[Archived] Meeting With The Club.

[yoda]

One in every town eh

My biggest fear at the moment is the baseball hat side of the supporter base who were at primary school when Venkys came.

They actually dont know what they are protesting about and their approach to things will be a real turn off for the older generation of supporters who can remember rovers before Venkys and from before Jack Walker.

We have to be careful that we dont paint the picture that we are just full of young yobs looking for trouble, as this will kill any real message or indeed momentum

Imeptuous exhuberant youth ! lol we have all been their, got to try and channel that energy

[Tom]

One in every town eh

My biggest fear at the moment is the baseball hat side of the supporter base who were at primary school when Venkys came.

They actually dont know what they are protesting about and their approach to things will be a real turn off for the older generation of supporters who can remember rovers before Venkys and from before Jack Walker.

We have to be careful that we dont paint the picture that we are just full of young yobs looking for trouble, as this will kill any real message or indeed momentum

The culture of that lot is embarrassing but across every club in the land.

My main worry is division again, sitting in the JW lower in the new Family stand it is more populated than my old seats and I saw a lot of disapproving looks at any Venkys out chants; as someone said if you don't read the Internet then maybe breaking point isn't close.

[47er]

Plenty turned up to the Bowyer, Myers and Shaw charade and employed those tactics. It Ended up getting hijacked by an idiot in the crowd and the panel got off scott free, I wonder if he'd been given pies for life for that little episode?

This will be no different in my opinion, but we'll see what transpires, you could be right Bob.

That is a real danger, someone who thinks they are clever but aren't. Chair gives them all the time they can by which time the meeting is over and the club's requirements have been fulfilled.

Be best if the fans allowed 3 or 4 people who know this stuff like the back of their hand to speak and the rest just support them.

But the apologists will be there in numbers I fear. Club will ensure it.

[Baz]

Totally agree with Bob, a no show gives them the easiest get out.

We should turn up with journalists, and recording equipment, read out a statement saying that we do not have any confidence in the owners or directors of the club, and that we want the owners to sell. Hand over a petition from as many supporters as we can. Then request a formal reply within 72 hours directly from the owners.

Then when Cheston and co want to start a meeting, leave en-masse.

That has to be better than a boycott surely?

[47er]

He kept interrupting proceedings by telling everyone to support the club, support the club, support the club, wouldn't let anyone ask a question he didn't agree with.

Surprised he never got ejected.

You were surprised? Really?

[JHRover]

Totally agree with Bob, a no show gives them the easiest get out.

We should turn up with journalists, and recording equipment, read out a statement saying that we do not have any confidence in the owners or directors of the club, and that we want the owners to sell. Hand over a petition from as many supporters as we can. Then request a formal reply within 72 hours directly from the owners.

Then when Cheston and co want to start a meeting, leave en-masse.

That has to be better than a boycott surely?

Good idea. It would be very interesting to see Cheston's response if some sort of ultimatum of this sort was issued along with a 'vote of no confidence' from the various supporters groups. I've no doubt Cheston will be attempting to placate the supporters and dilute the recent growing anger by coming out with the usual propaganda that we've heard umpteen times from various employees. I bet they have a booklet lying around in one of the offices of lines to spin to the supporters when under the spotlight. If he is tasked with delivering a statement to his employers and obtaining a reply or response then it will shift the pressure back on to him. If he means business like he has claimed then he will pass on the views of the supporters to the owners. If he is unable to obtain a response, then it shows the world what a shambles it is when the 'Director' of the club can't even contact the owners or get them to reply to such a major issue. If he is unwilling to get a response then he should resign.

I also think that the mystery man Pasha should be dragged into the equation. Who is this man? What is he doing at this football club? If he doesn't want to show his face or speak then he's in the wrong job and should quit.

[Jock]

Terry ' Ewood Blues ' ?

[Jock]

Yeh was a very Luke warm one that, I tried to grill Shaw but he for some reason had plenty of support in the room.

I dont like these type of meetings as , they can't handle real questions and refuse to minute such questions.

I have seen prominent people come and go, i.e councillors etc. They would sell their granny for a free meal and are not the people we need.

They all sat around the Raos table when the Queen came and have had numerous funds from the Raos.

I know the Action Group boycotted the last one , Which I would of done exactly the same.

We have a fans forum who have monthly minuted meetings, with a cross section of supporters.

This is another way of them hiding from facing any proper line of questioning.

MSG for Cheston -

Try answering your emails as per the customer charter, and I will meet your stooge at the random place requested tomorrow, but in future, don't get others to do your dirty work.

I'm not going to dissapear and i'm in this for the long haul!!!!!!!

What out for a fat greasy pig on the grassy knoll.

[MCMC1875]

Mcheston@rovers.co.uk

Customer charter gives them a couple of days to answer emails.

What did I get? No answer.

Then some random Rovers employee contacting me via email accusing me of being negative, stating they don't like what I have been saying , whilst the owners are good honourable people.

Wants to meet me in a nuetral location tomorrow, so I will be there, lets see what clap trap gets spun

.

[mark1875]

I have just posted on another thread about the meeting, before i saw this thread...so i shall post it in here too. I was warned in the summer that Mike Cheston is very much a 9-5 working man, for instance when Rovers traveled to Cardiff last week it was reported that no directors traveled. Due to Mr Cheston's preference to work 9-5, he has decided that he can no longer meet supporters groups/forums individually and he will send Lynsey Talbot to these meetings instead.

Mr Cheston then dreamt up the idea that Twice a year, he would meet with a panel of supporters with representatives being invited from, the BRFC Action Group, the Fans Forum, Rovers Trust, NYC Rovers, The Norwegian Supporters club, Northern Irish Supporters club, the 100 club, the Disabled Supporters club etc etc.

We was informed that Mike Cheston and Owen Coyle would be attending these meetings going forward. When i raised the issue of what we discuss, who dictates the topics on the agenda, Mr Cheston informed me that all parties would need to submit the points for the agenda in advance and the club would decide whether it makes the agenda or not.

The first meeting was held on Wednesday July 13th at 9 days notice. The BRFC Action Group declined to send representation to this meeting, as a committee we felt that until the supporters could build the agenda, then sitting in a room to receive lip-service from Mr Cheston about his chosen subjects was fruitless. We did however request that minutes were published from the meeting. I received a copy of the minutes (or notes), however i am unsure if they were published as requested.

Here are the notes I received from that meeting, i am sure there are people on here who attended, who might be able to elaborate more than myself.

Mike Cheston opened the meeting and welcomed the supporters from the various groups. He advised that the club would be meeting with supporters twice per year to discuss their views, opinions and concerns. The club confirmed that the meetings would not be exclusive, they would be inviting representatives from all supporter groups to attend plus additional supporters who were interested in attending. It was important that the meeting was fully representative of the fan base and the club would do everything it could to ensure this was the case. The meetings would be structured in line with current EFL guidance.

· All groups in attendance unanimously agreed that this process was a step forward for the club and should enhance its communication with fans.

· It was agreed that the supporter group representatives should go back to their members and discuss how the club can re-engage with the fans, how we should invite the fans to the meetings so not to exclude anyone, and the way they see their group being represented at the meetings.

· There was a discussion that each group would be offered an amount of tickets per meeting (number to be agreed but the general consensus was 5), it was agreed that, in order for the meetings to maintain some consistency, two tickets from the allocation should always go to the same members and other three given around the group to give all members a chance to attend if they wish. The confirmed number of tickets would be determined following receipt of feedback.

· The meetings would be structured by a pre-agreed agenda and supporters groups would be invited to offer items for discussion 1 week prior the meeting taking place. These should be forwarded to Lynsey Talbot no less than 48 hours ahead of the meeting and the Agenda would be distributed to all parties at least 24 hours in advance.

· As well as these meetings, the club agreed to hold an online survey for supporters to complete in order to gauge fan satisfaction, improve communication and in order to obtain views and opinions on specific matters.

· Additional Manager/Board Q&A sessions for supporters were discussed and it was agreed that this was something that the club would look into.

· Any ideas on how to move the initiative forward should be emailed to Lynsey Talbot by 6^th August. The club would then put together a structure for the meetings going forward.

· September and March had been identified by the club as the months when these meetings should be held. However, following internal discussion with regard to fixtures, it was agreed that the l dates for this season would be Wednesday, 5^th October and Wednesday, 29^th March.

· The meetings would consist of Board representation, the First Team Manager and members of the Senior Management Team dependent on the Agenda items to be discussed.

· The Fans Forum would continue to meet on a bi-monthly basis and Lynsey Talbot would be the club representative going forward.

The BRFC Action Group is prepared to boycott the next meeting for the same reasons, however we can also be prepared to attend if enough people would prefer us to attend and put across questions that people feel need asking. Personally i liked the suggestion that said attend and turn our backs. This gesture would be unmistakable, however it would need the full room to do it.

I also feel getting someone in there to record it would be beneficial, especially to record Mr Cheston refuse to answer the questions that the supporters want asking, and believe me - if i am to attend i will ask every question you want me to ask. However i do not think the club would allow someone to record it.

[Mike Graham]

Mark, there are some really good surveillance goodies out there for secretly recording meetings. Recorders hidden in pens, badges, ties etc.

This is who I use: www.bhphotovideo.com

Look at the hidden cameras bit. You should be able to film and record the whole meeting in HD.

[Stuart]

Mark, I continue to applaud the efforts of you and Paul et al.

I think a big part of the problem though, is that there are still fans who give the impression that we are a minority of negative fans. The club will seize on this and suggest that you are not representative. Even with 2000-3000 fans on board we would still be seen as non-representative. Even then they are working on behalf of Venkys so will still scramble as much as possible to spin things. Fan unity will eventually gain media attention (a la Charlton) but isn't likely to affect a great deal.

The only thing which unites the fans is a sustained poor set of results. All this usually results in is a change of manager. Documents can come and go as far as many fans are concerned. It'll soon turn into "are you still going on about that?".

The only way club owners normally change are through liquidation or sales. It's going to take a new owner to make an offer - however 'fair' (in Venkys eyes) and for there to be support for that bid from the fans. So far Seneca, for instance, have tried to be classy and respectful of Venkys interests but they have been ignored. They can either continue and hope that such an approach eventually works or they can change tack. That's IF the have the collateral.

Meetings with fan groups and 'Venkys employees' will never be productive.

[chaddyrovers]

The culture of that lot is embarrassing but across every club in the land.

My main worry is division again, sitting in the JW lower in the new Family stand it is more populated than my old seats and I saw a lot of disapproving looks at any Venkys out chants; as someone said if you don't read the Internet then maybe breaking point isn't close.

Yep you are very right tho Tom there.

Alot of supporters dont read this messageboard or any Rovers social media like Vitalfootball. Probably just read the official website.

Thats the biggest problem in trying to get these on board.

When I recieved those documents last week I sent them to other people who I attend football with. Some people have never heard of most of the things in those documents.

[Waggy76]

Yep you are very right tho Tom there.

Alot of supporters dont read this messageboard or any Rovers social media like Vitalfootball. Probably just read the official website.

Thats the biggest problem in trying to get these on board.

When I recieved those documents last week I sent them to other people who I attend football with. Some people have never heard of most of the things in those documents.[/quote

Thats very true Chaddy , I sat next to a mate of mine on Saturday, not seen him for 12 months , he hadnt clue !

[PeteJD13]

You only need to go onto the facebook groups like the rovers it has over 6000 members, I would say a proportion either don't know or don't care they use the easy line and blame the fans for the mess, I have given up arguing with them.

[Stuart]

That is a real danger, someone who thinks they are clever but aren't. Chair gives them all the time they can by which time the meeting is over and the club's requirements have been fulfilled.

Be best if the fans allowed 3 or 4 people who know this stuff like the back of their hand to speak and the rest just support them.

But the apologists will be there in numbers I fear. Club will ensure it.

You have to wonder what the tipping point is for these people.

What motivates those who are so staunchly defensive of "the club"? Who/what do they believe they are defending? I doubt they would say Venkys? Are they friends and family of club employees who have a personal stake? Are they just fanatics - in the true sense of the word? Why do they want to shout down the dissenting voices? What have they to lose? League status? Are they so close as to be complicit?

In the interests of balance, what is the end game of the dissenters? The most immediate - and in the absence of a white knight buyer who speaks the requisite six languages - is answers from Venkys about the long term future of the club.

So what's the problem with that? Obviously, those at the club clearly don't know. Which is bad enough. But they don't even seem to care? Coyle will always find work and will have enough money to tide him over for a long long time.

So surely the dissenters and the staunch defenders can agree on a common goal: answers? Genuine answers though. There is no trust at the club. That infamous photo of Bradley Orr could almost be a banner in itself.

We all need to know what Venkys purpose is for the club - through some direct communication but also through actions. It seems that having dismantled the club (supposedly on bad advice) they have no intention of putting it back together. That can't be accepted surely, not with them still here?

We could all wake up one day to the news that it's game over. There is a view that they would not liquidate us - this almost never happens. Yet, by the same token, we are being told from some quarters that what is happening currently is out of spite for fans.

[Craigman]

Good old Terry. What a loon.

Can we put a name to this random Rovers employee?

Don't meet them alone....Venky hitman?

I would imagine the random Rovers employee would be as follows.

1. Stan Collymore ‏@StanCollymore 17h17 hours ago

   Stan Collymore Retweeted Gareth Jones

   When Call Collymore fires up I guarantee Venky's and co will be under the spotlight. And you'll get change.

   Stan Collymore added,

   Gareth Jones @Jonesy_GJJ

   @StanCollymore Rovers fans can't find a single broadcaster willing to talk honestly about venkys & their destruction of our Club #venkysout

   183 retweets215 likes

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Danny Davis‏@Blackburndan

@StanCollymore hi Stan if your in Blackburn would be great to chat with you regards the club with all the positives we do on a daily bases.

4:10 PM - 21 Aug 2016

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[G Somerset Rover]

Is this our head of hospitality? He can't even string a sentance together.

[donnermeat]

'Daily bases'.....Jesus H.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Totally agree with Bob, a no show gives them the easiest get out.

We should turn up with journalists, and recording equipment, read out a statement saying that we do not have any confidence in the owners or directors of the club, and that we want the owners to sell. Hand over a petition from as many supporters as we can. Then request a formal reply within 72 hours directly from the owners.

Then when Cheston and co want to start a meeting, leave en-masse.

That has to be better than a boycott surely?

I don't agree it give them the easiest get out - however I think the rest of what you state is an even better idea or as what has been said about turning backs on them

As Mark states above -until the fans can decide the agenda - any other meeting is just fruitless and will be directed towards simple planned answers

It has to be on the fans/supporter groups terms only

Regardless - it matters not what is discussed as there is only one question that matters and that is

'When are the Loons going/leaving/doing one?'

[Waggy76]

I am not sure Cheston is going to last much longer ...

The pressure is going to be cranked up a lot in the coming weeks from various quarters..

My gut feeling he will resign , its just a job to him one that is going to get very dirty !

[donnermeat]

I am not sure Cheston is going to last much longer ...

The pressure is going to be cranked up a lot in the coming weeks from various quarters..

My gut feeling he will resign , its just a job to him one that is going to get very dirty !

I think you may be right. I mean even Shelfy had the foresight to get out before this sh1tstorm hit.

[Dunnfc]

Obviously getting more worried.

Statements released before the game, chest on trying to meet Glen and now this drip.

Genie is well and truly out the bottle, no cork is big enough to stop this wave!

[koi]

Danny Davis next in line for the Cheston role me thinks..

[mhead]

Maybe that is the answer....if yet another solo Director goes and leaves the Owners in the @#/? again.

We need to go to the meeting and be classy.

The only answer to the 'fanatics/misguided' is...."we are now dead bottom of the Championship..at one point do YOU see the rapid and disheartening decline ending?"