16 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Furious about what cos I want to keep attending football matches and people want to keep doing their social activities. 

What about all the people who suffer mental health problems cos of lockdowns and not being allow to normal daily lives. Or don't they matter tho? 

If you want to do self lockdown then that's do it but we have learn to live with the virus. 

10/10 for another demonstration of why you are part of the problem.

Yes, exactly millions are suffering badly both mentally and physically which is why we all have to act as one to overcome this virus.

Let me remind you how in autumn 2020 you were telling everyone how the vaccines would save us, we would be back in the ground by Christmas etc. Got that right didn't you!?

You truly are blind to what is going on outside of chaddy world.

18 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

thanks for the update

massive over reaction again. 

very disappointed to hear that Gav but given what Chris Whitty said this morning to the health select committee that if your priority is to attend a football match then do it. He said its people choice what they want to do and not. 

Lets calm down and stop over reaction to this variant and lets wait for the data. Who says tough for Hospitals when we don't have the data to back that up and more and more people are getting the booster including myself this afternoon. Plus other restrictions, We can't keep locking down the country every time we have a new variant. 

People like you make me absolutely furious. You really have no understanding whatsoever. Self-centered. Self-absorbed. Couldn't give a damn about society.

1 hour ago, only2garners said:

It's looking much more likely that only a sample of fans will have their details checked.

Under the current legislation 20% or more will be spot checked. The local public health authority makes the decision on the actual percentage.

1 minute ago, Mattyblue said:

Exactly, so Preston and Bolton being bigger towns has been moot for years, as we have a geographic spread across Lancashire, though I imagine the percentage of the database that has RIbble Valley and PR postcode addresses has never been larger than it is right now with the rapid demographic change of the last 10 years within the town itself.

I don't feel it has anything to do with town size etc. These are very old rivalries which simply don't truly exist for the vast majority of modern supporters. I couldn't give two hoots about whose town is bigger, better or whatever.

We live almost equidistant between Ewood, Deepdale and the Reebok. PNE is a bit further and certainly more difficult to get to. I know people who support all three clubs so I imagine each club has a similar number of fans traveling from outside the local area.

It's a very difficult question for fans to answer but observation suggests many supporters no longer live in their team's town.

The DE car park was almost full on Saturday.

On 07/08/2021 at 22:33, Mattyblue said:

I see. Did this demographic change occur over the last 18 months? And considering a large (and increasing) percentage of our fanbase lives outside the town of Blackburn, the size of the population within municipal boundaries are increasingly meaningless as people become more transient..

We’ve never gone into a season with fewer ST holders than both those clubs ever before. And if you think it’s normal for Blackburn Rovers to sell fewer season tickets than Preston bloody North End and third division Bolton then there’s not a lot else to say.

Your point about a large portion of the fan base living outside of Blackburn has been the case for 25+ years. I don't think it's a new feature.

Prior to Jack's involvement I'd leave home at 2.30/35 to get to the ground for KO to travel 5 miles to Ewood. In the heady days of the '90s/00s we had to leave at 2.00. It wasn't unknown to be in a jam from the Houghton roundabout and even to divert on to the Bolton road and get in via Tockholes.

Saturday we left at 2.35, didn't see a fan walking down LBR until we passed the Brown Cow, in the ground just before 3.00.

Walking out of the DE car park all we could hear was Swansea fans singing. I feared a terrible home crowd. Given everything which is/has happened I was pleasantly surprised by the numbers on Saturday.

It only took 10 seconds for the emotion of being back at Ewood to hit me. Prior to that I'd no idea how I would feel. It would have been too easy just to pack it all in.

My STs have got lost in the fog of lockdown. No idea where they are. I popped in to the TO a week ago and was given paper tickets which worked well 

The guy who served me said all ST holders would be receiving new cards before the WBA game.

16 hours ago, 1864roverite said:

Its none existant

My experience indicates this is incorrect. We hold two STs linked to the same email address. On June 18th we received two emails, individually addressed to the ST holder by first name, giving full details for the 2021/22 season. 

It seems surprising either the vast majority on here do not have an email address registered with the club or they have all been missed/excluded from a mass marketing email - logistically a very difficult task.

Nothing in the post but then I think the club abandoned the ST pack years ago. Whether that is a good thing or not it isn't a sudden recent change.

We've received a postal reminder car park STs are now available.

My son and I both received an email inviting us to renew on June 18th. We have renewed.

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

Also good, thanks Paul.

Some fair observations there. I wasn’t aware of ego problems within the Trust. That’s a shame. Their aim now seems to be a seat on the board but I don’t see that happening under Venkys - and certainly not under Waggott.

I still pay my membership but on the basis of an insurance policy of sorts. That there will be an organisation there to help to pick up the pieces when the inevitable does happen, and negotiations need to take place with administrators to keep the club name and badge. There is a credibility about the Rovers Trust that would benefit from outside support. I get the impression that the current Trust are not ready for that - hopefully they will be one day.

Steady. I didn't say there were or are ego problems within the trust. I do believe though the Trust should have expanded its interests but I don't think not doing so was anything to do with ego. Overall I feel there just wasn't the desire to look at any other aspect of fan representation. A real shame.

3 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Hello Paul. Hope all is well with you.

Perhaps you can elaborate on these real opportunities that were lost?

Seems to me that the lack of a majority of dissenters hurt us back then just as it hurts us now.

The majority of our fans have no appetite to cause any upset and will just put up with whatever is served - even if it means they are being taken the piss out of. Although to be fair we have lost a hell of a lot of fans in the process.

I'm good thanks Stuart. We've kept ourselves safe, sound and a touch bored. Hope your family are all safe as well.

Lost opportunities? For me the big one was The Rovers Trust. There was a point when membership was higher than the Arsenal Trust. From memory I think 1200+ had signed up. A supporters trust can and should be involved in many things but Rovers Trust was always a single issue organisation. Had the Trust expanded its interest and ideas, looked to work in other areas of fan representation it might well have maintained the membership numbers and become a real voice for the fans. Sadly it focused only on being ready should the club ever be for sale.

When a new board was elected I understood there was going to be a new impetus. As far as I can gather from a couple of emails a year not much is happening.

13 hours ago, Stuart said:

You really are going full u-turn at this point.

You “want” Mowbray out but there is nothing you are prepared to do, sacrifice, abstain from in order to put any pressure on.

Interesting that you are now not just declining to take part in but actively trying to marginalise my “protest” suggestion - and to be clear it was a suggestion that people stop buying any club merchandise until Mowbray is gone. Not that much of an ask.

But you do make a good point, there has been absolutely no discussion about it aside from me suggesting it and you telling me that it won’t work - much like you would say about any suggested protest. The reason it won’t work is precisely because of people who think the same way you do.

My request to you though would be: please don’t ever, ever complain about Mowbray again.

All that said, does anybody else have a view on a merchandise boycott? Even from some of the most vocal people on here the chat has been about what next season’s shirt might look like and the manufacturing quality, FFS!

Yes, I have. I have no idea what our merchandising revenue is but prior to Covid-19 I imagine it wasn't significant.

If ST sales fall to the level some are predicting, personally I think 4-5000*, then merchandise sales to these numbers will be very low. I rarely see anyone around me with a bag of goodies from the Roverstore on match day. I'm surrounded by ST holders.

* I say 4-5000 because after close to 18 months away I think many will simply disappear. From the little I've read we could be on 2-4000 attendances due to Covid-19 restrictions. Possibly I should be better informed but realistically we can only wait and see what government permits.

I don't think a merchandise boycott will have any impact. Yes it will cause some questions to be asked but when you have to fund the club with £20m per season it's petty cash.

What would make a difference? To be honest I have no idea. I became exhausted with the whole thing. I realised the negative impact on my life and decided to avoid the stress. Nothing which is being discussed or hinted at is new. There's no reason to believe a second time around will be successful. If someone comes up with something truly new I would back it.

There was too much self-interest and real opportunities were lost.

I know I sound negative and as though I've given up. I would argue this is not the case but that I am a realist.

4 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I wouldn't criticise anyone for renewing or not renewing this season Paul, like I say in my view it's almost an impossible decision.

Renew and you're endorsing Waggott/Mowbray/Venus. Boycott and you're giving Waggott almost free rein to run the Club into the ground even further.

On balance I'd like to see 20k fans back in the stadium when allowed screaming their disapproval of the Coventrio if all or any of them are still here by then.

On the owners (tin hat on) whilst their overall record is undeniably dismal I'd say they've ALMOST been model owners since relegation to League one. The one thing you can criticise them for (and unfortunately it's a bloody big one and looking worse by the day) is putting too much trust in Mowbray and allowing him to install his choice of CEO which is obviously a huge conflict of interest. And due to the same trust not sacking the manager some considerable time ago.

On balance though I feel the fact they're still here after 10 years pumping in £20m p.a. just to keep us afloat implies an element of good faith. I'd rather see us going forward with the safety net of their financial clout but with the right guidance.

(Which is the sort of thing Darrenrover is offering to go back to my last post)

On your own personal circumstances obviously I fully empathise. Hope Tom is well.

Yes, we are both very well thanks Simon.

I wouldn't criticise anyone for their individual choice on anything. I might argue the point but not criticise which I view as two different things.

What I object to is supporters who still insist on telling those who chose to renew we are "part of the problem." For me the difficulty is we have supporters who divide the fan base with these and other similar remarks. While such views exist those divisions will not heal.

It only takes five minutes on here to know this is still happening.

As for a QEGS group I've only very, very vaguely heard of this and have no idea what is involved. I have though read the language expressed and approach used towards others. This immediately puts me off as I don't believe speaking to others in such a fashion is acceptable. 

14 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

At this moment in time is it the owners that need ousting? 

As for renewal next season it's a real catch 22 situation. Renew and you're effectively endorsing the abysmal performance of Mowbray, Venus and Waggott.

Abstain, and the more people that do that gives Waggott the perfect excuse to mothball more and more of Ewood and come up with another scheme to flog Brockhall.

I really really don't want to do either but obviously I'll have to do one or the other. I'm erring on the side of renewing so I can vent my disapproval against the Coventrio from inside the ground and lobby for their removal from the moral high ground of being a season ticket holder rather than being someone who no longer attends games or who contributes nothing to the Club financially.

Yes, I feel it is the owners who need outing. If there was new ownership they would presumably have their own ideas on CEO and manager.

I will renew. It's never in question and is a decision, as I expect you know, I don't have to make. I won't deny my son the chance to watch Rovers when he has no possibility of understanding why I might choose not to take him.

If I had to make the choice for me alone? Difficult but I would probably renew. Why? Being a supporter is about watching a season of dross interspersed with a few wonderful moments. It was ever thus.

6 hours ago, Miller11 said:

Being so dismissive of other people might be something folk have a problem with.
The tone of some of your posts belies the lack of ego you speak about.

I truly hope YOU (or someone, anyone!) do manage to have a positive influence on the owners and help bring about improvements. Getting “others” onside, collaborating, sharing and generally being respectful would likely increase YOUR chances of achieving this, and ensure you had the fans backing if and when YOU do.

It's just more of the usual nonsense from people who like others to think they're doing something......... while others actually get on and do it.

Interesting to read there are still fans blaming, at least in part, those who still attend or intend to for our current situation.

While this continues, what is it now ten years?, the fan base will never unite to oust the owners.

12 hours ago, den said:

The covenant on the land mentioned earlier in this thread was inserted there by @Paul while he helped out with the trust -I believe.

He could be your man.

No den I don't have any connection with Brockhall and the Covenant. It was me who had Ewood Park designated an Asset of Community Value (ACV) on behalf of the Rovers Trust about ten years ago.

I did consider if we could apply for Brockhall to be designated an ACV at the same time but it was clear there was no case to be made.

On 24/09/2020 at 23:21, Giant said:

I bought a season ticket in the knowledge that I would be getting a minimum of 23 home games and 7 away on iFollow, with the difference between my season ticket price minus £230 (23 games x £10) knocked off the price of next season’s ticket. I also guarantee to have my seat for next season. It will be an unlikely bonus if I get to see any live games at Ewood. Sorry, I don’t feel ripped off or cheated by the Rovers, as I knew full well what I was getting for my money.

Exactly and is precisely why I bought one. From the very start I knew we wouldn't be in the ground till March at the earliest. I said I would buy an ST when I knew what I was purchasing and did so within days.

I agree the club took too long to issue ST details. I'm prepared to accept a significant amount of planning was needed to ensure if we were allowed to return to Ewood the club could meet the necessary restrictions before selling STs.

Price rise? I don't know really. It was essential to my son's well-being I arranged for him to watch Rovers. I didn't consider the increased cost. I hoped buying early might gain us some priority if gates were very limited. For example if the club said the first 1000 to buy get in. I wanted to be 999 and not 1001. Not that I see this as a fair solution but was one I thought could happen.

Overall I think my view is £50+ would not tip the balance for anyone who could afford an ST. There are thousands for whom £349 or £399 is simply unaffordable today and I would support everyone of those who feel other priorities must come first.

2 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

So no fans in October. That takes us to November, winter with all that entails with other respiratory illnesses, perhaps an actual second wave, full lockdown etc. 

Anyone see fans in before spring (if at all this season) ?

 

It will be March at the earliest as I've been saying for weeks for the very reasons you give above.

I hope we get back to Ewood in March but won't be surprised if we don't go back this season. There's nothing to suggest gatherings of 10,000+ can be safe.

29 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

I understand the code of conduct has to be in place obviously.

For me though, I'm not that desperate to go back under these conditions. It's a 100 mile round trip for me, one that I have been doing since the late 80's.

A huge part of the day is mingling with mates I don't see in everyday life, sometimes opposition fans, having a couple of beers in the nearby pubs or going to the strikers lounge with my lad (which is closed for the foreseeable). Get in the ground, have a bit of a sing song and have a good celebrate when we score or win.

Travelling 50 miles to be told when I have to enter the ground, when I have to leave, not be able to sit with mates, not to chant or sing, or celebrate when we score is just not for me.

I get for you that you are local, and its probably just about going and watching the football and then going home, for me I might as well just pay the £10 on ifollow and save myself a few hours travel where I can be doing other things. The matchday experience will be exactly the same.

On top of all that, my seat in the Riverside has gone up by £80 from last season.

 

Ah that makes perfect sense. I didn't realise you had the journey etc. Yes, for us it is go to Ewood, watch the game, perhaps bump in to a few friends and go home.

23 hours ago, MarkBRFC said:

For anyone who hasn't seen, this is the code of conduct for attending matches...

• Sounds like a right hassle to be honest, I think i'm out for the foreseeable.

Can I ask why it's a hassle? Celebrating and singing aside all of these points we are being asked to accept in our day to day lives. None of it surprises me though I was surprised, and pleased, to see the club issue a Code of Conduct.

16 hours ago, philipl said:

I have said it before but there is a high probability of going through the entire season without fans being allowed into grounds.

Agreed. I've been saying the same for months. In May someone I know and trust in the industry said it would be nine months before fans are back in grounds. I still believe March is the realistic target.

Currently it's an FPN with a £100 minimum fine for groups of more than six. My wife's book club meeting, 12 in a huge room, for tonight has been cancelled. This is a group of 12 women in their 60s - not a football crowd!!!! There is absolutely no way 10,000 people will be allowed to gather before the possibility of a second winter wave has gone. Thoughts of being in before March are, in my view, fantasy.

I renewed for three reasons: to ensure we get in, or have a chance, to any very limited capacity match as this is hugely important to my son; iFollow access with no hassle for my lad; I'm satisfied with the club's approach, despite the lateness, and hope this indicates a good approach to when we actually get in.

58 minutes ago, blondie said:

How did you renew, cannot find a link.

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/onerovers/

37 minutes ago, only2garners said:

For clarity you can renew your existing season tickets and seats now and you will be able to keep them and return there as and when things return to normal.

For the duration of .the pandemic when fans are allowed into the ground you will be allocated seats based on social distancing rules. Whether you will keep that same seat for other games I don’t know but I would imagine so. If you have other season tickets in your household or bubble then you will be able to sit together as long as you all arrive at the same time.

The rules surrounding attending socially distanced games are quite extensive and complicated. I assume the full details are in the attached Code of Conduct although I haven’t yet had time to read it. But from what I understand you will be allocated a seat(s) and have to agree to being in your seat at a set time. Food and drink kiosks will operate on a reduced menu but you will be encouraged not to linger on the concourse and the TV screens will not be showing Sky Sports or the game.

I spoke to the TO this morning.With regard to seats when we are able to return to the ground a "bubble" seating plan will be available online for fans to select their preferred bubble. My impression, and I should have asked, was this selection would be made once and apply to all games.

No mention was made of arriving at a set time.

Personally I see the Code of Conduct as just that. There's nothing onerous about it - just common sense. If there's also a set of rules I'd be interested to see those.

I renewed 10 minutes ago.

@Parsonblue and others who may be interested. I don't know if this has already been posted.

My son is disabled and because of the way our STs are linked only one ever appears online to purchase. I always have to phone or visit in person.

I have just finished speaking to the TO and have renewed. For the moment we have renewed our existing seats. I asked if I could move to the JW Upper. The answer was a very clear yes and I could have purchased JWU STs. The lady I spoke to said if we wish to transfer to the JWU at a later date we can do so.

We will be able to select the bubble we chose to sit in at a later date.

Clearly my previous understanding of the club's announcement on STs and availability in the JWU was correct.

The lady I spoke to could not have been more helpful and as ever it was a pleasure to deal with the TO.

I'm very happy with the current arrangements which appear to be as safe and fair as possible.