[Archived] Lancashire County 2016

[thenodrog]

If it's so logical then why haven't some smaller London teams been snapped up by a fat cat and merged to take on some of the big boys down there ? Or the Bristol teams ?

No idea. They should. I rem Maxwell wanted Oxford and Reading to merge to create a powerful club west of the capital. Thames valley Royals. The fans objected and even with Madjeski pumping resources in (which can no longer happen) what success have either club had since? None. I bet the kids around there hate their parents for that one.

They existed at the same time, so no merger

Not for long BRFC's existence killed off Olympic.

[yoda]

If it's such a good idea Theno, get the ball rolling, it sure as hell won't come about by debating it on here

[thenodrog]

Darwen see very little of the income that the council receives, but what they do receive they make the most of, they encourage a thriving nightlife and the opening of local businesses and they give back to the community in a lot of ways, the music festival, the food festival etc, whereas Blackburn council aren't interested in the nightlife of the town and they don't seem to be interested in enterprising local businesses, they seem to be in it to make a buck for themselves. The town is a dump and they have wasted millions on road infrastructure that just didn't need changing and a new bus station which didn't need to be built and as you say, they aren't interested in the Football Club as they probably prefer cricket.

We all know why Darwen's nightlife is better don't we? Blackburn's youngsters have been displaced.

If it's such a good idea Theno, get the ball rolling, it sure as hell won't come about by debating it on here

You never know. Nothing like a bit of lateral thinking to stimulate original thought yoda.

[tomphil]

No idea. They should. I rem Maxwell wanted Oxford and Reading to merge to create a powerful club west of the capital. Thames valley Royals. The fans objected and even with Madjeski pumping resources in (which can no longer happen) what success have either club had since? None. I bet the kids around there hate their parents for that one.

Not for long BRFC's existence killed off Olympic.

I'm reliably informed by a relation down there that half of Reading seems to support Arsenal & Man Yoo so you may have a point on that one. Southeners are a bit like Yanks though, they go wherever the drum beats loudest so it may have worked in an area like that. Not as parochial as us hardy Northern types !

[onlyonejackwalker]

No but it should see 20-25k but with half the costs! That is the kicker.

Arbitro is bemoaning potential job losses but head must rule heart. It's needless wages and salaries that have got us in this mess. Job losses would occur right through the club. Half the number of playing staff with increased revenue is the way forward surely? It's basic business rules.

cos it's becoming an ever more likely option. Instead of unthought out knee jerk statements why not make yourself a cup of tea, sit down and put your thinking cap on.

You are probably too long in the tooth anyway. The kids would soon accept it, and the kids are the future.

I'm 47 and can still get round a gold course if I wish to spoil a good walk. Stuart mentioned it might be something for our children, or childrens children. I'm still not convinced. Hard to see my lad swapping his blue and white for the new concoction as he loves the club as much as I do / did and we have 4 generations of fans in our family supporting.

Anyone with the support I have had for one club, the money spent, the good and bad times, the lasting memories, the friendships made......would find it incredibly hard to give all that up at the drop of a hat to follow some hybrid club whilst chanting 'United' or Lanky, Lanky....

No thanks from me. I know what your trying to do. Apply credible business logic to the situation, but sadly no-one has pointed out to you that the football world does not follow normally established business doctrine. Your makiing the same mistake many owners make. Thinking that what works in normal everyday life can be easily transferred to a football club and its operations. It's an easy mistake to make and we see people doing it all the time whilst losing a fortune.

Its a total non-starter for me. But then again I am a bit long in the tooth...

[thenodrog]

When I went to school in the late 60's and early 70's a BRFC bag attracted ridicule. The most common bags ' scarves etc were LUFC, MU and Liverpool. These days have returned and will ever deepen.

[adsfortheblues]

We all know why Darwen's nightlife is better don't we? Blackburn's youngsters have been displaced.

You never know. Nothing like a bit of lateral thinking to stimulate original thought yoda.

You're right Blackburn's little lads have been displaced, like to cause a little trouble in Darwen do the Blackburn 'lads'.

[thenodrog]

No thanks from me. I know what your trying to do. Apply credible business logic to the situation, but sadly no-one has pointed out to you that the football world does not follow normally established business doctrine. Your makiing the same mistake many owners make. Thinking that what works in normal everyday life can be easily transferred to a football club and its operations. It's an easy mistake to make and we see people doing it all the time whilst losing a fortune.

"Football is a business and this club must be run on business lines" Jack Walker

[Rover_Shaun]

I've posted many a thing I have regretted but using Jack Walker to justify your desire to flush what Jack loved the most, after family, is rather pathetic.

And you question my love of BRFC.

[thenodrog]

A simple quote from the man himself ? Don't talk daft.

[adsfortheblues]

"Football is a business and this club must be run on business lines" Jack Walker

The merger idea may be a decent one, but it wont happen you and all know that. Blackburn FC as a business isn't a thriving one, you need a thriving community to have a thriving club. I'll go back to the nightlife of the town again, there were lots of large party pubs and bars in the town centre such as Blakeys, FJ Nicholls, Brewers, White Bull, Toffs and Yates, to name a few. There were also smaller pubs and bars to cater for every type of punter. Very few people came into town and went straight "up Cav". There are a handful left but most are closed and converted for other use (house sits, bookies, shisha bar etc).

There is also the problem of the town centre's declining evening reputation including growing reports of random gang attacks on those drinking, eating or simply walking through - allegedly just because of their ethnicity. Would people walk though the Cathedral grounds during the evening? No - the Council and Lancashire Constabulary need to get on top of such issues if the Cathedral Quarter is going to be a success rather than no-man's land after dark.

Then there's the cinema which seems to be a child groomers paradise.

Then the daytime economy, people can buzz about the new shopping centre, however what's changed, 2 or 3 extra shops, the majority of the town shop at primark and go straight home. The market is decent to be fair, however more needs to be done for the daytime economy also.

[yoda]

When I went to school in the late 60's and early 70's a BRFC bag attracted ridicule. The most common bags ' scarves etc were LUFC, MU and Liverpool. These days have returned and will ever deepen.

I think that says more about the school you went to, personally I never had a problem with my Blue and White duffle bag

No idea. They should. I rem Maxwell wanted Oxford and Reading to merge to create a powerful club west of the capital. Thames valley Royals. The fans objected and even with Madjeski pumping resources in (which can no longer happen) what success have either club had since? None. I bet the kids around there hate their parents for that one.

Not for long BRFC's existence killed off Olympic.

Your point is ?

[scotchrover]

What a load of rubbish. Abandon all our club history and records, in favour of some Super Bowl esc sports team. If it's such a good idea, why not go and form it yourself? Oh wait, you'd get laughed at like you have on here!

[Rover_Shaun]

I remember being a wee lad in the 80's when you could only get a Rovers shirt via a rotten looking window at the Nuttal Street main entrance. JJB in town did not stock it nor Gibsons. We were pretty crap too. Nowhere near as feckless as today. But did that stop me? Did it hell. I see this idea as being an extention of Gordon's dim and somewhat out of touch view on society where he thinks kids today only want to be associated with success. Frankly kids couldn't care less about debt, Venkys, formations, trips to India. The little one's I know love going to Rovers and having their photo taken in full kit in winter with passing players. A love affair that will last a lifetime.

[thenodrog]

What a load of rubbish. Abandon all our club history and records, in favour of some Super Bowl esc sports team. If it's such a good idea, why not go and form it yourself? Oh wait, you'd get laughed at like you have on here!

Obviously a deep thinking individual.

Yoda your liking of such a post devoid of any sort of point tells me that you should have gone to a proper Grammar school too.

[thenodrog]

I remember being a wee lad in the 80's when you could only get a Rovers shirt via a rotten looking window at the Nuttal Street main entrance. JJB in town did not stock it nor Gibsons. We were pretty crap too. Nowhere near as feckless as today. But did that stop me? Did it hell. I see this idea as being an extention of Gordon's dim and somewhat out of touch view on society where he thinks kids today only want to be associated with success. Frankly kids couldn't care less about debt, Venkys, formations, trips to India. The little one's I know love going to Rovers and having their photo taken in full kit in winter with passing players. A love affair that will last a lifetime.

wanna bet? St's have already halved and should they halve again as seems quite possible where will your kids and your argument be then? Kids want winners, they want to see their heroes on the TV, they want household names. What they don't want is having the mickey taken out of them at school, in the park, on holiday etc.

Anyway pressing your nose to the Nuttall Street window hasn't lasted you a lifetime has it? You've stopped going remember.

[yoda]

Obviously a deep thinking individual.

Yoda your liking of such a post devoid of any sort of point tells me that you should have gone to a proper Grammar school too.

I did but it was not the pretentious type that you went to

[scotchrover]

Obviously a deep thinking individual.

Yoda your liking of such a post devoid of any sort of point tells me that you should have gone to a proper Grammar school too.

This is a message board, not an English test you clown.

[Athlete]

This is a message board, not an English test you clown.

+ the clown who started the thread wants the Lancashire clubs to merge I reckon all that fresh air whilst he was golfing ( instaed of being at Ewood ) has gone to his head

[scotchrover]

+ the clown who started the thread wants the Lancashire clubs to merge I reckon all that fresh air whilst he was golfing ( instaed of being at Ewood ) has gone to his head

You'd think with there being nearly 5 pages, with the majority against, it'd go in that this isn't a good idea, instead telling people they're thick. Obviously they didn't do counting at grammar school. It's no wonder they got scrapped all those years ago!

[Rover_Shaun]

Grammar school my arse

Just because I have taken a stand does not mean my love affair is over. Mickey taking isn't a modern scourge Gordon. Could you be any more insular in your daily mail world? At least I am not in such loathing of my club that I want to close it down and dance on its ashes by starting a mockery of a club. Soulless and bereft of passion.

[Stuart]

The merger idea may be a decent one, but it wont happen you and all know that. Blackburn FC as a business isn't a thriving one, you need a thriving community to have a thriving club. I'll go back to the nightlife of the town again, there were lots of large party pubs and bars in the town centre such as Blakeys, FJ Nicholls, Brewers, White Bull, Toffs and Yates, to name a few. There were also smaller pubs and bars to cater for every type of punter. Very few people came into town and went straight "up Cav". There are a handful left but most are closed and converted for other use (house sits, bookies, shisha bar etc).

There is also the problem of the town centre's declining evening reputation including growing reports of random gang attacks on those drinking, eating or simply walking through - allegedly just because of their ethnicity. Would people walk though the Cathedral grounds during the evening? No - the Council and Lancashire Constabulary need to get on top of such issues if the Cathedral Quarter is going to be a success rather than no-man's land after dark.

Then there's the cinema which seems to be a child groomers paradise.

Then the daytime economy, people can buzz about the new shopping centre, however what's changed, 2 or 3 extra shops, the majority of the town shop at primark and go straight home. The market is decent to be fair, however more needs to be done for the daytime economy also.

Good points.

One of the things which would doom a Lancashire merger would be where the matches were played. If you need to site is where all the people are, Blackburn is only (just) second to Blackpool although slightly ahead of Lancaster and then Preston. It suggests a ground would need to be in Leyland or the Ribble Valley would probably be best but it isn't in the middle of a city like the larger clubs. It would also annex Wigan and Bolton from a home game travel perspective. Burnley could do it at a pinch.

It would be interesting to see which Conference teams would benefit as a result - although he real end game for such a merger is probably only a real proposition as part of an enforced drive (a la FFP) to reduce clubs from 92 to about 80, possibly even 60, as the football family really cannot sustain so many professional clubs in two-thirds empty stadia.

In reality, I think the future lies with a completely out of bounds top division - maybe through the franchise model - and the Football league take custody of the League Cup (if not the FA Cup) and "First Division title". A further step would be the European Super League model - effectively the current Champions League teams across Europe become a separate group with their own league and cup competitions. The football league would be free to have their own TV deals with terrestrial TV to further bring the average football fan a greater affinity with their local teams. Arm chair fans wouldn't see much difference and fans of the "top clubs" who would be priced out and would need to adopt a second team to get a live football fix.

The purists (who have bothered to read this far) will be up in arms about "the death of football" but football is already dead as we know it, it just doesn't know it yet.

[onlyonejackwalker]

"Football is a business and this club must be run on business lines" Jack Walker

Apologies if it feels your being ganged up on, but its your baby your fire-fighting and random quotes posted with certainty like they actually mean something, doesn't really cut it.

Uncle Jack (rip) waxed an arm and a leg building us up. A kings ransom. In his shoes I'd also have been hoping for a speedy end to my debit card coming out. He didn't get rich being frivolous. The spend at Rovers would have hurt him in many more ways than one.

Do you seriously think he grew his steel empire by initially chucking 30 million on premises and 30 million on employees? Or do you think he grew by retained cash flow and continuous investment? His business line for football was sustainability, survival and self financing. In his own work he flourished making bundles of profit through austere times. Pure coin. You notice any similarity at all between his business lines?

Jack knew it was an industry like no other. But he was cute with his customary impeccable timing. I'd wager Jack enjoyed buying and building the stadium, and certain players, but other aspects of his investment must have sickened a normal Northern bloke who knew what life is really like round here for many.

Lancs United is not happening for the foreseeable so maybe best discussed nearer the time. Bit like Xmas.

[thenodrog]

I did but it was not the pretentious type that you went to

Pretentious? I seriously doubt that. You don't think I'm a qegs boy do you?

This is a message board, not an English test you clown.

Ever more nonsense. questioning a 'Like' hardly constitutes an English test. More like an IQ test.

Just a general query, why do some people just love to embarrass themselves?

+ the clown who started the thread wants the Lancashire clubs to merge I reckon all that fresh air whilst he was golfing ( instaed of being at Ewood ) has gone to his head

Can I take it from that that you were one who wimped out of protest action in 2011? Shame on you if so.

[Athlete]

Pretentious? I seriously doubt that. You don't think I'm a qegs boy do you?

Ever more nonsense. questioning a 'Like' hardly constitutes an English test. More like an intellect test.

Just a general query, why do some people just love to embarrass themselves?

Can I take it from that that you were one who wimped out of protest action in 2011? Shame on you if so.

Your making a fool of yourself each time you post Bernard Langer this Lancashire County thread topping it off...no intelligent or intellectual person would even consider such a ludicrous idea