mhead

I did pick my words carefully(I hope)….SEEMS and SUSPEND. Miller11's summary is very accurate of the mood of the meeting. Thought it was very funny that whenever there was a tricky question Steve W involved Tony Mowbray and he took us on an elliptical journey lasting many enjoyable minutes!! Lighten up MCMC1875,you know how we all appreciate you.

Rovers Trust has submitted a number of questions including State of Ground and plans for future; ticket offers and how they have worked or otherwise; perennially late Season ticket sales ; current position re FFP ;and a couple of others on the Catering Contract etc. 4 Members attending including myself and Ozz Jones.

The team was totally wrong from the start,with 4 forwards and none of them really players who track back. Dack's play was mystifying and Mulgrew had his worst game since Coyle's dismal period. Go way back to Brentford Away when at 3-2 to Brentford the Manager put on forwards instead of midfield stabilisers. And Lennie V said to me " Mowbrays going for it!" From that point the ceiling has fallen in!!

At 3-2 down after Bennett had struggled all the match with little support from Armstrong, we took off Evans in midfield and put on another forward. Clearly Tony M went to get at least a draw.....but it backfired cos it further unbalanced the team. Problems occurred at 2-0 when Travis was ambushed repeatedly as Brentford worked hard for supremacy. We scored too easily and too early. Smallwood should have been on at half-time. Only 3 points lost whatever the score,

But with 4/5 members of the usual 18 man squad from the Under 23s and cost nought, there seems no reason to panic. Instead go 'softly,softly' on key targets and pick them up when their current Club or the players Contract becomes vulnerable to a quick swoop. EG Chapman. After the 2010s we need organic growth.

Reluctantly I went last night as Chair of the Trust but with limited expectations. I quote MattyBlue here because it mirrors a lot of what we said to 6 of the Management team when we met them on November 5th. I will add more on the Attendances thread after the Nov 29th Trust board meeting. We really hammered the £3 surcharge and I did again last night. Also our main theme is 'how do we get fans back into the habit of going?"......get them for 3/4 games and you may well keep them. We met a bit of a wall and a bit of a siege mentality(we have done this before/people complain etc etc) but the Trust will keep pushing away. BUT the 6 people we met on Nov 5th I judged to be pretty committed and excellent professionals(including Steve Waggott) and we must not be too harsh and critical of them. I would like them to experiment and go for a 2,000 target more each half season, around more £10 type matches/season ticket promotions and general Events. The Trust did put forward a number of great ideas put forward on the BRFCS Attendance thread here(as MCM1975 knows)and we will continue to do so. Back to the Consultation Event, it was ironic that the bitterness came from several sources but not from the Trust or BRAG - we were close together in the Forgive(but not forget) and Move On theme. Tony Mowbray talked about his Dad scratching the money together so they could go to Boro when he was 7, and squeezing thru the turnstyle to also get in free. The eyes of the audience last night started to get moist cos Tony gets it. Consultation meetings don't tend to move us on much, but I am sure many there last night will keep on pushing.

Welcome back Den...you know how much you are well regarded plus how much it has hurt these last few years. Hope you lose your voice on the day(out of practice!)

Remember a good drink close to ground with Rovers supporters. Then amazing match with some players almost fighting with Kean on sidelines; think Nzonzi refused to come on as sub. Defence arguing with 'management' and my neutral mate commenting that we were a 'shambles'. I then went to West Brom away(our last Prem League match?) and we were even worse.

Thanks Stuart. Top item in todays LT as well. Clearly with the Club doing/acting much better in the last 18 months the RoversTrust is looking to re-set its relationship with the Club. There still could be a sale and (unlike Blackpool) we do not want to be caught offguard by this. About 10 of the Trust's 800 members meet monthly to discuss strategy and actions. We have been doing a 'gap analysis' recently on which skills we do NOT have(eg Crowdfunding, Membership Development etc) and will be sending out a communication re this soon. Personally, I have been 'lurking' intently on the Attendance thread and agreeing with most of the ideas. These we may take to the Club before Christmas. Any one who is interested in the Trust's activities and future work plan can email me on chair@roverstrust.co.uk

A 'stretch' target for STs would probably be 12,000 ,,,,,,,,,so 81% of that is approx. 9,700 ?

3 Members of Rovers Trust are going tonight. I am away but not missing being there. As far as I remember this is on our list to ask or be answered before we can ask it! My question was " Now we have a CEO/Director do the Board have monthly meetings?" Fits in with JH Comments which I thought were spot on.

Many congratulations to the Seasiders. I am sure over the next few years we will look with a little jealousy, as our 7 years of pain becomes 8 and 9. Do not hold your breath that some of our Supporters will not still be neutral to the Venkys, Cheston and Pasha even in 2020. Lets hope for a revitalisation of our liberation efforts .

Nottingham Forest had a change of owners with not too much money. They got in The ex-Brentford/Rangers Manager and have 5 youngsters in the team. As a result there are only 2 non-British players in the team/squad. Is this a Blueprint?! I was not aware that our Under 23s are less competitive than Forest Under 23s and they are in a higher League as a First team. They are inconsistent but I am told the football is more exciting and the fans are more engaged with the Team. Anyone know more?

I would like a team-sheet for the Checkatrade, even a one pager. Is that dystopian....

The Rovers Programme is no longer bought by those opposed to the Owners, so like the atmosphere quality has steadily declined. Maybe 4000holes should have a monthly Journal and include satirical pieces on games and encouraging items on Under 23s and CheckaTrade Cup.

And the answer to all this....Josh Morris. rated the best player in League 1(bit like that Brentford/Rovers Apprentice we never gave a chance) If we were in the PL I could understand it. Question for Oct 5th Consultation(?) meeting?

Its hard to be negative...even after the last 7 years. Last time this kind of targeted work was done was King Kenny and before that Gordon Lee, both leading to a major upturn in results. Maybe we can start looking for an upturn and that much needed 'momentum'. And TM seems to get his men.

Yes its a good idea Mattyblue and I would certainly want to hear from any of the further afield Groups or people keen to get together and be pro-active. Speaking to a lead member of London Branch next week and went up to Edinburgh two weeks ago(keen to hear from Scots Rovers) and Steve Bradley is now on the Board from NYC. Apart from inevitable relegation interviews I am still wanting to listen to active supporters(apart from beetlejuice in LT) in order to get a Rovers Regeneration plan together. Its like RALLY ROUND THE ROVERS again!

Yes saw all those personal comments!! " If you cannot stand the heat stay out of the kitchen" Suppose I will have to stay calm or find a guy called Stuart Beardsworth in Rawtenstall who knows exactly what we Valley Blues did(with other Supporters Groups) to keep the Rovers afloat in the 1970s. RTID

Main thing is to keep the fans together....we are really one family and many of us have been on a very long journey. It is my observation that the NAPM supporters are hurting even more than us. Lennie and ABBEY just to mention 2 characters. Think its still wise to pay for the new Season Tickets via credit card!!

If we escape on Sunday and Brum or Forest go down, for a while there will be an optimistic feel and the effect on the town and the staff of the Club will not be as catastrophic. So it won't be as immediate and newsworthy.

In this Social Media age, I thought my first missive as Trust Chair was okay. I actually concentrated on the right tone rather than what I vaguely remember from Form 4C at QEGS and Dishington's grammar lessons. So I had it checked 3 times ,changed it and then sent it out without a moment's hesitation. Thank Goodness I have Mike E now available for future messages. Meanwhile, watch Football Focus on BBC at 12 noon on Saturday and buy Monday's LT if we lose. Big Features. Now packing for Brentford...Kew Bridge Tavern on Saturday night if anyone is down in West London!

Last proto-Trust Board Meeting is tonight and new Board goes live from Monday May 1st. So clearly more news next week on our planning and actions. Do I have to create a relegation reaction as well? Probably(not possibly).

We can't protest there now.....shucks!

Comparison this week: Burnley,Padiham,Nelson and Colne edition of LT.....not a single item on the Rovers, only Bumley Blackburn, Darwen,Hyndburn and Ribble Valley edition.... 3 pages Rovers, 1 page Bumley,1 page Stanley One of pages was slimey Senior staring out and one page of mainly propaganda on Marshall money. Time to picket LT on Railway Road and hand in a petition to the Editor.