Vinjay

So who are they? Genuinely I've not heard one person speak negatively of Jack in his roles at Walkersteel, Flybe, etc. There were strike pickets outside Walkersteel at one point but they didn't even work for him! Being around Glasgow I guess you have heard the stories about Jock Stein? An even worse bully who didn't even tell a player that his wife had suffered a miscarriage. Claims he covered up numerous cases of child abuse. Ferguson considered him a friend, worked as his Scotland assistant and no doubt patterned some of his bullying nature after him. That's the type of lowlife he associated with. You wouldn't hear Celtic fans say a bad word about Stein (which perhaps says more about them) but Rovers fans of course are very unique. If Jack was a ruthless bastard he would have fired Don Mackay the second he walked in the door. He only gave him the opportunity out of kindness. Kidd would have been fired after relegation. I was disappointed by Hodgson's firing but looking back you can't defend most of his signings.

...and when did he ever bully or use crass language? He fired a few managers justifiably and no doubt fired some employees during his business career as well. That's not being horrible to people. If anything Jack was too nice whereas his family (and likes of Ferguson) are the absolute opposite. Anyway I didn't mean to take the thread off topic (I was only responding with a question for someone else) and given it's only page 2 plenty of time to get it back on track. I won't prevent that.

Jack Walker was 10000 times the man he is on his worst day. People need to know that. If that's what it took to drum that point across so be it.

He's bullied countless people and banned them. Many would enjoy seeing someone like that get a taste of their own medicine. Many people would be attracted to a club that is edgier and no nonsense. Kids in the area would see it as cool. That's the type of market that could be tapped (not in the way Ferguson often tapped)

The same types who defended Steve Kean and showed nothing but contempt for Jack Walker while he was alive and after his death? I wouldn't give a toss.

So if they called it the "anti-Jack Walker rule" you would go along with that? Got to do as you're told. It's about getting rid of what's wrong with the mindset of many clubs. The majority of my post (other than the specific things that would apply to this club only) could apply to any Championship club. There's nothing wrong with different ideas.

Maybe the club would have to be in the EPL to avoid that "no stepping stone" level. In all likelihood with FUP (and billionaires virtually cancelling each other out anyway) midtable EPL is the peak anyway and perhaps Europa League. I'll admit my personal aim would be avoiding the sale of anyone to one particular club. You could sign midtable level players, encourage them to show personality (which might appeal to them more than being corporate robots) and try to sustain that for as long as possible. Also while ensuring the club is the least boring in football and targeting a younger, edgier, counter culture fanbase and similar staff. I would distribute free tickets (a percentage of course has to go to EPL but you could easily pay the minimum from Tv funds) to those types of people only and some of the existing fans. People who belittled the club, defended the Walker family, attacked protesters, etc would never set foot in Ewood on my watch that's for sure. I would do the above at any club who's realistic peak is midtable/Europa with FUP. The one difference is I would know right away which fans to get rid of here. The biggest scores wouldn't be on the pitch that's for sure. They would be the ones settled. Managers could easily be rotated every 4-5 years as well and 65-70. Or someone like Maradona.

Too young, not enough personality. I'm not answering the other questions with those initials being used. Don't take it personally either you could replace with "any Championship club".

Yeah because Academy players would never do that. ? If I had my way at Ewood (or other Championship clubs) players like that wouldn't be there anyway. If that meant only signing players 28 and over (with personality) so be it.

...and why do you think it may not be effective?

So would you be an advocate of only signing players who are at an age where "stepping stones" are increasingly unlikely? I went into some detail on this recently. Particularly if in the EPL signing players like Emerton/Pedersen ability level (with more personality) given the FUP limits and inability to climb higher. Stoke City hardly sold anybody as a "stepping stone" while in the EPL. Of course they were about as interesting as paint drying too but anybody with creativity and vision could change that. Reaching out to more rebellious types and younger fans for instance who won't feel constantly let down by people leaving.

...and here's a simple but effective way to keep supporters away. https://global.espn.com/football/eintracht-frankfurt/story/4093150/eintracht-frankfurt-chief-to-fans-dont-show-up-or-well-get-a-loss

However evident other faults may have been it's hard not to view people like that with contempt. I guarantee there's people like that at Ewood and nobody gives them less than an easy ride. Forget placing staff on furlough it's a good opportunity to get rid of some of them permanently. I would have just fired those types of people at Sunderland rather than bullied them.

Most of those clubs that are facing bankruptcy should really be admitted right back to the division they came from. They can just form a new holding company and take it from there. OK you might not be able to save every single one of them in a short space of time but others would see someone step in. Especially if they had some guarantees of league status. I can't see why anyone would disagree with that and it can be made clear in the extreme circumstances such allowances can be made. I'm not sure how it would apply to the one football league club that was kicked out of the league recently but "before" and "after" are very different things. One scientist said it would be like "BC" and "AD" in scientific terms.

As stated recently I would let fans in for free or as cheaply as allowed. If you want to attract an edgier, cooler fanbase that's probably what it would take. Could apply to virtually any Championship club (and even some lower half EPL ones) if you're not allowed to chase the best (and billionaires are virtually at point of cancelling each other out) then be the most interesting and controversial. It's what I would do and if it upset the existing fans...so be it.

I didn't get short changed. It's true what you say in general though some people definitely got short changed. One of my neighbours for instance is such a moron he's definitely in that category. I've tried to be understanding though he could have been physically abused as a kid or worse.

Patronising people isn't a "throwback".

Not to enough people or the right demographics. Especially with FUP. That's why you would need to rebuild the fanbase and as I've said it could apply to many Championship clubs. Maybe you're right about "joining the dots" because my ideas are somewhat haphazard (partly because there's so many of them) but I can picture my vision even if it's not so easy to put into context. Wimbledon was mentioned but imagine "crazy gang x 100" and you might start getting anywhere near it.

Take time making the case for cooler, edgier marketing and you get threads with titles like this bumped up to page 1. ? Why don't you just draw a picture of someone with a flat cap to go with it?

I guess being more rebellious is a form is commercialism. Yes granted the MLS is corporate. It's a more even league though and all teams have the hope of achieving something unlike European clubs. Salary caps are not based on an absolutely crooked FUP system. Granted most European clubs don't get major takeovers (and really how many sheikhs are there?) and become the biggest spending club (in England at least in Rovers case for a period) out there. A takeover was the answer for me in the past but what's the point of trying to be the absolute best you can be anymore? Be the most different and try to be as competitive as you can. If there's a position to fill and the more marketable player isn't as good as a better option go for the marketable player if they are still good enough for the Championship. As I've said before if you reach that consistent peak level (midtable EPL in all likelihood enough more competent owners could be required) then you can avoid signing "stepping stone" type players altogether. As I've said signing players who are 28. 29 etc won't be purchased from the Championship as often as younger ones do. Occasionally they might get the chance of a move but if it's to a midtable EPL club the step isn't all that big. A couple of years later you could be in that position yourselves.

That is a committee style operation and they are an absolute waste of time. The last thing I want to do is serve on a committee with Rovers fans. My style of management would be pretty straightforward. I tell someone to do something...they do it. I could make anything into a story given the opportunity. Think about advertising for instance. The boards round the stadium could go to cooler, counter culture brands (which were not intended to be brands in some cases such as "anti social social club") and initially offer it to them for next to nothing. Or tell them to pay whatever they deem fair. Eventually if you attract some of the people who gravitate to such brands more would want to come on board. Let me give an example of controversy. If I gained control on the opening (home) day of the League 1 season you know what I would have done for publicity? Have Alex Ferguson kicked out. Granted it wouldn't be for no reason (given disrespectful comments he's made in the past) and can you imagine how much controversy would arise from that? I think some people would have considered that to be cool. If you take an attitude of "no f**** given then you're gonna attract people who are naturally rebellious and want to be in an environment where you never know what could happen next. That's what a football club in the Championship which has "been there done that" needs to be. Especially with FUP and really even the clubs who haven't "been there" namely the EPL (and certainly haven't won it) could take some of this stuff on board.

Part of the stuff discussed would mean general employees need to be cooler as well. No dress code. Dress as outlandish as you like whatever legalities allow. Reach out to groups like punks, etc (I don't know much about them to be honest but I know they are considered sub culture) and if the "normal fans" give them a hard time ban them. Allow freedom of speech (and hostility to opponents) but zero tolerance on abusing fellow fans. The type of fans who whined about protesters in the past and did everything they could to piss on their efforts could be driven out. If you run an academy to the bare bones (and deliberately sign players who are Championship standard at best) and sign players between 28-32 (you could rotate every 5 years) it gives the impression that the club isn't a "stepping stone" for anybody. If players want to leave let them take a sideways step or below. No more sell best player, spend the transfer fee, repeat cycle. Dack would have to go for a start. The best players at a certain level who won't want to go elsewhere. Maybe if the club got promoted some of them wouldn't be quite good enough? So what? If the tickets are next to nothing people could handle a bad season. Perhaps the club could have a few "stepping stone" type players (while in the Championship) but if the club reaches the EPL only sign midtable standard players. That's likely the absolute peak with FUP around anyway. That way they won't be around just so they can be sold to someone else. The best players stay until they are no longer good enough. Or if they are unhappy for whatever reason take a step sideways. Wouldn't you rather be in the EPL with a team where Emerton/Pedersen types are the best player and likely good enough to stay up? If you can't build the club's marketing with the current fans then you need to bring in new ones. Being as radical as possible is the only thing we will achieve this. St Pauli was mentioned and they are different but the players seem to be fairly typical. They could push it even further. Apparently they have 11 million fans across Germany and several overseas fanclubs. Rovers have overseas fanclubs too of course but that's often formed by people who used to live in the area. Or typical overseas fans just to a lesser extent than the most prominent clubs. Honestly even if FUP was scrapped and a major takeover happened that probably wouldn't be enough given all the past baggage. A complete transformation would be the only way. Once this lockdown is over I'm making a clean break. I've been going elsewhere lately anyway. Just because I don't like going to Ewood does not mean I can't go elsewhere (not Man City) and watch live football. Watching on Tv does not do much for me. I've been to some games before the virus halted everything. Not going to say where other than it's further away than Manchester. There's the MLS as well without UEFA's garbage. I did follow NYCFC for a bit (I've always liked New York but they were quite right to feel aggrieved by the Lampard situation) but when I rejoined here in 2016 that faded away. Las Vegas might be in the MLS one day. Maybe follow them. Or Austin FC (sounds silly but as a wrestling fan I really like that name lol). What's the difference between now and 2014-15? Mentally I feel much better. That's the key. Will it last? I damn sure hope so. If I stop posting on here regularly then you will know.

Well he's a FUP lover isn't he so it's obvious.

More plans here from the UEFA scum. Just lends more credence to what I've said about "being different" on other page. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fa-report-confirms-champions-league-21939361