Dreams of 1995

Some people make me laugh. Almost as if the last 10 years haven't happened. I bet we heard the same when Rhodes got sold too. Sell off your assets and it is hard to get them back. We are sat on a wonderful piece of land there that over time may be redeveloped into a true state of the art facility if we ever get an interested owner again. People fail to see that. There's life after Venky's, so why sell off our parting gifts from Jack to make their life easier now? Wake up and smell the coffee ffs.

What’s the bet Mark Venus oversees those plans?

Does anyone know if it is possible to download the current drawings for the STC/JTC centres anywhere? The only real way to tell if they will upgrade to the same spec is to measure and compare. I assume the drawings will be released for the PA very soon.

30 years is nothing in a buildings life cycle. I doubt they built it so it was impossible to upgrade. Waggot is talking out of his arse just like he has done throughout his time here. First Coventry, now here. Luckily we will have chance to appeal this so all is not quite lost yet.

This will be difficult to do yet. The planning application will only mention the land owner - Rovers - so it will take a leak to find out developers, Venus’ role etc. What does need some investigating is the similarities between management team at Coventry and here. The ultimate end result. Did they promise to reinvest the money gained at Cov? Is the same consultant involved? Sharpe has a lot to get his teeth into and he better do it otherwise I don’t think sections of this fan base will forgive him. As for the people happy about it they are selling themselves short. We were never consulted. Fans ARE the stakeholders of this club - without us there is no Blackburn Rovers so this idea we are indebted to Venkys is ridiculous. I’m not happy about it but I am at least slightly relieved the planning apps are linked and one development cannot be done without the other. My next concern moves to the facilities they plan to build. To date they haven’t done anything better than Jack....and he did it “30 years ago”. Time to change? I suspect not.

I think this also puts an end to any Mowbray Out stories. Not a chance he is leaving whilst his pal has 170 houses on the horizon. There is no smoke without fire. Coventry fans know the score. Wherever Venus goes it seems houses aren’t far behind, on the land of the club he rips off. Scumbag.

It is mind boggling that the LT aren’t running with this. No pressure, no outrage.

Something that sticks out to me is the application to merge the two centres. https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11287/land_at_blackburn_rovers_training_centre_and_academy.pdf If you scroll to page 14 of that is lists the facilities at either training centre. How is it going to be possible to merge those facilities and maintain the standard? For a start, the car parking alone will be cut considerably, meaning less bodies in the centres. They are going to need squeeze pitches, pools, treatment rooms, boot rooms, changing rooms all into one smaller space. It is a downgrade and there is nothing else that can be said. In this respect the only possibility is to build upwards but you can be damn sure that won't be allowed for in the planning application, or at least I'd assume not!

I wouldn't know Chaddy. It all depends on the size of the plots. It could social housing or they could be aspirational homes. Given the drive to build new houses the developer is already in the driving seat. https://www.ribblevalley.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11287/land_at_blackburn_rovers_training_centre_and_academy.pdf That is the outcome of the attempt to get Brockhall listed as a Community Asset. Unsuccessful unfortunately.

Of course. This is only a “screening opinion” for if the development will require an environmental impact assessment. As far as I am aware this predates the actual planning application. I’m also fairly certain given the location of the development it will require an EIA. It may be classed as a brownfield site but the surroundings aren’t and 170 plots will bring it with it traffic, noise and strain on services / infrastructure. Once that is put together the PA will go in and then I believe we can object at every possible turn. There’s actually quite a few “community interests” that get developments overturned. Recently in my area Aldi lost a case to build a supermarket on a nature reserve that is really nothing more than wasteland. If the residents object enough the council will listen. It will be in the Ribble Valleys council as much as ours to listen to the people. I don’t think this will be as clear cut a case as: this is our land we are building homes on it if we have a concerted effort to campaign against it.

Land is usually acquired on a plot by plot basis. So the hectares is kind of irrelevant - the starting point would be “170 plots”. That is if you was to sell the land with planning application already signed and approved. It does raise value of land but it also puts a caveat on that the land is used for residential purposes / whatever the planning application says. It is possible to of course apply to change that after but why would you if you have paid for it already? 170 plots is a big development and they will stand to make millions on that.

If they have got to this point I will assume they have already sought engineering / architect input. Forming drawings and specifications takes time and money. This has been planned for some time now. They are scum. Magott and Venus are shysters. We need to be in the ground because today would be vociferous. They know we can’t voice our anger and so they have chosen a pandemic to kick start the process because once the approval is in and the spade is in the ground there is nothing we can do.

Definitely concerning. Everything we always knew was going to happen with Venkys. Not a mention of this from the board whatsoever. You have to wonder what the plans for the mixed academy will be. They will all be available to download once the application is in.

This is asking if it is to subject to an environmental impact assessment or not

I wonder how it smokes

Pete Doherty - Last of the English Roses

I don’t think Carrick is unrealistic personally. I think we are an attractive proposition. We are one or two players out from being one of the best squads in the league. It is our management of that squad that lets us down.

This.

Finished with this bloke frankly. One too many “bad runs” for me. We’ve been awful today.

Bennett? Is that our answer? 😂

Played this set on the weekend. Never gets old. People might know him as Plastikman. Don't know if any of you have ever listened to Idris Elba DJ but he is quite good too. Can't find the set I watched him but there's a pretty similar one here at Boardmasters. A great little festival down in Cornwall. And for the rock music fans my Sunday afternoon consisted of a bit of Frank Turner. Here is him at Lowlands, which is a great set but the line up for that day looks unbelievable! Frank Turner, Slaves and The Streets....

it was in that moment that I finally had enough. I have defended Mowbray a hell of a lot in the past but there is always a moment where you think “this manager has had it” - Gallagher at RB was it. Do you think he forgot about needing a RB or do you actually think he intended to play him there? Honestly, I don’t know Whatever it was it was stupid but, even worse, when he looked good he shipped him off. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Change happens naturally and I do think it is time Rovers looked for the next chapter. I’ll always be thankful for Mowbray bringing about a sense of normality. He has signed a few good players here too. We have a nice squad, no trouble makers or chancers and it looks like a real football team. Unfortunately it’s on Saturdays he is at his worst and that is unforgivable.

Join the club mate. The Mrs had enough of me yesterday. “Why do you fucking watch them if all you do is moan?” She doesn’t get it. Never will. Doesn’t understand why it annoys me that our £5m striker played right back. After yesterday Mowbray needs to go. It was pathetic. The commentator claimed it was a masterclass by Neil stopping us playing but that was shite. Mowbray stopped us playing; one of our best ball player on the bench, Davenport in midfield when we needed more creativity, Gally and Armstrong on the wings and Dack up front. What the fuck? It didn’t make sense. What irked me the most was, when he played Gally rb, it was actually his best 5 minutes on the pitch and then he subs him for a centre half. Couldn’t believe it.

I still can’t believe Gallagher played at right back.

What I don’t get is that Gallagher at right back shouldn’t have happened. But, we were looking good for a few minutes and he takes him off? It doesn’t make sense. He’s lost the plot frankly.