Fans Forum/Roverstore/Commercial Chat

[Tomphil2]

Blackburn Council = Don't want a nightlife, don't want a busy matchday crowd, don't want a thriving market.

Do want - parking fines, mass house building, anything the ISSA brothers demand.

Maybe if the club didn't invite so many away fans the problems wouldn't be as bad.

[Mike Graham]

12 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

Blackburn Council = Don't want a nightlife, don't want a busy matchday crowd, don't want a thriving market.

Do want - parking fines, mass house building, anything the ISSA brothers demand.

Maybe if the club didn't invite so many away fans the problems wouldn't be as bad.

Have a look at Blackburn Market to how badly the town is run.

The bakers have just left and we are very soon to be left with only one butcher when Tom Woods goes to Colne High St at a rent of 70% less than he pays at the market.

I come to Blackburn for 3 things: the butcher in the market; the fish stall in the market; and Rovers.  I never come to Ewood anymore outside of a game as the club shop is never open at the times I can make it.

To be honest Blackburn as a town and a council is a complete and utter mess.  It is about time the Council started to see how they can make it easier for folk to attend Ewood Park rather than penalising them.

[TugaysMarlboro]

I don't live in the town, but I worked in Blackburn as a youngster during my college years, went to Blackburn college and went out around Blackburn almost twice a week for drinks (do I ever miss Barzooka).

I've visited twice in the past 12 months to see a contractor and left immediately afterwards.

Sadly the town is a mirror of the club as it stands.

[rigger]

I remember coach trips coming to Blackburn for a night-out. Now I have been told that Darwen is a better night-out. 

Edited Sunday at 11:31 by rigger

[Old Codger]

6 minutes ago, rigger said:

I remember coach trips coming to Blackburn for a night-out. Now I have been told that Darwen is a better night-out. 

Staying at home is a better night out.. There is nothing attractive about Blackburn town centre at night time, and those days are long consigned to history and a few memories.

[Hasta]

38 minutes ago, rigger said:

I remember coach trips coming to Blackburn for a night-out. Now I have been told that Darwen is a better night-out. 

By far. There’s been a few teams away fans I’ve spoke post-game stopping in the Fernhurst who I’ve rerouted to Darwen instead of Blackburn. Unless we’ve lost and they’ve annoyed me.  In which case I’ve said “yeah it’s a great night in Blackburn” and they’ve probably eventually ended up in Sam’s Bar thinking WTF?

Edited Sunday at 12:08 by Hasta

[Tomphil2]

To read what other clubs fans post on their forums after they've been up here more than tells the story.

Ewood itself and the Fernhurst actually rate highly but the rest of it tends to be a painful read if people have tried to make a day/night of it.

A common thing to hear is being advised to stay in or near Preston or Manchester then just travel in for the game then fire off back around one of those places for the night.

Blackburn loses millions a year now from having virtually zero night time economy which is shocking for a place of its size and the capital of East Lancs.

[Mike Graham]

1 hour ago, Tomphil2 said:

To read what other clubs fans post on their forums after they've been up here more than tells the story.

Ewood itself and the Fernhurst actually rate highly but the rest of it tends to be a painful read if people have tried to make a day/night of it.

A common thing to hear is being advised to stay in or near Preston or Manchester then just travel in for the game then fire off back around one of those places for the night.

Blackburn loses millions a year now from having virtually zero night time economy which is shocking for a place of its size and the capital of East Lancs.

When the Chorley boys do our away trips we always stay in hotels in the town or city we are visiting.  About 10 of us stay there, we drink there and we eat there.  The 10 of us add a decent wack to the local economy; multiply that many times over with other visiting fans and you are potentially talking £1M+ every season or two.

BwD Council is missing a trick.

[Mike Graham]

PNE do not appear to have a problem with finding potential new owners.  Very much contrary to what some Rovers fans keep telling me “who would buy Blackburn Rovers?”. 😡

[chaddyrovers]

Have they found new owners?.

[Mattyblue]

“ITs A cITy cLUb ThO!”

[Tomphil2]

As much as it might stick in our throat PKE would be a good sensible investment for the right people, maybe even a Rusian roulette hedge fund like the other lot.

Small well maintained up to date stadium, no expensive academy or training complex to fund, probably minimal external debt, enough crowd potential to fill their shoe box, modestly famous ancient name to trade on.

And owners who wouldn't want 100 million back.

[JBiz]

@Mike Graham you ever tried to engage new owners yourself? That might come across as pedantic in text but it’s a genuine question.

[...]

On 07/09/2025 at 12:29, rigger said:

I remember coach trips coming to Blackburn for a night-out. Now I have been told that Darwen is a better night-out. 

Darwen is decent if if you keep ypur eyes front. 🥊🥊

Miss old blackburn nightlife and the town on a Saturday in general. Used to go into town every Saturday for odd bits and bobs and didn't cost an arm and a leg. 

Town on a Saturday morning was a social time aswell people in shops you knew (auntie 'x' because it was ypur mums friend)

Happy people with a buzz about the place and the number one rule

GO IN TOWN EARLY BECAUSE ROVERS ARE PLAYING TODAY. was on everyone's lips. Now you wait a matter of 5 mins to get through Ewood on a match day.

[superniko]

On 07/09/2025 at 15:06, Tomphil2 said:

To read what other clubs fans post on their forums after they've been up here more than tells the story.

Ewood itself and the Fernhurst actually rate highly but the rest of it tends to be a painful read if people have tried to make a day/night of it.

A common thing to hear is being advised to stay in or near Preston or Manchester then just travel in for the game then fire off back around one of those places for the night.

Blackburn loses millions a year now from having virtually zero night time economy which is shocking for a place of its size and the capital of East Lancs.

Yep, a lot of away fans (coaches) tend to stop in Chorley beforehand for drinking then head straight to Ewood / Fernhurst. 

Very rare to see away fans sample the delights of Blackburn town centre. 

[Mike Graham]

1 hour ago, JBiz said:

@Mike Graham you ever tried to engage new owners yourself? That might come across as pedantic in text but it’s a genuine question.

Yes, I also believe that is something the new WATR Board are looking at.

There has been keen interest in buying Rovers, information was passed to the club and SW confirmed to us that he was also contacted by a potential buyer.  The point of the post above re Preston is to show that there are buyers out there and to try and put to bed the idea that no one would want to buy us.

The stumbling block of course is that the owners, and their silent partners, do not appear to want to sell.

[Mike Graham]

2 minutes ago, superniko said:

Yep, a lot of away fans (coaches) tend to stop in Chorley beforehand for drinking then head straight to Ewood / Fernhurst. 

Very rare to see away fans sample the delights of Blackburn town centre. 

Chorley FC are excellent at providing facilities for large followings visiting Rovers.  They had up to 1,000 visiting fans on a regular basis.  They put on a band and a raffle as well.  Many fans also visit the many pubs and real ale / craft ale houses in Chorley where the pub and restaurant scene is vibrant at the expense of Blackburn.

[Tomphil2]

11 minutes ago, superniko said:

Yep, a lot of away fans (coaches) tend to stop in Chorley beforehand for drinking then head straight to Ewood / Fernhurst. 

Very rare to see away fans sample the delights of Blackburn town centre. 

The Chorley pub scene on Saturdays is booming now and this plays a part even Chorley FC cater for away coaches going to Ewood.

Meanwhile Blackburn town centre has the Postal Order and er.....

[superniko]

3 minutes ago, Mike Graham said:

Chorley FC are excellent at providing facilities for large followings visiting Rovers.  They had up to 1,000 visiting fans on a regular basis.  They put on a band and a raffle as well.  Many fans also visit the many pubs and real ale / craft ale houses in Chorley where the pub and restaurant scene is vibrant at the expense of Blackburn.

Yeah, can't go 10 steps in Chorley without passing some micro-bar 😁 wish it was like that when I was drinking there in my teens/20s! (granted you'd also pass a barbers and charity shop at the same time).

(having said that, when we used to draw the large followings in the old days, they just stuffed themselves into Spoons).

Like you say, I also noticed the club itself has started hosting a lot of away fans going to Rovers, PNE etc. They've had 1000 or so from Boro, Villa and some other clubs over the last year.

[Mike Graham]

3 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

The Chorley pub scene on Saturdays is booming now and this plays a part even Chorley FC cater for away coaches going to Ewood.

Meanwhile Blackburn town centre has the Postal Order and er.....

The Ribblesdale Tap, owned and invested in by BwD Council closed after a few months.  Someone forgot to tell the tenants about the surrounding roads closing due to major construction work.  The Council leader went to the opening, I wonder if he went for the closure?

[JBiz]

31 minutes ago, Mike Graham said:

Yes, I also believe that is something the new WATR Board are looking at.

There has been keen interest in buying Rovers, information was passed to the club and SW confirmed to us that he was also contacted by a potential buyer.  The point of the post above re Preston is to show that there are buyers out there and to try and put to bed the idea that no one would want to buy us.

The stumbling block of course is that the owners, and their silent partners, do not appear to want to sell.

Have you ever encouraged one of these potential buyers to go public?

Obviously, not the “done thing” normally however it would be a newsworthy event, and it may be a better way of getting everybody on board re protest of ownership…

But what would I know! 

[Mike Graham]

50 minutes ago, JBiz said:

Have you ever encouraged one of these potential buyers to go public?

Obviously, not the “done thing” normally however it would be a newsworthy event, and it may be a better way of getting everybody on board re protest of ownership…

But what would I know! 

No.  It is not the done thing.  At least one of them has gone to a competitor club.

[...]

If we ever got a life line for someone to buy us and the venkys agree they'd make a Uturn and buy Derby 😂

[Moptop1]

15 hours ago, Mike Graham said:

PNE do not appear to have a problem with finding potential new owners.  Very much contrary to what some Rovers fans keep telling me “who would buy Blackburn Rovers?”. 😡

It’s because our owners don’t want to sell. Their accounts show too much😉

[Wheelton Blue]

2 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

The Chorley pub scene on Saturdays is booming now and this plays a part even Chorley FC cater for away coaches going to Ewood.

Meanwhile Blackburn town centre has the Postal Order and er.....

I went into Chorley on Saturday for a few beers.

It's a cracking place to go for a drink.