[Archived] John Williams Leaves

[thenodrog]

are you never tempted to do this, please?

Indeed I am Jackson, and increasingly so these days.

........ However there are still a few tiresome and evil little Orcs to despatch first.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I don't see how anyone can be angry (at this moment in time); we don't know anything about the manner of the departure or the reasons behind it. I can however see why people are sad to see him go as he has been a fine servant to Rovers over these past 14 years.

Not surprised that people are using this as a stick to beat the owners with, after a reasonable transfer window and much praise given to the owners, those with an agenda felt they had to fight back against the 'Evil Venky's'.

[Kelbo]

Venkys should bow their heads in shame, John Williams and Sam Allardyce have both been treated shabbily by niaive owners and their advisors, we shall see what transpires but I can tell you this, Rovers will never be the same again,

I for one will carefully watch what is happening at our club and I wont be surprised one little bit to see the Premier League entering the fold quite soon, they are aware something is not right at the club and I just hope we are not involved in fines or worse still, points deductions.

[Jackson]

Surprise- the official message board is under 100% moderation.

I know.

Muhammad Mubarak has nothing on these guys.

[Kelbo]

wasn't it part of the terms of takeover that John Williams keeps his job until the end if his contract?

It was what they said, but personally, I dont believe anything they say, they have mislead the trust and the supporters, evil Venkys? well, maybe they are, stupid seems to be a better word and when things get a little hot under the collar, the lady owner runs and hides!!

[Tom]

Sad day and he will be greatly missed, however inevitable it was.

And timmyjimmy give it a rest this in no way validates your claim, anyone could say something bad is going to happen maybe soon, you should write horoscopes.

Also your claim that other posters in the know stuff is true has been proven false in the transfer window.

Good luck John rovers will miss you

[Hughesy]

In MAY :!: I was told he would go soon - with another 12 months probably the max (due to age, time in job, and personal life)....Venkys took over in November.

With the changes that have taken place, and the fact that most new owners change the top regime - it is NO suprise. Hell had you listened to certain downbeats on here about 6 weeks ago, aswell as Sky Sports then you would have thought he got sacked back then. He has done his job - keep the Jack legacy going, keep the club at the top until it was passed on - MISSION complete!

It is clear he has resigned, and not been pushed - it is clear that Venkys work in a different way that the norm that John had become acustomed to and he felt like a useless part. Thats business, its cruel but its nothing new.

Thanks for all the hard work John - it is really appreciated....

Now we need to get the next appointment spot on, do not be suprised to see someone from a top brand come in.

[chris]

In MAY :!: I was told he would go soon - with another 12 months probably the max (due to age, time in job, and personal life)....Venkys took over in November.

With the changes that have taken place, and the fact that most new owners change the top regime - it is NO suprise. Hell had you listened to certain downbeats on here about 6 weeks ago, aswell as Sky Sports then you would have thought he got sacked back then. He has done his job - keep the Jack legacy going, keep the club at the top until it was passed on - MISSION complete!

It is clear he has resigned, and not been pushed - it is clear that Venkys work in a different way that the norm that John had become acustomed to and he felt like a useless part. Thats business, its cruel but its nothing new.

Thanks for all the hard work John - it is really appreciated....

Now we need to get the next appointment spot on, do not be suprised to see someone from a top brand come in.

Christ your right I didn't realise he was 78:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams

[dave birch]

In MAY :!: I was told he would go soon - with another 12 months probably the max (due to age, time in job, and personal life)....Venkys took over in November.

With the changes that have taken place, and the fact that most new owners change the top regime - it is NO suprise. Hell had you listened to certain downbeats on here about 6 weeks ago, aswell as Sky Sports then you would have thought he got sacked back then. He has done his job - keep the Jack legacy going, keep the club at the top until it was passed on - MISSION complete!

It is clear he has resigned, and not been pushed - it is clear that Venkys work in a different way that the norm that John had become acustomed to and he felt like a useless part. Thats business, its cruel but its nothing new.

Thanks for all the hard work John - it is really appreciated....

Now we need to get the next appointment spot on, do not be suprised to see someone from a top brand come in.

Hughesy, there are ways for people to leave an organisation, andthere are ways for people to leave an organisation.

The proper way, in this instance, would have been for JW to have announced it himself, not for it to "leak" etc.

Poor form from the "New" Rovers.

[the original david brent]

Williams leaving does nothing to curtail my Venkys scepticism. Im clearly not alone. This was evident before the game on Wednesday, when in response to the tannoy plea of "Let's give Venkys a huge Ewood Park welcome!," there was, at best, a lukewarm reception from the fans! Who knows what the future holds? I just know that if things go wrong with Venkys, in the absence of JW, there won't be anybody at the club with any nounce to steer us out of trouble.

Putting the above to one side, it's sad to see John Williams go. He has done a great job and seemed a very down to earth chap. The only time I met him was away at Vetra Vilnius in the Intertoto Cup, there were a few of us having a kickaround on the astro turf behind the net after the game. JW came over to thank the Rovers fans who had made the trip, and briefly joined in the kickaround! Not many premier league chairmen would do these kind of things.

[chris]

Hughesy, there are ways for people to leave an organisation, andthere are ways for people to leave an organisation.

The proper way, in this instance, would have been for JW to have announced it himself, not for it to "leak" etc.

Poor form from the "New" Rovers.

Lets not be negative, Blackburn are in a good era ( I hope) and I'm sure he got a LOT of money out of this.

Be happy for him in his retirement and not pick holes in everything.

[broadsword]

Give it a rest!

He can say what he likes within board guidelines, so why don't you give it a rest?

[dave birch]

Lets not be negative, Blackburn are in a good era ( I hope) and I'm sure he got a LOT of money out of this.

Be happy for him in his retirement and not pick holes in everything.

Chris, my only complaint is the way it was done, not the fact that it was done.

Bottom line is that it could have been done better.

[Hughesy]

Williams leaving does nothing to curtail my Venkys scepticism. Im clearly not alone. This was evident before the game on Wednesday, when in response to the tannoy plea of "Let's give Venkys a huge Ewood Park welcome!," there was, at best, a lukewarm reception from the fans!

But it was MUCH better than the 1st time they introduced them - people dont like change, but hopefully in the long run the changes will benefit the club.

I think more than anything the desire for Venkys now will be to get someone who knows how to grow a brand.

[Glenn]

Surprise- the official message board is under 100% moderation.

I suspect part of that is Lee being rather busy at the moment.

[XLM]

He can say what he likes within board guidelines, so why don't you give it a rest?

I think you're kind of stepping on your own point there...

Williams is old. He couldn't stay doing this job forever. Don't make him leaving, with everything he has done for the club, all about Venky's. It's not fair on him, it's not fair on the new owners and it's really disheartening to realise that I support a club with fans who are scared of the future.

There was a club before this man and there will be a club after.

[CAPT KAYOS]

If you want a family club with no ambition, Accy Stanley are always down the road.

and your proof is ... - A little condescending don't you think to STANLEY?

Until further comes out on this (if it does at all) as usual it will all be conjecture - despite the inevitability of it, the timeing and manner of it does lead to questions as you would have thought announcement (imo) would have been 'to step down at the end of the season' if it was a case of his own decision.

Anyway - nothing surer than he would have been an excellent candidate for position in the FA - but given his age its probably a little too late for the good man.

EDIT - by 'nothing surer' I meant that he is the type of person that could run the F($$$)A ($$) as it should be, and not by the tosh that does it now.

[mhead]

After Alan Shearer, John Williams was Uncle Jack's best appointment back in 1996.

Thanks for all his efforts and customer focus. 14 years is a long time in one job

and this is a new era. It is usually the way someone in their late fifties 'falls off the perch'

He will know this and probably wanted to resign at a quieter time than back in december.

He was wrong about the need to remove BFS.

[dubdubdub]

Whilst it's a sad loss and you could construed what's happened in a number of different ways, I see it as quite admirable and positive that the new owners want to have such involvement in the club.

Lets not forget Blackburn are a business of theirs. It's not wrong that they have a vision for the club and that they feel that to achieve this they need to run the club how they see fit.

[the original david brent]

But it was MUCH better than the 1st time they introduced them - people dont like change, but hopefully in the long run the changes will benefit the club.

Maybe a bit better. Wasn't exactly rousing! A polite ripple of applause from some fans, and nothing from others.

I accept your point that people don't like change. But things can change too quickly, and I would have hoped that Venkys would have used JW's experience and knowledge to help them and to help the club.

[dubdubdub]

Maybe a bit better. Wasn't exactly rousing! A polite ripple of applause from some fans, and nothing from others.

I accept your point that people don't like change. But things can change too quickly, and I would have hoped that Venkys would have used JW's experience and knowledge to help them and to help the club.

People stood up, people clapped. I see that as a standing ovation. How much more rousing can you get?..'Get In there Desai you beaut!!'

[chris]

Maybe a bit better. Wasn't exactly rousing! A polite ripple of applause from some fans, and nothing from others.

I accept your point that people don't like change. But things can change too quickly, and I would have hoped that Venkys would have used JW's experience and knowledge to help them and to help the club.

maybe but let it go, aren't they worth like a billion, sure they have a few brain cells.

JW was obviously playing with his thumbs in the last few months.

As much as I like JW I won't miss the old era very much.

As great as he was, reading JW interviews was always depressing because we had no ambition.

[Emge]

Very sad, it didnt have to be like this!

So..are we no longer a family club anymore I guess? Just a vehicle to market the brand of Venky's and they change whatever they like in order to market it their way. **** off!!!!

[BuckyRover]

This is unbelievable.

I have never known of a business takeover resulting in members of the original team of staff leaving the company.

Unprecedented. I know this because philipl has been involved in takeovers before and he is completely aghast at this development.

In all seriousness though it appears JW has been looking to step down for a while. He probably wanted to see the takeover complete, but couldn't resign at that juncture as it would have looked bad and would have been counterproductive. I credit him with waiting until things had calmed down. A consummate professional and I wish him all the best for the future.

Very sad, it didnt have to be like this!

So..are we no longer a family club anymore I guess? Just a vehicle to market the brand of Venky's and they change whatever they like in order to market it their way. **** off!!!!

I don't know if you haven't noticed but we being run by a family whereas previously it was a Trust. Hence we are now more of a family club than before.

[Mattyblue]

maybe but let it go, aren't they worth like a billion, sure they have a few brain cells.

JW was obviously playing with his thumbs in the last few months.

As much as I like JW I won't miss the old era very much.

As great as he was, reading JW interviews was always depressing because we had no ambition.

That's not true at all. His mantra was always 'don't confuse lack of resources as a lack of ambition'. it was the Trust that lacked the ambition not John and the club. I really do believe that with some financial backing JW would have been even more of an asset.