Bravo Iain.

Couldn’t have put it better myself

The best article i have a read in a while. Well Done for not succobing to the pressure from most of the media to portray us - as fans, as in the wrong.

Brilliant article. Thankyou.

Rovers fans didn’t support Kean, while Wigan fans supported Martinez – it makes a difference.

Thanks for this. It made me laugh. It made me angry. At least someone sees things as it is and says it, unlike the rest of the mainstream media who are afraid that they will be excluded for the boys club.

I still hesitate to direct too much ire and Kean.  Not one of us would turn down the Blackburn job if it were offered tomorrow, and we’d be out of our depth too.  In Kean’s interview last night he had a rash that spread from his nose to his forehead, no doubt brought on by the stress.  I feel sorry for him, he’s a patsy, Anderson and Venkys are the real villains.

Although he didn’t receive death threats.

Nail, Hammer, Head! That is all…..

Spot on Iain. Good to see someone actually blaming the correct people and not the supporters. I wrote this last August and sent it to the club - 
http://huntersworldoffootball.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/open-letter-to-venky-group.html  - to which I had no response. It feels strange to re-read it now.

Garbage, man! Read the article and understand! (And hope that Kean and Anderson never come to your football club…)

A true report, from a true reporter. Spot on.

Very good piece, especially exposing the double standards of why Utd, Liverpool etc are allowed to protest while little old Blackburn Rovers should accept their fate.

I don’t get this “dignity” thing though. I’d take flak for the ~20k p.w. he’s getting. He’s a mercenary pure and simple who knows this is the only chance he has of the big time. Well, he’s failed miserably.

 Nice dignified post-match press conference. No apology to the fans for getting the team relegated but at least he has faith in his own ability….

Excellent, couldn’t agree more. I only hope that Aston Villa’s owners have paid attention to what happens when you combine underinvestment with a manager lacking the tactical nous to get the most out of limited resources. We won’t get away with it twice.

Martinez knows what he`s doing Kean doesn`t,thats why Wigan are staying up and Rovers are going down.

Thanks from the Rovers fans

Thank you for the excellent article. No-one has been able to understand our plight because all they have learned about the demise of our club has been through tabloid misinformation (to put it politely). I believe this is a first, where owners have systematically dismantled and stripped bare a premier league club right under the noses of the public and the fans were left to stand alone in their attempts to stop it happening. If you have never been in this situation you would struggle to understand the helplessness we felt. However, there can be no excuse for the FA to turn a blind eye. Had we been Chelsea or Arsenal, I could guarantee something would have been done within the first three months.

Nothing to do with the football or Kean’s crass mismanagement but the rash looked a lot like the condition rosacea, maybe as likely to be the result of alcohol misuse as stress.   

I don’t blame Keane – I blame the players. Once you are on the pitch you are in control of your destiny. Monday night they had no heart, no drive, no ambition – they deserve to go down.  

Nice one mate. So much drivel has been written about Blackburn, and their fans in particular, over the last 18 months and only the decent journalists have bothered to get anywhere near the truth.
You’re a gent and thanks for taking the time to find the truth.

I agree with most of this but I don’t know that the prem could have banned them from ownership. They weren’t “good enough” to run a club and that’s not the same as “fit and proper” which is a legal term applied to business ownership and the only basis that the prem can refuse ownership.

The thing is that basically if you’re not a criminal or bankrupt you are “fit and proper” to run a business – the prem just don’t have the legal power to refuse other owners from buying a club, no matter how stupid they are – they can only place sanctions on the clubs themselves once they’re badly run and that would just double the punishment for the fans. The prem of course won’t admit their impotence here – if they did it might result in govt pushing for wider regulation of the industry as a whole

In terms of additional regulation think it’s possibly impossible to regulate ownership under EU as we have free movement of capital across borders – and yes this is very wonky issue to bring up but it’s where we are and it won’t go away. Banning ownership is effectively saying that legal entity can’t buy a thing that can be freely sold – restraint of trade and all that.

Germany seems to sort this problem out through its league demanding clubs break even as a rule of competition – this doesn’t limit ownership but will make clubs less attractive to fly by night investors. Won’t stop idiots who don’t understand the rules from owning clubs though. The prem would also resist this – as I mentioned before, they just don’t want any sort of regulation of existing business activity

Great article, finally people coming round to what we’ve been put through for the last 18 months.

I’m not a Rovers fan but I am a football fan.  What has happened to that club is nothing short of a disgrace.  You are right to point out that had United or Liverpool fans reacted in the same way then there would be sympathy from the media luvvies (like Lawrenson and Charlie Nicholas).  Kean must go down as the worst Premier League manager of all time.  I feel desperately sorry for the Rovers fans.

Brighton fan here – Hate the owners, support the team. We had owners worse than the Venkys (They’ve not sold Ewood Park yet) in 1997 and we had all manner of protests trying to get rid of them, but our support for the team never waned and we stayed up (just). Whatever you think of Steve Kean, that is the man who was trying to fight the world and keep the team in the Premier League. Frankly, I’m glad he failed because the fans wouldn’t have deserved to stay in the Premier League. I hope the Venkys do one this summer and are never heard of again, people like that shouldn’t ever be allowed in football. But I don’t subscribe to the “sympthy for their fans” sentiment, you’ve taken it out on the wrong guy in Kean. It’s easier to focus on him, rather than the people who should face that anger, but it’s not right. Venkys out.

Brilliant article, finally someone seeing things from a rovers fan perspective

Thank you mate. At last someone has typed a bit of sense.

Did you read the article?
Most fans have written letters and email the owners looking for clarity and meetings with no reply. Sponsors have come out and said they can’t arrange meetings with the exec as there is no-one to speak to. Andrews left and signed a 6 month contract with WBA as no-one was available to negotiate a fee with other clubs. All this and Kean appears in front of the camera each week saying ‘everything is fine.’ This is bigger than ‘support your team’ nonsense. The very fabric of football is being pulled apart by the regulators that allows any f*ckwit to take charge of a club and ignore the principle stakeholder – the fans. I’ve every simpathy with Brighton’s plight and it is great to see their return – but no fans should be subject to what Brighton have and Blackburn are going through.

Superb, I was very upset at some of the mainstream media I
have read today and comments of other fans. Our club has been systematically
destroyed by a bunch of incompetent morons. But it’s comforting to see that not
all have the same opinion and there are some real reporters out there who don’t
conform to the mainstream mindless drab that’s been written about our beloved
club and its fans of late.  Incompetency
killed our club, not the fans. Ask Venkys and Kean what Arte et Labore means, I
bet they don’t have a clue….RTID

 Great piece! A little too late though.

You are one wise, bad ass mofo Iain. Keep up the jolly good work.

Difference between Liverpool/Man Utd fans protesting is they are extremely unlikely to be facing a relegation fight (Man Utd also have a certain SAF as manager). In that position the players need all the support they can get. 
From a neutral perspective, I think Blackburn fans should have got behind the team for 90 minutes, there was plenty of time, pre & post-match, to protest against the owners and manager.

As a Celtic fan, who’s own club stared liquidation in the face in 1994 thanks to incompetent owners, I know the power a fans movement can have and can only hope for the fans sake it works out for them. Blackburn could very well be facing a Leeds-type scenario, struggling with finances and ownership battles for years.

As a liverpool fan i can fully understand blackburn rovers plight. Not so long ago we were in a very similar situation we were also laughed at for not supporting the manager. (See Kean see Roy).

Owners bring in a man to overlook things in the football side (purslow  and anderson)Owners sack a manager who is loved by the fans and because they wont get behind the owners/ the new man to overlook the football matters (rafa and alladyce)Owners bring in a manager who wasnt wanted by the fans and didnt deserve to manage the clubs (Roy/ Kean)Managers are yes men (Roy/ Kean)Fans get laughed at for not getting behind the managers.

Liverpool were lucky we were one day away from administration we were also in the mix of a relegation battle before new owners come in and sacked Roy and sorted the mess out. 

I can only hope blackburn get this sorted.

ONCE AGAIN THE PREMIERLEAGUE HAVE LET DOWN THE FANS BY NOT DOING THERE JOBS PROPERLY> HOW MANY MORE?

Just seen Messrs Gallagher and Neville on SKY speaking about the state of play at Ewood and still refusing to acknowledge the essential truths of this article. Apparently all we need is a holiday and then come back and pull in the same direction, poor old Steve is hard done by according to KG. Don’t they see that neither Venkys nor Mr Kean have shown the slightest interest in the supporters or the supporters point of view, that there is no same direction but only that of the owners and SK. 

Brilliant piece. Thank you for restoring my faith a little in good football journalism. There is very little about. KEAN OUT ANDERSON VENKYS OUT SCUDAMORE OUT TALK SPORT OUT

You clearly know nothing of what Keans involvement in all of this is. He has continuously patronised us, smeared us, outright lied to us and generally treat us with contempt from day one. He is a conman and a liar

Holy cr’p. You actually get it. How about ringing up some of your media mates and tell em what it is all about.

Well the stats are clear… Kean is the worst ever

This is refreshing to read from someone who appears to actually understand our damning situation for once other than a fan. However, its upsetting that it has taken for us to be relegated from the top flight for such an article to be published. 
I personally hold the Walker Trustees and the Premier League responsible for allowing such an inept group of so called “business people” with absolutely no knowledge of how to run a football club take over a club with so much heritage and such a proud history in a town where having their team in the Premier League means everything. 
I can’t help but fear the very worse for us over the next couple of seasons.

Yes dignified indeed. How the feck is what he say and do dignified. If spouting shite about “the positives” is dignified then how stupid, ignorant and deluded defined….

It is a sad day for football, whatever happened to due diligence and the protection of clubs and fans? The Premiership needs to be held responsible for allowing these naive foreign owners from ruining our game. Although I blame Venky’s in the first instance, they have shown how inept they are and so my full blame passes to the manager who has not only lied but has shown a massive lack of experience not to mention an arrogance that seems to fester amongst many failing managers. It is about time the media and so called football pundits stopped feathering their own nests and spoke on behalf of the fans. Why given Keans shocking record has everyone continued to slate the public yet backed a very poor manager. You should all hold your heads in shame as I doubt you actually have the interest of football at heart and more self preservation!!!

One of the few credible pieces written on the club lately. Absolutely class.

Rovers fans are fickle, and they deserve relegation. They have every right to protest against Venky’s, who are nothing short of a disgrace, and have run the club into the ground. But the hatred and vitriol they directed at Kean after every defeat was abysmal. If they had stuck to their guns and consistently opposed his appointment since day 1, I wouldn’t have a problem, but that wasn’t the case. 2-0 down after 20 minutes at home to Liverpool they were on Kean’s case, booing away. 2-2 arrived and they’re cheering and laughing and having a great time. 3-2 and it’s all boo’s again! And how many of them wanted Kean out after their heroics at Old Trafford. Support should be unconditional. The support from Rover’s fans was not, and you have your just deserts because of it. Enjoy the championship – you’ve earned it.

PAUL HUNT LEAKED LETTER – IN FULL
Published on May 8, 2012 by Mark1875 in General
Here is the full text of a letter from Blackburn CEO Paul Hunt to Mrs Desai, 21 December 2011 as covered in an article currently melting sportingintelligence.com

Wednesday 21st December 2011
Paul Hunt
Deputy CEO
Blackburn Rovers
Ewood Park
Blackburn
Lancashire
Madam,
I have been your senior officer at the club for 6 months now and I feel that I must now write to you to ask you to make some significant changes to save the club, perhaps from relegation but also perhaps from administration.

In twenty years of the Premier League there has been only one side that was bottom of the league at Christmas that has survived relegation at the end of the season. With the bank closing in, I fear that they will look to foreclose and have the potential to implement financial restrictions upon the club that could (as a worst-case scenario) enforce administration.

I have kept quiet for a time now out of utmost respect and I trust that you realise that I am only emailing you now as I want what is only the best for Blackburn Rovers and the owners. I am very much of the opinion that we can save the club and I have always been very supportive and positive towards the owners. Therefore I hope you know that what I am saying is considered, honest, constructive and from the heart.

I ask that we instigate all the changes below in this 10 point plan. If we do, then I guarantee that, come the summer, the club will be in a much stronger position than it is now. This will give the owners the following benefits:

A richer asset in the club as a whole
A happy, strong and valuable playing squad
Peace of mind that it is being run admirably
Protection for the Venky’s brand and the BRFC brand
The full backing of the Premier League
Deliver the community a club to be proud of
A devoted team of staff

1. Promotion to CEO
I am aware that that when we met in April, we said we would look at this within the first year. I believe now is the right time to promote me to CEO. The “Deputy” title is confusing to staff, supporters and media. I am confident that I now have the knowledge to be able to deliver strong progress. We have a great club, good team and an excellent range of staff that I feel can take this club forward, given the right support from the owners. Naturally, with extra responsibility I would like extra salary and I would be happy with a relatively modest increase with the promise of a good bonus and increase in salary in the summer that would reflect the improvement in position. I am currently the lowest paid senior club official in the Premier League.

2. Owners to invest in the club
As you are aware Barclays have asked for the owners to put £10m into the business. This needs to happen and I am confident that this could only be a loan as we would increase the value of the club significantly. With all the speculation in the press the playing staff value and overall club value is depreciating on a daily basis. By putting an end to this the owners would be protecting their investment, putting their trust in the executive team and the club. The position with the finances is a cause for grave concern. Auditors KPMG have put as many obstacles as they can in the way of signing off the accounts due to their concerns. We continue to try and work with Barclays but they are very quickly losing patience as we cannot give answers. We have been forced to agree to additional spending against our wishes (Christmas hampers, sponsoring the Princes Trust event etc) and I am fearful that the situation will only get worse.

During January we need additional funding to pay wages etc. Scottish club Hearts did not pay their players in November and have effectively breached their contracts. By law (supported by FIFA) the players can now annul their contracts, seek other clubs and still chase the club for payment of their wages. Clearly, the club will not receive any fee for any transfers. See link http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2011/12/10/hearts-stars-told-they-can-walk-away-from-club-now-over-unpaid-wages-86908-23623969/

You may also be aware that HMRC (tax authorities) have been chasing Portsmouth Football Club for a debt they owe. HMRC have made a technical mistake in law and therefore cannot claim the money they are owed. They will make sure of course that the next football club that falls out of line, won’t be so lucky. We need to make sure that this club is not Blackburn Rovers.

3. Manager to change and report to the CEO
Publicly I have been asked to support the manager and I always have as I personally like Steve. I have supported him from the start and have been desperate for him to do well. However, I am now of the opinion that it isn’t working and he is ready to go. He has lost the crowd and as a result of this evening’s game has lost the dressing room as well – the players no longer want to play for him. It is a shame and disappointing but we must act now to save the club. The board should be asked their opinion in who should be the new manager. The board has over 60 years football experience between them, it would be a travesty not to rely on that experience for the biggest decision the club will make this season. The new manager should now report into the board who then recommend and endorse his wishes to the owners. Allow the board to protect the owners from the media, supporters etc.

4. Trust the executive – bring us in
Give the executive team at Ewood Park, the latitude and authority to run the club. Everything at the club needs to come through either myself, Simon Hunt or Karen Silk – both Karen and Simon are excellent appointments. We have vast experience and with Vineeth as well, I am sure we have a winning team. The owners must learn to trust us. I am enjoying working with Vineeth and although he has little experience in football, he is quickly learning. I am trying to establish him with all the other staff too and am introducing him to the Heads of Department on an ongoing basis. I don’t really think for one minute that the owners will allow this club to go into ruin but without knowing this for sure, we need to be prudent. However, if we had more information on your plans, strategy and thoughts going forward (after assisting you in formulating that strategy of course) then we can support and deliver growth. Without knowing the plan, we will of course be guarded and suspicious. With our fiduciary responsibilities as directors, if the club goes under, the directors (including Vineeth, Mahesh and Gandhi Babu) are all potentially personally liable for that failing and the courts could take our houses from us. My family do not deserve this.

5. PR just from Ewood
Another big issue is the PR and the fact that a lot of it in the past has come from India, without our knowledge. ALL press statements need to come from Ewood Park with me as the spokesman. That way we can control all the output and protect the owners. I will take on an experienced PR consultant who will advise the board/owners. It will be someone who will be aware when any negative stories are about to hit the press. We must now remove the club from being headline news for the wrong reasons. A full PR strategy needs to be instigated from January 1st that re-engages the owners with the supporters – the owners need to trust us in this regard as we know our customers. As owners you are not protected. Use the board (and manager combined) as a buffer zone to the media, the bank, the fans and we will protect you. I want to tell the media that what they are printing is not true but the truth is that I do not know. It is clearly evident that neither yourself, Bala or Venky currently feel comfortable coming to Ewood Park. If we as an executive team had more say, day to day running and authority, we would be able to support you and take all the criticism ourselves. The damaging story in the Mail on Sunday has caused players, staff and the supporters much concern. We need to invest time in stopping leaks leaving the club.

6. Regular visits to India
To be able to understand the strategy and to assist the owners, the executive team of myself, Simon Hunt and Karen Silk must visit India once every two months as a minimum. This way we can be together on all issues and help to craft them with our experience. I am happy for the new manager to be a part of that delegation and would welcome his input. I am very concerned that I have not met with you properly during the six months I have worked at the club. You have asked me to deal with things locally but to be able to do this, as I have asked before, I need a greater understanding of your aspirations so I can deliver on them. If you keep me informed and learn to trust me, I can be your mouthpiece.

7. Regular visits to Blackburn and Premier League games
The owners must attend games in Blackburn as often as possible and I would suggest that at least one of the owners is present for at least a quarter of the games. The staff needs to meet you and get to know you too – whenever I have met the owners, I feel warm and strong and you instil in me the fight to face challenges and win. The supporters also need to meet you and we need to get the message of solidarity out there as quickly as possible.

8. Hire and Fire
The executive team at Blackburn Rovers must be allowed to hire and fire staff. We will of course ask for the owner’s opinion for senior positions but we must be allowed the latitude in this. In Simon Williams we have someone who is against the owners and spreads the word wherever he can. I am disappointed I was not allowed to remove him from post in the summer, when he and the rest of the staff were expecting it. We must act soon in this regard and look to review other positions and then give the staff great morale.

9. Lost revenue and brand equity
We are losing fans/customers at an alarming rate. I am very concerned that fans are voting with their feet and not attending, not purchasing and not engaging with the club. Research shows that only 5% of ex season ticket holders will ever return. We are losing sponsors and suppliers. I am concerned we will lose Umbro if we continue to manufacture Rovers shirts in India for the RoverStar programme. Their contract specifically disallows this and we are putting at risk £800k of annual revenue. The Blackburn Rovers and Venky’s brands are both suffering terribly. Whilst there are negative goings on such as protests, complaints, media stories, unhappy fans etc, then both brands are losing brand equity and consequently, losing value. I am also concerned that the Premier League will intervene soon as they may take the view that their brand is being tarnished by association too. It is all reparable of course but we must start to act now by building bridges with fans and the media as above.

10. Support is necessary / Final thoughts
I am disappointed that we have not managed to progress as I would have liked over the past 6 months. I for one was very excited to be given the opportunity and wanted to assist the owners in delivering strong progress for the club. However, we have been too busy fire fighting (protests, media intrusion, finance issues) to do this so far. As you know, I like to be proactive but the current climate only allows us to be reactive.
I feel impotent as I am not asked by yourselves about my opinion on matters. I joined the club to make a difference, not to sit by and simply action instructions. I appreciate that my advice will not always be acted upon but I am disappointed that I am not asked. I have a great deal to contribute and have great experience. I won’t get it right every time but will always do my best and learn from any mistakes.

My concern is for the staff. They have put up with a lot recently and are still supportive. They live in the community and are being asked questions by their friends and family but cannot answer them. They are also being challenged at the games and when they come into contact with fans. Most are junior or part time staff who are feeling under pressure. I am concerned that they are going to become too stressed and will look to get jobs elsewhere. We have some great staff and cannot afford to lose them.

I may be speaking out of turn here, but I am also concerned that no one reports everything to you, that is, everyone tries to report positive news and are not overly forthcoming when negative news needs to be told. By not having the full details, anyone would find it difficult to make decisions that encompass all the facts, all of the time. I am sure that if you were exposed to the full story, no matter how negative sometimes, that you would do the right thing. I need to be able to report a little more readily to you and on an infinitely more regular basis.

Please don’t view this as me questioning the owners unjustly. Please be reassured that I do question things, it means I am doing things right for the club and the owners by not accepting things lightly. This is how I work and how I must continue to work to get the best for Blackburn Rovers. With my experience of Blackburn now and my previous experience at three other prominent clubs, I do feel as though my suggestions come from a position of strength and can make a huge difference to life at Blackburn Rovers.

I would very much appreciate an opportunity to speak with you on these points by invitation to India. Without instigating these points it will get more and more difficult to deliver progress for the club. I call on the owners to act, to play their part in the investment that puts all our minds at rest, and then allows me and the executive team to initiate all of the above points for the greater good of Blackburn Rovers.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

With very best wishes for a bright future, Paul 

 Oh dear ! Wrong on virtually every count, you’re placing too much store by the Old Trafford result, just as SK does himself, he was never the supporters choice and that result did not change things.  As for support being unconditional, the owners would love you, apart from the love of your own family perhaps, nothing should be unconditional and if you’ve been shortchanged as BRFC fans have, you have every right to make it known.

Kean is the man to stear us forward

AT LAST BRILLIANTLY PUT WORD FOR WORD,the rest of the football managers and premier league know alls, have watched BRFC get systamatically raped financially and the HEARTBEAT OF THE CLUB GET RIPPED OUT,,Not only finance,but the wealth of knowledge they released with the board WHO Knew how this family club was run,PEOPLE WITH A THE KNOWHOW TO KEEP BRFC AFLOAT,,VENKYS HANG YOUR BRAINLESS HEADS IN SHAME,AND STEVE KEAN YOU HAVE TALKED THE SAME DRIVLE ALL SEASON, HAS DID BRIAN KIDD LAST TIME WE GOT IN THIS,SITUATION,,You cannot kid supporters anymore,,,THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SEEING,,,R.I.P. BRFC,,Kenco RISHTON

Great article Iain,

If this was massive Arsenal, Leviathan Liverpool, global Man Utd or Chelski the FA would have been in there sorting this out but because it’s town team Blackburn it doesn’t matter, well it damn well matters to me and all the other Rovers fans.

The football club is being back engineered and systematically ripped apart from the inside, 

great comment,

Arte et Labore. 

the ‘they even wanted him out after he won at Old Trafford’ point is just bollocks, so what if they did? If they didn’t want him out, they’re criticised for being fickle, and when they do want him out, they’re criticised for being mean to poor old Steve (who is managing a Premier League club and pocketing at least £15k a week while the fans pay money to get beat at home to Wigan/Stoke/Wolves/West Brom).

I dont blame steve kean, all blame goes towards venkys. they put him into a position at the club which he clearly wasnt up to. VENKYS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed 100% except I think you’re wrong to assume the Venky’s are stupid. They aren’t, they’ve very clever as they hoodwinked the FA, the Jack Walker Trust and the banks in allowing them to get their hands on the club in the first place. They’ve no money, their chicken business barely turns a profit. They’ve made more out of asset-stripping Rovers than anything else. Add up how much they’ve made from selling Jones, Samba and Kalinic then deduct cost of Orr and Goodwillie. You’ll see there’s a huge difference. There needs to be an immediate investigation by the FA into their dealings before the parachute payment is made as they’ll pocket that too. Well done for your article though, it sums up the season, our thoughts and the facts very well. Keep up the good work. 

The FA have yet again proved they are totally unfit to be custodians of the game in this country.  In every aspect of the game, the FA fail:

1) How are Venkys fit and proper owners?  You can add Venkys to the list along with numerous others such as the Glazers and Hicks/Gillette who are only interested in lining their own pockets.

2) Referreeing has been appauling this season.  Wrong decisions have changed the result of many games.

3) Video technology (not just goal line) - Why are the FA hiding behind FIFA.  It’s time to lead.

4) Embarrassing performance trying to win the World cup

5) Wembley and its corporate middle tier resulting in ticket touting as we all know those tickets end up with proper fans but at extortionate prices

6) Wembley used for semi finals even between 2 northern teams.  They don’t care about real fans.

7) Holding an FA cup final during a weekend of major train disruption.  yes, they did know about it before choosing the date.
Their differences between the handling of the John Terry/Luis Suarez cases. i.e. punishing one without any evidence but then using court procedures for the one where evidence actually exists.

Until we can rid ourselves of this chocolate fireguard called a football association, it will be the fans of all clubs who continue to suffer.  Disgrace to the game!!! 

Fantastic article and bit of journalism!

Thanks for your honest report of what’s been going on for 18 months. It’s a disgrace but as been said before had it been a fashionable City club the FA would have got involved ages ago.

At least us Blackburn fans can finally say told you so to the idiots that ignored our concerns. Football IMO is a very different sport to what I grew up with. It’s full of corruption and greed and our club is being stripped of its assetts by Indian Poultry idiots that have no idea about football but have an eye for a bargain. They’ll just squeeze as much out of the club and sell up..

Yes a great piece but sadly the people that need to see it dont listen to reason. Astonishing how an apology hasnt been made by the management to the fans for being relegated. 

Absolutely sensational articulation of the real situation at Rovers.  What a relief it is to finally have a reporter report the real reasons why people see such anger from Rovers fans.  I am sharing this article wherever I can because there are so many ill-informed fans of other clubs laying into us at the minute it is actually harder to take than relegation itself.  

Thank you Iain Macintosh you are a proper journalist, hope the next Rovers fan you meet buys you a drink.

seriously jog on.  You can blame the fans for that defeat all you like but if you can’t see that sitting so deep we’re practically playing 7-3-1  isn’t the mark of the worst manager in history, coupled with the fact that it was crucial to pick up at least a point from the previous game where we failed to register even a shot on goal then you know even less about football than Kean himself.

Nice to see some proper reporting. Thank you Iain. Keans “dignity” was no where to be found last night, taking none of the blame as per usual. TV pundits saying he did the best with what he was given is complete nonsense too. He had 20 million to spend over the past 18 months and completely wasted it on garbage whilst getting rid of experienced and well respected players like Brett Emerton, Ryan Nelsen and Chris Samba.
Venkys and Kean should be ashamed of themselves

Thank you.  We are not villains, not thugs, not hooligans and I’m not really even sure that Kean really got death threats because he never produced evidence nor were the police involved or bring anyone to book for it.  I suspect the threats were another figment of Kean’s imagination, like the good performances he saw when the rest of us saw mediocrity or worse.  Unless things change at Ewood I know of many fans who are taking the only course open to them now, that of keeping their season ticket money in their bank accounts until the impostor is gone. Not young fans who only started going on the back of winning the title but people who have held season tickets for 30, 40, 50 years and have seen lows when rovers couldn’t pay for basics like cups of tea, but were honestly and conscientiously run by people who knew football

 No, I wont have that, Brian Laws was worse than Kean…

To all the people saying we had time to protest pre/post match we did for weeks before the bolton game and any of this crap about the fans started. I was there week in week out with a few hundred others singing kean out etc to an empty stadium. No press no kean just us singing to no-one that cared.
Thats why it started to escalate to the games. Where the press and the cameras would listen. Did they?  No not at all, they all, like you branded the fans a disgrace etc. Do you know how it feels to be protesting during a match we so desperately want to win. Its the only way people would listen. There is NOBODY at the club to tell venkys what is going on just kean. So we had to get our views to venkys and to do that meant protesting when on sky despite knowing we’d be vilified by all it would be for the benefit of the fans that mattered that these assett stripping muppets would be out of our club once and for all then we can get on with being a football club whether it be in league 2 or 3 we will get our club back and we couldn’t give a toss what fans of other clubs may think of us 

Thank you from every single Rovers fan.

Please can you verify these death threats that supposedly happened? Did they originate from the mouth of the same guy who gets hundreds of letters of support everyday (Kean)?

I don’t believe a word the guy says, so if you can provide evidence from the police please, it would be welcomed. If not, please retract this from your otherwise excellent article.

At last common sense. I’m glad that Agent Anderson’s tentacles don’t reach everybody like Charlie Nicholas and those other members of the closed shop that is the ‘Football family’.
The Premedire League by turning a blind eye to all this are showing themselves to be as corrupt as Blatter & Co. What they need is video technology to see what’s happening. But I forgot – it’s only Blackburn Rovers.

the voice of reason in an otherwise ignorant media- you should be proud of yourself Ian. You have properly represented the feelings of the Rovers fans where no one else has- thank you.

Spot on, I applaude you in every way. The Venkys have made a mockery of our club. Once prolific turned into a laughing stock. The sad thing is, it’s going to carry on due to them not wanting to step down. The way the treated Allardyce was disgraceful. I don’t blame the likes of Samba and Jones for going. I was once a season ticket holder, no more though, why should I fund them to ruin our club. I will be spending my hard earned money watching Accrington Stanley from now on, as they have a lot more passion and realistic ambitions.

Well said seems strange how only this article amongst the many i have read has seen it the way the season has unfolded. R.I.P Blackburn Rovers FC

bob on that .brilliant

Nathan, you have no idea what you are talking about. The majority of the fans wanted Kean out from the start as it was clear he had colluded with his agent and the owners to get his boss fired and himself a promotion.

He managed to keep us up on the last day but his record was abysmal and we stayed up because of points gained while Allardyce was boss.

He was clearly a liar from the start and it was clear in the first game of the season that we were down under him, I would say 80% wanted him out then.

There was a feeling that by really turning up the protests around the time of the Bolton game we could get him out and the goal of this was to save the club in the long term. Paul Hunt’s letter to Venky’s shows that many in the club wanted him out then because he had “lost the fans and dressing room” but Venky’s kept him as Venky’s, Kean and their “project” are actually one and the same thing…

Now ask “why do Wigan fans support Martinez, but Rovers fans don’t support Kean?”

The answer is obvious – only one of the two is capable.

Kean lost the fans when he accused them of spiking his drink when he was caught drink driving after the Man U match.

Thereafter he would never regain their trust, especially when he claimed Ryan Nelsen was in ‘traction’ and wouldn’t play again all season (sold to Spurs shortly after and played for them), and followed that up by claiming “There is no way Chris Samba is leaving this football club”…

Sorry Nathan, but that is remarkabley ill-informed, self-righteous nonsense. Check out the BRFCS website, where you will find clear documented facts that a number of fans were indeed against Steve Kean from day one, though a greater majority were against Venkys.

Steve brought a lot of the vitriol on himself through his outlandish statements and attempts to implicate Rovers fans for his own drink driving offence.

Support of the team is unconditional, acceptance of the structure behind it is not.

Where Kean went wrong is his lies!! Oh Givet can’t play he’s injured then after the game oh he wasn’t injured he refused to play….. Next day Givet claims I never refused to play?!?! LIED
Kean states : Nelson won’t play again this season…31st Jan sold to spurs a week later makes his debut!! LIED
Ah it frustrates me to continue!!

Yes ultimately it is the Venkys but he should do what the fans want now and go! Nobody wants him.

I can honestly say that the protests at Anfield were before or after the games, not during. The players were always backed as long as they wear the shirt and put the effort in. The rovers fans spend more time getting on the managers AND PLAYERS backs. The team that blackburn are currently building is a youthful one and in a few years will be excellent.

I,m lost for words why did you not go to Venkys on your own bat if you felt so strongly.after following rovers for over 60 years never seen a team as bad as this who do you blame,apart from them lets start with the Walkers poor JACK.The F A .Most news papers .and the Clown of a manager.He is a tosser a second rate one at that.Unless the chicken lot sell up you will not see down at Ewood again come on you Walkers have some backbone make Jack andus true fans happy and give us back our club.

Utd, Liverpool etc protest outside the 90 minutes, back their teams. Kean is building for the future. Macintosh, please go back to poor tv shows

Wigan was actually playing decent football and Roberto was playing their strongest team and their players tried to win the match. Our Players where asking to play for a draw. We never played our strongest squads he played bad tactics.

YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU CLEARLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL

The degree of the Blackburn fans protests is the difference maker here, United and Liverpool fans were not booing goals/players, they still got behind the team whilst airing their views.

what a terrible comment, both teams have protested inside the ground on various occasions, You sir are clearly an idiot.

i heard a few, albeit coming out of my own mouth but im sure there were more.

You’ve never seen my Football Manager statistics, I have far more experience than Steve Yolker Kean does.

The only thing that man was fighting for was his next paycheck, how much of a bonus do you think he would have received if he had kept us up. he doesn’t care. 

I think you will find people still wanted his head after the united result, luck doesnt change ones feelings. try both bolton games, everton games, west brom games, wolves games, the 7-1 arsenal defeat and that 1 amazing corner we had at spurs, 13 wins in 18 months says it all with 20+million spent on his signings he deserves everything he gets, but hey if you want to sit there and let someone drag your club into the ground be my guest im sure it will happen one day. Why dont you raise the white flag and let them walk all over you.

There was never any boo’s directed to the players – EVER.

Parachute payment for the next 4 years has already been pledged to Barclays

You don’t remember the pitch invasion which caused the abandonment of the York game, the booing of Steve Gritt on his introduction to the support, or the sprint across the turf to drive that weasel Bellotti from the directors’ box then? We did what we could to rid our club of a cancer, and the truth is that, right until Bellotti was no longer attending the games, the fans directed their attention at him and his cronies, not at what was happening on the pitch, and the home games were anarchy.

If anything, the Rovers fans have been remarkably calm in keeping their protests to vocal/banners etc, rather than storm the barricades, which is what we had to do. No support should be expected to stand by and watch they club they love more than any owner, or any manager ever will, be systematically destroyed.

This Brighton fan wishes BRFC fans well and hopes they’ll be able to rid their club of these charlatans before they destroy it completely.

Your an idiot! Best article and most truthful article about the running of rovers I have heard in all season

With all due respect Blackburn are NOT a top tier side. They have been making up the numbers for a long time now, and the fans that turn out to watch their championship-esque style of football are deluded to think they deserve a place in the big time having won the league 17 years ago. This has been a long time coming, and it’s just a shame that you couldn’t take Wigan and Stoke down with you.

Difference being tho, and i mean no disrespect, ‘woy’ had a proven track record to fall back on, and has proved more successful than King Kenny, and Kenny didnt have the turmoil of the club sale or the fans chanting another managers name for 90 minutes to contend with.  Roy was never given a chance, his 1st game Liverpool fans were wanting him out – kean was given over half a season.

So while you deserved to be laughed at for your unfounded abuse at your manager (and you wernt laughed at btw, the media couldnt get far enough up your collective arses) Rovers fans gave kean a chance

Sitting in front of the wall on the Riverside with the other kids, Easter 1964, and seeing Duggie fly past leaving the Blackpool full backs and a vapour trail of liniment behind him, was an experience more addictive than anything I had known or have known since, it entered through the eyes, nose, and ears and became fixed in the blood.

Reaching the quarter finals of the FA Cup in 1966, queuing for tickets to see us play Sheff Wed at home and losing narrowly in the pouring rain to a team inspired by Ron Springett in goal, taught us how to accept defeat.

Being relegated in that same season, having started our campaign late because of the Polio outbreak in Blackburn, and standing on Nuttall Street shouting at the brick walls “Sack Jack, Sack Jack” because we felt he (manager, Jack Marshall) was largely responsible for our demise, a demise which would last 26 years, taught us how to accept failure.

Watching England lift the World Cup in black and white will remain in
my memories forever, but we still had to start next season in Div 2.

Nicking off work on a Tuesday afternoon to travel to Scunthorpe for a night match, or traveling on a Ribblesdale coach overnight to Swindon for a cup-tie, only confirmed our addiction.

Lifting Beamo on our shoulders one sunny afternoon in Stoke, in 1975 when we had secured the Div 3 title at Port Vale, showed us what it was like to be winners and oh how we enjoyed that success!

The concrete terracing of the Blackburn End vibrating almost to the point of disintegration when we came back from 0-2 to beat Derby in the play-off semi confirmed that ‘Big Fat Jack’ really did mean business and a single goal at Wembley earned by the fiery legend called SPEEDIE saw grown men wash away 26 years worth of sorrows with tears of joy.

When ‘Big Fat Jack’ became ‘Uncle Jack’ courtesy of a remark by King Kenny in an early TV interview – Kenny said it was wonderful working at Rovers because if he wanted a player Uncle Jack would just get his cheque book out – it showed us that Kenny was so astute and cared for Jack so much that he changed Jack’s nickname in an instant, from one that Jack wasn’t really fond of to one that became a legend synonymous with Blackburn Rovers Football Club and the town, Uncle Jack would be immortalised in the history of Blackburn and of football.

The news reports of that ‘one day in May’, many of which I still have on video, affirming that we really had won the Premier League title and seeing Blackburn come together and celebrate in a way unseen since the 1928 FA Cup win, told the whole world that it was true, from dream to fairytale to reality, the club that Jack built.
One lad being interviewed epitomised the overwhelming joy that rendered many fans’ delirious and his words are etched on my memory, “It’s a dream come true, beyond our wildest dreams”!
We learned easily how to enjoy our success and revelled in the glory of Jack’s achievement.  

I must take a moment to thank everyone who made that possible, in particular Mr Alan Shearer who, as the King of Swagger and the most ruthless centre forward I have had the pleasure to watch, allowed us all to rub the noses of our detractors right in it, big style, and had us walking in a Shearer wonderland.

Having to suffer the pain of our mixed fortunes since May 1995 was anaesthetised to a point by such intensely happy memories, but as they begin to fade, even slightly, the stark reality of our current situation comes sharply into focus. Now we are having to learn to deal with something far worse and with more potential to ruin our beloved and still glorious Rovers than we ever could have imagined. We have been unwillingly and unwittingly transported from Uncle Jack’s dream to some foreigners’ nightmare. I use the word foreigners in the literal sense, Venkys are as foreign to Blackburn Rovers as the Dead Sea Scrolls are to Clayton Street chippy (Great Harwood – ask Dunny!). They have taught us we need to find new owners with a genuine interest in the club’s success and survival, not as a cheap advert for a family of chicken farmers and a gravy train for cling-ons.

I only meant to write one quick paragraph, but anyone who knows me will agree that I can talk (or type) a glass eye to sleep!

I wanted to reply to Sclough and say that I don’t believe that the Jack Walker Trust was really ‘hoodwinked’, but more that they didn’t really care who bought the club as long as it was off their hands. It’s been no secret that they wanted to sell Rovers for some time. We have to somehow deal with the consequences of their actions.

Uncle Jack built his fortune from nothing but didn’t keep it all to himself, as so many who acquire wealth seem to do. Would the members of the Walker Trust who were blessed with the privilege of wealth through Jack’s benevolence have achieved such standing without it? Jack left many legacies for many people, but to see his beloved Rovers being sold down the river by those he charged with its safe-keeping inevitably leads to feelings of betrayal and a belief that the word Trust was all too easily forgotten.

BRFC is looking for a new owner, one with integrity.
Venkys are looking in the dictionary for ‘parachute payments’.
Kean is looking for the ‘Shit Creek Paddle Store’.

Rovers Fans are looking for their Championship Grounds Guides,
because they were there before Venkys came and will be there long after Venkys have become a painful memory of a distant nightmare.

Because they are Blackburn Rovers, as their Fathers were and as their Children will be.

While we may not turn the job, I can personally tell you that I would:
1. Not be a puppet for the owners (like Kean)
2. Not talk post match drivel and ignore obvious realities in the match(like Kean)
3. Not lie to AND insult the fans(like Kean)
4. Have the dignity to admit it’s in the club’s best interest for me resign my post.

Rovers for Life

Spot the bell end more like

You sir are a cock. I imagine you support a team which invests money they don’t have into buying success. Wigan play some of the best football I have seen in a while, better than Liverpool, Everton, dare I say it, Chelsea at times.

I don’t support Wigan, but they are there on merit, therefore ARE a top tier team dickhead.

Martinez is good. That is the difference you clown

That is not true at all

I’m a Burnley fan.. and agree totally with everything in this article… As a Burnley fan though I must say I find it all hillarious!!

At last somebody telling it like it is. Thanks.

Putting all of that to one side, it’s still bloody funnny though.

If Rovers had been relegated after a season when all efforts were made by owners management and players we as fans may be able to take it. What so sad is that 137 years of  proud tradition have been destroyed. For Fergi and Roy Kean etc to criticise fans shows what a bubble they live in. We care for our club its our life. They can all move on this is our club and we will not give up on it. Peter W

Thank you!
Thank you !!
Thank you !!

I agree that some of the protests could have been handled better – for maximum effect – but the very heart and soul is being taken from the club- either due to staggering incompetence- or some weird design – and by far the worst part of it all is the indifference of the national press, and the stupidy of the FA in allowing this….
Perhaps, like Mr Ashely at NUFC, if the owners act now they can recover some ground – but Kean must go
 

you’re obviously not a Rovers fan and haven’t seen at first hand what has gone on in the last 18 months it hasn’t been nice at all. In fact i think you’re Mrs Keane

Well done for writing this, better late than never. It’s too late for us now but this must never happen again. If we were a big city club I’m sure that there would have been some sort of investigation by the premier league, but because they don’t really want the likes of Rovers, Bolton and Wigan small town clubs in the big league then it was just ignored. Shame on them.

I agree with all your comments. Keane has just been on Tv and said we should have beaten Wigan. The reality is it could have been 4-0 to Wigan.  
Dunn goes off injured and he replaces him with Olson (a winger) and leaves Nzonzi on the bench. Modeste on the wing….a joke. Then there’s the League
Semi Final at Cardiff: he plays a weakened team,saying that the League is more important. Should Rovers not go out to win every game? Not under Keane they don’t 

As a Rovers fan I have witnessed the destruction of my club first hand. Kean is made of teflon injurious to criticism and reality. Had he been a mobster I would have said he knew where the bodies where buried as he has survived the worst record as a manager in recent premier league memory. As for the owners lord alone knows what motivates them. I see nothing but doom and gloom ahead unless one of, hopefully both of them find some dignity and get the hell out.  Mick

spottheball. do you mean he’s building to go down in the championship too

As a Rovers fan, it’s heartening to finally see the media understanding the situation at Ewood over the last 18 months and this article is certainly nearer the truth. There’s still one misconception that should be corrected though. As far as I’m aware Kean never received physical abuse or death threats. This was pure fabrication from the media, fanned by Kean, along with the nonsensical idea of him hiring a bodyguard just to whip up sympathy for such a man of dignity! And everyone, apart from Rovers fans, seem to have swallowed all the lies.
Has he apologised to the fans for destroying the team, for his clueless ineptitude and for the final nail of relegation?  We’re still waiting…… 

Rumours has it Venkys told Steve Kean he had to give Paul Hunt the news that he was being fired, it went something like, “Kean, sack Hunt”.

a fan off most clubs is just someone who pays to watch a live match involving the same team more than once

Not a Blackburn supporter however the so called fans do
indeed deserve our contempt. If the fans got behind the team and its manager
this season they may have given them the confidence to win more and this campaign
could have ended so differently.   I know
not all Blackburn supporters behaved this way however the ones that did,
contributed every bit as much to the team being relegated as any member of the
team.

This article may well be written to generate comments
however journalist tripe like this only fuels the loons.

I am not a Rovers fan either, but let me get this right !

Stevo – who had an extensive playing record with Celtic, Swansea, and
12 games or points in Portugal [ see Wikipedia ] and managerial track
record of not being a manager, having had the opportunity MOST people
only find on FIFA Playstation – has still to understand that when you get 
relegated, you offer up your resignation to your Board, because you dont
have the support or respect of your fans [ or a large enough section ] and
you don’t want to make it worse for the Board [ seems owners are the
biggest mugs here ].

Could this be due a general lack of intelligence and empathy for others; 
an excess of  the Wanna Be gene; a MASSIVE appreciation that this 
job has been a once in lifetime opportunity to  kop silly money; or not
having been trained or sufficiently professional to know the rock n roll
mantra of ” don’t believe your own bullshit “. Yes – Stevo is great to
camera – all in it together and hard work will see us through YAWN.
What a Banker !

The most honourable way forward is to resign and learn from it. Your
time will come again when you are ready. At the moment why poison
the chance.The Magistrates failed to believe that the drinks were spiked 
and there is no dignity in a character who fails to fess up to his shortcomings. The dignity has been with the fans with putting up with so much 

Off you go Steve – its not your club – and stop being so, so, so selfish.
That club and its fans have been around far longer than you – get out of
their living room. YOU’RE NOT WANTED – DO YOU GET IT NOW  - NOT WANTED. 

Rovers now banking with Bank Of India, not Barclays…ask any employee of the club.

Sums it up perfectly. Just a shame Venkys won’t care enought to read any of these pieces or to start putting things right. I just can’t see anything getting any better until they go and I don’t see that happening.

Walsh49 is absolutely correct and SPOTTHEBALL is clearly trying to be antagonistic. Kean has failed miserably to achieve the minimum of a manager and that is to stay up. 1 win for every 5 games and Rovers fans are supposed to keep quiet? The Venkys have taken a stable, if unassuming, club to the brink of financial disaster.Are they fit and proper owner? I am a Rovers fan but I actually now think it’s time to put the football passion to one side and call on the FA to investigate some very irregular goings on. 

leave the venky’s alone. i think they are trying to sell some more chicken to bring ronaldinho to play championship football. 

Definately not Keans fault he had the fans against him and some bloody useless owners yet he held them all together and made some astute signings , I hate it when people slag off decent ENGLISH managers who have hardly any money to spend and are expected to make miracles by chicken farmers what a crazy situation, maybe if the BlackBURN fans were not such sell outs they would still be in the league you should support you team until the end !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very good article, absolutely spot on, and as said the previous correspondant I’m no Rovers fan either, but the way the owners have been allowed to own & run the club is ridiculous. I also don’t feel sorry for poor old Kean, rest assured he’ll be on big money for the ‘Job’ he’s done.
you often hear football fans say ‘I could do a better job than so & so’ but in this case its true I have ran various kids teams, and I could certainly do a better job than Steve Kean. Another thing how does he get more ‘airtime’ on sky sports news than anyone else including Ferguson, Wenger, Redknapp et al? It must be his engaging wisdom on all things football

Many, many thanks for saying it like it is. You are the only one in the national media who has! That said, it is likely you will be ignored just like the supporters.

You’re incorrect Denzel. The supporters are right behind the club and always will be. Plenty of clubs don’t have cash to splash around and still manage more than a handful of wins in 18 months. Having said that the Venkys are equally to blame by their mismanagement of the club. For the record Kean is Scottish!

 Kean couldn’t build a garden shed. Blackburn will be in Div 1 if he doesn’t go.

I’m not a Rovers fan but I deeply sympathise with them.  The problem now is that things aren’t going to get better, they are going to get worse.  Kean won’t go, and on his wages I’d hold out until sacked, and the owners are truly clueless.  I can’t see them bouncing back as the championship is going to be a tough place next season.  

Well said, from a Rovers suppporter of 57 years standing! The trouble with Lawrenson, Nicholas and many of the journo’s is that they have rarely, if ever, paid to be a commited supporter of a club. They think fans know nothing about football but believe me they do. For example when we played Man U at home recently, it was clear that United were beginning to string together longer and longer series of passing moves. Rovers fans were screaming for a change so that United would have to disrupt their rythym if another type of player came on. Eventually he told Dunn to get stripped and when he was almost ready United scored. Dunn never went on and they got a second. Kean was probably the only one who couldn’t see it coming! Then he states that we played well for 80 minutes! Does he know that the ganme is 90 minutes long and injury time can last forever against United. Plonker!

 You don’t need to name-call. All I’m saying is support makes a difference, the supporters were on his case since the first few games. I know he’s made some horrendous decisions.

 True but was that the case for Wigan earlier on in the season? Faith was still given despite bad results, barely any rumours of Martinez getting sacked. Not defending Kean but some fans were on his case from the start which doesn’t help. Credit to Kean as he didn’t run away from the job which he eventually failed in.

 True, all I’m saying is support makes a difference. Not defending Kean – I understand he’s made some dreadful decisions but as an Arsenal fan, I know the manager needs backing. Look at our situation in August and look at it now. Of course, Wenger is clearly superior but a little less abuse from the start and who knows what could have happened with Blackburn? Anyway, I’m sorry for your team’s loss.

U r a complete dick , if u protest outside the 90 mins who the f–k would know about the lunatic of a manager who is slowly lining his pockets along with mr Anderson with no care at all for who or what is destroyed in the process and when the truth actually comes out we will all accept your appology.

Top man, do u fancy running a football club ?

I promise you I was not trying to be antagonistic. I was just saying how I seen it and comparing it to the situation at Liverpool. I just feel like the team seemed to get a lot of abuse and alot of that team are good youngsters!

Very good article and a very sad story involving Blackburn. Being a Hammer I have seen a club with its soul almost being ripped out by not only the owners but management and coaches to (Avram Grant and the dreaded 2010/2011 season springs to mind) the two David’s, to their credit have turned our club around after making several shocking mistakes (Sacking of Gianfranco Zola, Appointment of Grant and the subsequent poor style of player contract negotiation including Demba Ba, Freddy Piquionne and so on)

I do hope though that you guys at Blackburn sort it all out, Always good fun you lot. 

i’m not sure if kean was the main problem venky’s are used to dealing with chickens! there must be a legion of footy-mad people who think they can run a football club. it must be remembered that blackburn is a small club i went there to see newcastle play and one whole stand was taken-up by toonsters. they were certainly a great side winning the premiership but they were punching above their weight. maybe it will do them good to re-group in the championship, didn’t do newcastle any harm did it?

I am a Rovers fan, and so is my wife n kids and if Uncle Jack could see his beloved team now, he’d be turning in his grave God bless him. The Venky’s should stick to chicken and Kean should turn to politics cos he talks just as much shit as they do ! The man is totally inept and should do the honourable thing…………….

Great article that shows more about the greed of Anderson and SEM coupled with the naivety of Venkys then any other report I’ve seen or read. While not defending Kean – Yakubu was the sixth highest scorer in the league, and he had – Reading are already talking about a £5 million bid for Hoillet (where have we heard that number before?) – one of the best strike forces outside the top 6, yet against Tottenham Kean played for defence and didn’t get a shot on target – the contracts of players has been appalling, which looked to have tied the hands of who ever was picking the team.

Jason Roberts and Michel Salgado (to name two) where frozen out supposedly because if they played again they would have to sign new contracts, and against Manchester United on April 2nd he used no substitutes at all! Was that because of appearance bonuses in certain players contracts?
Yet the media was filled with reports of signing star names to Ewood Park. How much interest do Venkys have in football if they thought David Beckham or Ronaldinho would play for the money they where talking about (Beckhams LA Galaxy got $2 million to appear in a friendly against Philippine Azkals in 2011) when they can’t even afford Jason Roberts to get his boots on? 
If reports about them thinking they’d bought a franchise (part of their not realising they could be relegated) are correct then surely they can have their franchise removed for not understanding the business they where buying into?

It’s a fair point that some talented youngsters will have had some flack this season, but it is clear to anyone associated with Blackburn Rovers that the fans see Kean and the Venkys as the problem. Kean is out in India and it will be interesting to see if he has a job when he gets back. If he does, then what hope do the fans have of things improving? If he doesn’t, there’s another certain Scotsman out of work that we’d have back with open arms.

Difference is Iain, United fans wearing scarves in old colours and Blackburn screaming violence at a helpless man while their team plays, is a joke to compare.

Embarassing, really.

All nice and easy in retrospect,any particular reason all you journos are coming out of the woodwork and stating the obvious, NOW, we are relegated.
This piece is bang on but should have been published 9 months ago.All the evidence was there then.
What also seems to have been forgotten is Keans refusal to apologise to the fans for relegation.
Steve Kean,Jerome Anderson,Paul Agnew,Bradley Orr = LYING SCUM.
And they STILL get away with it.

The only Death threats & physical violence were in Kean’s tiny little mind.His body guard is in fact his driver,due to him being a drunk driver.this being the reason why the fans turned against him(he had the nerve to blame Blackburn fans for spiking his drinks).Christ on a bike this thing of a man has no shame.

looking at a few of the comments below these people clearly haven’t read you article properly.your dead right about the liverpool and united fans protests being applauded by the media ,and the condemnation of the same media about rovers fans protests.what is missing from this is the fact that the walker family couldn’t wait to sell to these idiots in the first place and they should burden a portion of the blame for the state this club is in right now (JACK WALKER) will be turning in his grave.and lets not forget the work John Williams did at the club in keeping costs down and budgeting transfers to such a degree that a small town club like rovers could sustain premiership  football for over 10 years ,and have a debt of just 20 million before the venkys took over.and what do they do ,yep they force him out.theres no chairman no ceo theres nothing so who does the manager actually discuss transfer targets with,and more so how does a plank like kean keep his job on rubbish performance,i for one know i wouldn’t be in a job if my work performance was 20 times better then his.its a disgrace whats gone on at that club and i feel desperately sorry for a lot of my friends who have followed rovers for many many years