In fairness, the Trust had a Zoom meeting with Steve Waggott which was fed back in the form of a newsletter several weeks ago. In the meeting itself (albeit not publicly) it got heated enough that Waggott knew exactly what we Trust board members all personally thought; that the Brockhall scheme had no basis and was complete rubbish. However, in between the meeting and the related newsletter, RB’s fantastic open letter said everything that we simply weren't allowed to without directly consulting over 2000 members and subscribers. We also engaged with Brockhall residents (at their request) to put them in touch with knowledgeable people to assist in pushing back against the plans. This was within a couple days of the story breaking on here and around a week before the zoom meeting. In truth, we have to operate publicly in a way that we know has the backing of the majority of our members, or else we couldn't claim to be representative. However, where members privately request our help, we do what we can (all completely voluntarily). We felt that the above was more useful to the cause as only the Brockhall residents could realistically challenge the plans. Given that wider public opinion was largely divided on this issue, we couldn't commit to outright criticism in public. This open letter came about because opposition to the ESL is unanimous, and therefore something we can confidently use (without consulting members) to try and open dialogue with the owners.

An Open Letter to the Desai Family, Owners of Blackburn Rovers Football Club To: The Owners of Blackburn Rovers - 10th May 2021 This is an Open Letter from the Rovers Trust. The Trust is a transparent membership body with the sole aim of protecting the assets, heritage, and future of our Football Club. Firstly, can we express our concern, sympathy, and support for the ongoing COVID emergency in Maharashtra Province and the whole of India. Amidst the global pandemic, another less important, but serious sequence of events has taken place: The disruption to English football caused by the pandemic Poorly laid out plans to develop the Brockhall Training Centre, and then the arrogant intentions of PL Clubs to form a European Super League behind our backs and excluding BRFC for ever The last 10 years has seen a gradual but confusing decline in the fortunes of BRFC, despite large infusions of money from Venkys London Limited, mainly from the Desai family and VH Group. To get promoted back to the Premier League, successful Clubs are always well-run, professionally managed, and co-ordinated from top to bottom. Once again, this season has ended in disappointment with the team severely underachieving on the field. Since our relegation, we have never made the top 6, and on one embarrassing occasion were relegated to the third tier – a scenario that was unthinkable prior to your takeover. The confusing structure and convoluted decision-making process that appears to be in place continues to be a cause for concern and frustration. In the last decade, we have seen: A lack of transparency and an apparent lack of Lancashire-based board meetings No clear strategy with a number of bewildering decisions No attendance at Ewood Park by the owners in 6 years Slowness of decision-making, indicative of weak communication, and unclear financial management responsibilities. The Football Industry is unlike any other sector in the British economy, or the Hospitality/Entertainment Sector. The Rovers Trust is a body of largely professional supporters, and while we do not claim expertise in this industry, we are totally and emotionally attached to OUR Club. We could never support another, and the last 10 years has turned many of our members away from football, rather than transferring to a more telegenic team. This is now a trend that is evident across the wider fanbase. With the Trust identifying a period of significant change, we will maintain our support and pursuit of the following commitments in relation to the wider national picture: Protection of the English football pyramid and the ethos of competition Fairer financial distribution throughout the pyramid A cap to prevent increasingly untenable player wage levels Independent Regulation of Football Club ownership and management National adoption of the “50+1” ownership model for Football Clubs, with 2 Independent Directors on Club Boards. We remain active members of the Football Supporters Association (FSA). Additionally, we will be fully co-operating with the British Government’s “Fan Led Review of Football”, headed by Tracy Crouch, MP, who we have already consulted with in her previous role as Minister Of Sport. The aim of raising all this in an open letter is not to ‘protest’ but to promote moves to ensure that Rovers fans are not turned off their Club, and instead feel not only engaged at a local level, but also have their fears alleviated after the sudden crisis caused by VH Group decisions. We would be grateful for your observations raised in this letter and welcome an opportunity to meet in a suitably safe location at your earliest convenience. As it is an Open Letter, the Rovers Trust reserves the right to circulate the contents more widely. Yours Sincerely John Murray Chair of Rovers Trust, on behalf of the Trust Board and its Members. chair@roverstrust.co.uk https://us5.campaign-archive.com/?e=__test_email__&u=f646174da39488e19ed1200d3&id=3a7daebcc3

Saved me a job there, thank you!

Our Statement, with thanks to Vice Chair Oliver Jones: https://www.roverstrust.com/2021/02/20/press-release-200221-clubs-proposal-sell-land-brockhall-housing-developers/

You may find our latest newsletter interesting reading, as it shares your sentiments: Notice of AGM 2020:The contents (and the optimism level) of this Newsletter has changed several times! After postponement due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the Trust will hold its AGM on Thursday October 8th. It's our hope by then at least Season-Ticket holders will be attending matches.At the AGM we seek new Members of the Board. One of our longest serving Board members, Professor Michael Doherty, has reluctantly resigned his Board post due to the Covid-19 pressures of running a Law Department. He will still be available if the worst happens to the Club (see his article to be sent later). We at Rovers Trust would like to thank Professor Doherty for his service to Rovers Trust and its members.One other Board Member, Mr. David Riding, is due to seek re-election. Board Members serve for 2 years and the number of elected Board Members allows us to seek co-opted Board members in the same numbers. So please consider putting yourself forward for election–we have a lot to do!All that is required is that you must be a Rovers Trust Member, be nominated by another Rovers Trust Member, and be seconded by a third Rovers Trust Member.Any nominations should be directed to our Secretary, Michael Ellison via his email: michael91ellison@hotmail.comor if you want to discuss anything at all, contact the Chair, John Murray on 0044-7880507080, or email chair@roverstrust.co.ukJune Newsletter Response:The June Newsletter asked a number of questions –thanks to all those who responded.SEASON TICKETS:95% sought no refund (out of 52 responses) although 10% mentioned incentives for next season.NEXT SEASON:Some 42 respondents were keen to come back as soon as possible.VENKYS OWNERSHIP:Only 1 Member who replied was NOT happy for a rapprochement with Venkys.SALARY CAP:Including Twitter responses, some 118 supporters were in favour for each Division.- Note: Since the time of writing, clubs in Leagues 1+2 have recently voted in favour of Salary Caps. This shows there is appetite for change even at Board level within Football Clubs. Rovers Trust, alongside a multitude of Supporters Trusts, have helped in this regard by ensure fans' views are heard at Board level.Conclusion:If you wondered about the Rovers Trust position on EFL rules and policies to maintain the integrity of the EFL (and PL), here is a good summary recently put together by retiring Board member, Michael Doherty:'For Rovers supporters the events at Wigan, 20-odd miles down the road, over the last few months will have been both reassuringly familiar and depressingly chilling. The distant owners with a complex corporate network around the ownership arrangements – check. The obscure former footballer appointed as a ‘football consultant’ – check. The agents and loans and interest payments all happening right in the line of sight of a football organisation that has shown no genuine interest in protecting its clubs – check, check, check.Blackburn Rovers has suffered some indignities over the last decade, but we have been spared the near-death blow that fell on Bury and the tide of sanctions, points deductions, squad culls and (hopefully) in-depth investigations that have started to roll over Wigan Athletic. Memories are both very long and very short in football – who remembers Wigan profiting from Bolton Wanderers financial distress by buying their principal training ground as long ago as 2016? The current model of ownership and regulation in the EFL keeps disaster lurking just over the horizon for the majority of its clubs.Those were not particularly cheery paragraphs, were they? More direct and useful questions are;• What can Rovers supporters do to reduce the risk of similar existential threats to the continuance of the club that has been at the heart of our community for 145 years? Look at what has saved clubs facing similar threats – not the Government, not the FA, not the EFL. It had been supporters who have created or, more effectively, drawn on existing organisational structures to save their clubs – see Wimbledon, Bury, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Swansea etc etc etc for examples.• What can Rovers supporters do to avoid the need for this sort of crisis-management, heart-in-the-mouth, sleepless-night approach to supporters saving their clubs? It cannot lie in individual action. It can only lie in collective action from a legitimate supporters’ organisation that can push for real change. The Rovers Trust is a member of the Football Supporters Association. It is sitting down across tables with Government ministers, FA, EFL etc putting forward specific demands to protect clubs as not ‘ordinary busineses’ but as expressions of community identity. This involves removing conflicts of interest, professionalising the regulatory abilities of football authorities and introducing greater financial responsibility and transparency.Rovers Trust can be a part of that conversation via the FSA and you can be a voice in this debate because you are a Member of the Trust.'Keep the faith, get involved and encourage others to join via www.roverstrust.co.uk.John Murray, Chair of Trust

Rovers Trust has worked tirelessly over the last 8 years to persuade the FA, Premier League and English Football League in order to improve the safeguarding of the organisation and control of our Football Clubs. The Trust has decided to embrace a new medium and take the fight to the theatre to show the anxiety and devastation of being a true fan in these circumstances. Blackburn Rovers was an original founding member of the football league; therefore, the Rovers' Trust should also lead from the front and stage this production, not just for Rovers' fans, but also for the fans of clubs like Blackpool, Coventry, Wimbledon and Charlton etc. We feel it is time that the football authorities were made to sit up and take notice. We urge you to support this play and plight, providing a platform for the voice's of true fans to be heard in an exciting and revolutionary way. A sum of £9,000 is required to make this play happen; a national appeal which is supported by Henry Winter, one of the few prominent journalists to lend his support to football fans who feel a lost connection with their club. https://mobile.twitter.com/henrywinter/status/1092798519243689986 This is not a mere protest play. It’s a story about one fan’s feeling of depression and helplessness when there is a loss of localism, and the connection with his club begins to slip away. I’m sure we all know how that has felt at some point in the last 8 years, and we hope fans of other clubs who have had similar experiences of ownership to ours will support this message. If you wish to support this play, you can view the appeal brochure and donation pages from this link: https://www.roverstrust.com/2019/01/17/heart-scarf-soul-a-play-starring-a-blackburn-rovers-fan/ Please feel free to share far and wide!