January Transfer Window.

[Mattyblue]

No fan attraction? Decline? 20,000 ST holders and 26,000 crowds as they turned up says otherwise. Biggest crowds since the mid 90s. The club was in a bloody good place in 2010. The foundations were all there on and off the pitch.

A bit of investment on players with those new billionaire owners of ours and who knows what we could have achieved. Alas, our betters in Pune had other ideas…

Edited February 2, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Nuttall is lost]

Another twist to the story.   During the meeting with Waggot and Broughton a strange man came into the board room claiming to be the wallet inspector doing surprise spot checks.  The two lads handed over their wallets as is customary in such situations and the gentleman absconded to destinations unknown.  It was only after 3 hours did the two lads twig this must be a scam and they phoned the police instead of faxing through the contract for Mr. O'Brien.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

21 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

Absolutely.  Sounds like this Sylvestor fella might have some awkward questions to answer.

In a normal company/football club yes he would, but at Venkys FC there is zero accountability.. hence why we have ended up saddled with the long, long list of incompetent c7nts that have darkened the corridors at Ewood since 2010. Makes me fucking sick. 

[Gav]

9 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

I’m talking from a fan attraction pov. Maybe the term should be…we haven’t been sexy enough for 25+ years! 

I think you're taking the piss to be frank Paul.

The Mark Hughes era was superb, as just one example. 

[smiller14]

Absolute circus. O'Brien could be the difference between promotion and staying down, the margins are that high. A well rated player who we never thought we could get, yet someone has dropped a clanger.

The explanation I keep seeing about the second part of the deal causing issues doesn't tally up with there also being issues with the other lad.

It's bloody useless. Best case scenario - he signs but isn't ready for Monday as it won't get done til Friday. 

JDT must be absolutely seething, no doubt sold a dream by GB etc but the same old pisspoor unprofessionalism still seems to reign supreme at circus Ewood. 

[Mattyblue]

Indeed Gav, as I embarked on my fourth European trip of the season to Bayer Leverkusen (also a couple of months away from another semifinal at OT) I don’t recall us thinking it was a non attractive, ‘unsexy’ club we were following…

[MarkBRFC]

22 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Just opinions, my point was that attendances were on a downward trajectory from peak (1995), albeit small drop offs, crowds were lessening.

In respect of being good I meant a top team. We’d had flashes of good teams (Early Souness and Hughes era) but most of the rest was average. From a fab attraction and entertainment pov we’ve been weak for 25+ years imo. Especially when considering the success of Northern teams during that period. 

What about that mate of yours that said it was the best ever football he had seen from a Rovers side after those two games under Mowbray in 2020?!

[RoversClitheroe]

People mentioning attendances, we got 25k+ in the Prem. 

We are no longer Prem and ran by Waggott

[den]

In the position we’re in, we’re talking “entertainment”! It’s astonishing really. 
 

we are talking professional sport here. There’s only one thing that overrules everything else, that’s winning. There’s no right or wrong way to win games. If you’re consistently achieving results then you’re doing things pretty well. If you’re winning games in the top league -as a small town team - you’re doing exceptionally well. How much more entertaining would you want to be?

 

[Danny O.Brien]

There's no reason why if it goes through he can't play a part on Monday. Even if off the bench. He'll be match fit and eager to get some game time. I just hope we find out one way or the other by Monday 😂

[Mercer]

30 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Just opinions, my point was that attendances were on a downward trajectory from peak (1995), albeit small drop offs, crowds were lessening.

In respect of being good I meant a top team. We’d had flashes of good teams (Early Souness and Hughes era) but most of the rest was average. From a fab attraction and entertainment pov we’ve been weak for 25+ years imo. Especially when considering the success of Northern teams during that period. 

When in a hole stop digging!  If you'd been round the block a few times you'd know that!

[Paul Mani]

23 minutes ago, superniko said:

Absolutely baffling that you weren’t entertained when we

1) won promotion

2) won the league cup

3) finished 6th multiple times in the league and

4) played in multiple European competitions. 
 

That 25 years should be 15 years. We were entertaining in the 00s. From the Duff/Jansen/Dunn team to the Bentley, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, McCarthy team. 

Kinel, this is getting tiring….I’m not saying I wasn’t entertained during sporadic parts those years. I even pointed out the Early Souness and Hughes teams.

The context of my initial post was around fan attraction and falling attendances. There’s a difference .

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

4 minutes ago, Danny O.Brien said:

There's no reason why if it goes through he can't play a part on Monday. Even if off the bench. He'll be match fit and eager to get some game time. I just hope we find out one way or the other by Monday 😂

We’re three days in, if it was happening, it would have happened. There’s no chance it’s going through. I’m not allowing myself to think otherwise. Supporting Rovers is so much easier if you never have hope.

Edited February 2, 2023 by magicalmortensleftpeg

[Mattyblue]

3 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Kinel, this is getting tiring….I’m not saying I wasn’t entertained during sporadic parts those years. I even pointed out the Early Souness and Hughes teams.

The context of my initial post was around fan attraction and falling attendances. There’s a difference .

But they weren’t falling as Venky’s arrived. They were at their highest level since the mid 90s, so your whole argument is moot.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Ricky]

8 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Indeed Gav, as I embarked on my fourth European trip of the season to Bayer Leverkusen (also a couple of months away from another semifinal at OT) I don’t recall us thinking it was a non attractive, ‘unsexy’ club we were following…

Without wanting to derail an already derailed thread, what a trip that was!! I have the best memories from that trip that can never be taken away. That trip probably trumped Salzburg, Larissa and Vilnius for me. A load of Rovers fans dropped in Cologne bang in the middle of cologne carnival.

[bluebruce]

10 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

We’re three days in, if it was happening, it would have happened. There’s no chance it’s going through. I’m not allowing myself to think otherwise. Supporting Rovers is so much easier if you never have hope.

We're two days in. But the sounds do suggest it isn't happening.

[Mattyblue]

Indeed Ricky.

Krakow wasn’t half bad an all… and Feyennord via Amsterdam! All in about four months!

Not very sexy though…

[goozburger]

Broughton will not be sleeping well! Whether or not we get O'Brien is now quite small in the grand scheme of things. It's far more concerning that Broughton has seemingly allowed a schoolboy error to happen at a critical moment. Broughton is surely responsible for this mistake, even if it is an admin error from one the troopers.

My impression is that Tomasson is unimpressed by Broughton's efforts, so far. I don't know about anybody else, but I sense a discord between the two when Tomasson discusses recruitment. I've noticed a few off-hand remarks about it in both transfer windows, now. The club can't operate if there is discontent between the two. I would argue Broughton's sins are bigger than Tomasson's, and if push came to shove, I would consider replacing Broughton and bring in somebody who can carry out the role competently.

[phili]

1 minute ago, goozburger said:

Broughton will not be sleeping well! Whether or not we get O'Brien is now quite small in the grand scheme of things. It's far more concerning that Broughton has seemingly allowed a schoolboy error to happen at a critical moment. Broughton is surely responsible for this mistake, even if it is an admin error from one the troopers.

My impression is that Tomasson is unimpressed by Broughton's efforts, so far. I don't know about anybody else, but I sense a discord between the two when Tomasson discusses recruitment. I've noticed a few off-hand remarks about it in both transfer windows, now. The club can't operate if there is discontent between the two. I would argue Broughton's sins are bigger than Tomasson's, and if push came to shove, I would consider replacing Broughton and bring in somebody who can carry out the role competently.

It is Silvester that looks after that side of things, ensures paper work is in order, everything signed and submits to all relevant authorities. As Glen pointed out yesterday, Silvester still has very close ties to SEM. 

 

[RoverDom]

Sorry if I've missed it but is it today or tomorrow that the efl consider our case. Nixon said Friday but sharpe said today

[davulsukur]

10 minutes ago, phili said:

It is Silvester that looks after that side of things, ensures paper work is in order, everything signed and submits to all relevant authorities. As Glen pointed out yesterday, Silvester still has very close ties to SEM. 

 

Should be sacked for that last sentence alone.

[goozburger]

8 minutes ago, RoverDom said:

Sorry if I've missed it but is it today or tomorrow that the efl consider our case. Nixon said Friday but sharpe said today

Both Nixon and Sharpe have suggested that the result will come tomorrow.

[TheRevAshton]

11 minutes ago, RoverDom said:

Sorry if I've missed it but is it today or tomorrow that the efl consider our case. Nixon said Friday but sharpe said today

The deadline is tomorrow at 9am, so any time before that is fine.

Sharpe's post suggests that we'll be submitting our case for review today.

Edited February 2, 2023 by TheRevAshton

[Penwortham Blue]

3 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

I think you’re mistaken. If you look across the board, fan attendance for any club is dependant on several factors. Including, primarily - population size, economic profile, fan/club culture and success.

The standard ‘8000’s’ in the 70’s & 80’s were artificially modified by Jack Walker in the 90’s through winning, creating aspiration and improved culture (I’m 41, it was without doubt the greatest time to be alive). 25-28k supporters at Ewood was Uncle Jack wringing every bit of feel good factor out of a working class town. Incidentally, the last time we had 25k+ at Ewood was final day of League 1 season we won promotion because that is our potential when things are going well.

It is true that Venkys have decimated that feel good factor but in truth the decline on attendances started long before they turned because it was unsustainable unless Jack kept pumping millions in and we kept winning!   Money and success is the magic sauce.

So it doesn’t surprise me that we’re down to 10-12k fans. Imo that is our base level based on the above. The job of Waggott and co is to inspire the area to want to watch us play. I think the clubs focus on the Youth lads and high profile work in engaging ethnic minorities is them trying to create a buzz and open up new markets because they have no money. The problem (aside from the money) is that leaders must inspire, they must be great orators and be trusted. Waggott is none of those things…

For me, the 10-12k is our base level including population growth since 70’s & 80’s. The biggest problem is that the leadership is poor and we haven’t been any good for 25+ years.

There is some validity within this but Matty Blue’s subsequent post is the bigger picture and nail on head evidence as to our club’s sad demise.

[Penwortham Blue]

1 hour ago, superniko said:

Over 25k average in 2010 under Alladyce finishing 15th, about 4k up on finishing 6th under Hughes 2006 and 2007

Common factor was the ‘Fortress Ewood’ campaign with £199 season tickets.

As you say about leadership - 10k-12k is only our ‘base level’ whilst we have our highest ever priced season tickets, have shambolic and embarrassing transfer windows, have uninterested owners, do nothing to improve it in community, local towns and local schools. 
But yeah, we should all be happy with that at little Blackburn Rovers. 

 

Absolutely spot on.