area. I've raised 3 Rovers but will they be in the area in 20 years to raise 3 more each? - I very much doubt it.

better things to do than watch easily accessible football

[Tris]

I wouldn't imagine Oxford and Reading fans are bothered about winning anything

Reading won the SIMOD cup in 1988 I'll have you all know ...

[philipl]

I can see it now- East Lancashire United kick off a Premiership match season 2006/7 in a Breezeblock mark 2 at junction two and a half on the M65 in front of 500 paying home spectators, 2,000 bussed in school kids and 1,000 bemused away fans.

Meanwhilst in a cow field at Oozehead, 10,000 traditionalists watch FC Preston NE open the Unibond Division 2 season away to Blackburn Rovers 2006 FC.

Unfortunately, like so many of your arguments thenodrog, humanity just doesn't work that way when you take it to its seemingly logical conclusion.

Reading by the way are an extremely good bet for automatic promotion to the Prem this season- I bet the dingles would appreciate gates and prospects as bleak as their's are at the moment.

Back to the Villa game, at least the Rovers are playing with zest and tactics that suggest a Premiership club with a Premiership future.

One of the things which used to boost attendances would be a "big" match to get the town buzzing. Unfortunately, we get those at least once a month so that's not much use and the cups, even European competition don't get the pulses racing the way they used to.

I think beating Man U soundly would have helped but MGP hit Row Z instead of the target. Shame our nine reserves got us knocked out of the League Cup because that was one competition we could really believe we had a chance in.

One aspect that is a huge put off in this time pressured age is the amount of time wasted getting to/from Ewood. The jams are not much fun and the parking restrictions are a joke- Ewood is only used 22 times a year on average so surely all those residents only parking schemes could be lifted when the Rovers are at home?

[MCMC1875]

The parking scheme was only put in because of the footie!

[Alan75]

Thats one benifit of low attendances. easier parking.

[Paul]

........and I get home quicker

[Duff's Minder]

a merger would be crazy, if you combined the support of PNE, Notlob and us you'd still be about the same as Villa or Spurs and less than Newcastle none of whom have a trophy cabinet to envy - so what's the point?

The North-West is the home of football, the fact that there are so many big clubs in the area with history is something to be proud of.

Most/all fans follow Rovers because of emotional ties to the club and would never follow an 'East Lancs United'. I spent my childhood following a mid-table 2nd division team that occasionally got 1-1 draws with Liverpool in the cup - and you know what? It was just as fun. If we end up back in the 1st division it won't stop me (or anyone else on this site) going to matches, in fact I'll probably be able to afford to get to more.

If I want to glory-hunt I'll join everyone else down south and support Utd

[MCMC1875]

Fans are not transferable, as Butcher Bob Lord found out when he closed down Accy Stanley to get their support. They just stopped watching footie and Burnley's gate didn't benefit one jot.

[jim mk2]

For argument's sake, assume that Rovers, Preston and Burnley each have a base support of 15,000 each and that the three clubs were merged into one. Is the new club going to attract 40,000 plus fans for every home game? I think not.

Twenty years ago, London had two evening newspapers, the Evening Standard and the Evening News, each selling about 400,000 copes a night. The Standard took over the News, leading to its circulation rising to about 750,000 before settling back to around the 400,000 mark.

The net result was 400,000 lost newspaper sales and the loss of more than 1 million readers. The same would happen in an East Lancs football merger: lost fans, three lost historic clubs and a new club that no one wants.

[den]

Fans are not transferable, as Butcher Bob Lord found out when he closed down Accy Stanley to get their support. They just stopped watching footie and Burnley's gate didn't benefit one jot.

Yes, but Burnley as a club, couldn't compete with the top club sides, so weren't an attractive alternative.

If a merger of the local sides, as discussed here, was to result in a club that could compete financially with the top 6 clubs in the country and did in fact compete for the top six places in the prem, wouldn't that bring in the crowds?

[only thinking out loud].

[thenodrog]

Fans are not transferable, as Butcher Bob Lord found out when he closed down Accy Stanley to get their support. They just stopped watching footie and Burnley's gate didn't benefit one jot.

Are you sure? I'm sure that BRFC got most of Blackburn Olympics fans on free transfers.

Anyway this is a merger that I am proposing not a Butcher Bob Hatchet Job.

[herbergeehh]

Good post Jim.

[thenodrog]

If a merger of the local sides, as discussed here, was to result in a club that could compete financially with the top 6 clubs in the country and did in fact compete for the top six places in the prem, wouldn't that bring in the crowds?

[only thinking out loud].

So thats two forward thinking members. Just another 15000 (and falling ) to go.

[Alan75]

If they merged and called the team Rovers and played in blue and white halves Id be all for it.

Otherwise Id be inclined to watch Morecambe or Lancaster on a Saturday.

Sorry Im getting to old and set in my ways for this forward thinking.

[thenodrog]

I've already given my opinion for the drop in attendances...spood fed,glory hunting support that joined the bandwagon when JW arrived combined with traditional fickle support!!!!

The above aren't conditions that should give us the green light for a  merger are they though? Rovers have known much harder times,the 70's 80's saw the club on its knees but was a merger ever mooted then?..............

All I'm saying is that clubs in this area have very strong traditions,strong bonds with their respective community's that have lasted for over a century NONE of Blackburn ,Burnley,Bolton,Preston and Blackpool can be considered 'nothing clubs'....this is where your argument for club merger falls flat on its face Theno.

Your serve.

From my earlier post ..........

ALL of the Lancashire town clubs DO have traditions and have had major success in the past and some most noticably in the present i.e. Rovers and Bolton to an extent.

So please explain why are our crowd figures declining so abysmally? Especially given that we won the prem title (ffs) and the Worthy cup?

And when you've explained that SG please offer a realistic solution cos I dont have one.

It cant be my serve SG...... you havn't returned the last one properly yet. Give me an alternative solution.

Edited October 4, 2004 by thenodrog

[Paul]

There's always Chorley Alan, only £9 to get in

Like you I'd have problems following a team that wasn't in blue and white though I can follow the arguements from both sides. I have to say I don't think there's anyone around with enough balls to drive such a merge through.

[stegraham]

Every town needs a football club - no matter how big or small it is. I follow two teams - one from the town I was born in and one from the town I now live. Why would I want to support any other club, that is not based in either of these two towns? If it's just about money and about how "successful" the team is going be - then .... no thanks! It's not about that for me *primarily*, and it doesn't interest me. Meeting friends, having a laugh, unwinding from a w@nky week, watching a game of football all comes first and all done at my LOCAL team.

[blue phil]

That sums it all up really Ste . I would rather meet up with the usual crowd and watch a game on the box than travel down the motorway to watch East Lancs UTD play.

Having said that , the long term future of BRFC is absolutely desperate IMO . Demographic changes in Blackburn (I'll say no more !) are such that the Ewood ward will go the same way as so many wards have in B'burn . As the massive majority of fans are indigenous and are likely to remain so , there faces the possibility of ever greater numbers of fans needed to travel from outside the town . Will they do so ? Not on current trends.

This is ammunition for Theno's case , but local footy is all about loyalty , ties and emotion . A merger just wouldn't work . The die hards would follow Rovers into the conference , the non die hards would watch UTD on the tele ( and just wait until everyone has access to foreign satellite channels !)

Edited October 4, 2004 by blue phil

[jim mk2]

West Brom on Saturday; Palace on Monday. The teams below us are starting to win matches.

Help!

[Alan75]

Yes, but that means that the teams above us must be loosing

[John]

Against ten men I know, but Palace look a good side. Seen them a few times now and they seem well organised, pass it well and up front they have a threat in Johnson. Whether they have enough quality, time will tell. It will be very tough for them.

From our point of view, hopefully there are three sides who are as dire as the ones who went down last year...

Edited October 4, 2004 by John

[92er]

Let's hope we're not one of them.