Why?

That's a good idea, I'll try to put it in place.

BBC Five Live have just reported Elland Road is for sale on a lease-back deal. Can it get worse for them? Anyone who thinks we have reasons to be down in the mouth should just read these headlines change a few names and imagine how we'd all be feeling.

If this thread were to be closed now, which it isn't, I think CK's post would sum up the whole situation very well. I think it also shows clearly the action the club needs to take to stimulate sales - create some razza ma tazz around Blackburn. Create the buzz, then, if there is a demand, the tickets will sell.

Thanks Tris. The last time Mottman raised this subject I didn't post but did have a "it's time to move on feeling". Tris has reminded me of what I felt that day and in the days that followed. The same day Rovers put in an elctrifying performance to beat Man City, champions and promoted, 4 - 0. News filtered through at half time that the semi had been abandoned due to crowd problems. I can remember assumming it was the Liverpool fans who were responsible, back at the car an hour later I began to get an understanding of the horror of the event. The following Monday I went to Anfield to pay my respects. I felt guilt in celebrating a Rovers win, assuming the worst of the Liverpool fans, when those people were only hoping for the same thing as me. We all need reminding of Hillsborough on occassions and one has to have respect for those who can find the energy to do so when it might be easier to forget. Like Bryan I won't have Murdoch media in the house. As the kids get older we try to broaden the discussion about why they cannot have Sky TV from the pap that it is to the wider implications of media control.

Nicky, not Steven In the current squad? I'm not sure who is committed to the cause. I feel an affinity with Gallagher, Jansen, Stead, Flitcroft, Short, Tugay, Gresko, Gray and Friedel. If the rest went today I wouldn't lose any sleep. These days I just support the club, in the past it was different....it's very difficult to explain or describe but some of you will just know what I mean by instinct. David Speedie? OK he played for a few clubs but you knew he wouldn't let you down. He wasn't a Blackburn son, he wasn't Garner, but you could believe in him. That's what I mean. Then take Emerton as a modern day example, well he just doesn't give a tuppenny damn. A bit of me died when Shearer left and I just don't trust footballers anymore - the same will happen for a lot of Everton fans.

Me too please Rev. Stiil is a great post Scotty.

.......and that's all we are asking for. When you've seen (to pick just a few at random) Speedie, Garner, Shearer, Hendry, Gennoe, Reid, Barker, Moran, Atkins, Fazakerly, Wright, Brotherston and I don't know how many others dieing for the cause, you know, you really know when a player is committed.

6 keepers 10 defenders 12 midfielders 4 strikers

Dunno Alan, any suggestions?

Me too tash, we are five miles from Ewood and have not seen any promotion. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but for us it's not effective. Alan - the non-renewers that I know are mainly: 1. 45-50+ and kids have now left home 2. 18-19 finished A levels and going to Uni or travelling the world I've raised the second point in the past and I think it's a more serious issue than people realise. My eldest has had an ST for 14 years but we haven't renewed it YET. He may go to Australia at Christmas so there is little point in getting an ST, the decision is still to be made. After Australia it will be university. After 14 seasons with an ST it could 5-6 before he has another. If he leaves the area he may never have an ST again. ONCE A Rover, ALWAYS a Rover though I know how raise my kids!!!

Mboard is fine but that figure of 2500 is somewhat misleading. Many of those 2500 dont ever post and only about 360 have posted over100 times. That's a point raised from time to time, and clearly it's correct. What I find interesting is the very large numbers who register, rarely post but do visit very regularly.

I'd like to second that. I also agree with Ste that the silly season is upon us and this topic comes around every year or so.

That surprises me but if it's true we'd have to look at it

I'm in agreement with you philip. There are a number of things that impact on this: 1. Excessive quoting - anyone who wonders were their quote has gone, it's me deleting them Far too often members quote the post above when it's unneccesary, secondly the ever-increasing habit of multi-quoting followed by a fatuous one-liner is having a detrmental effect on the MB 2. Private jokes, one-liners between two or three members, not always the same people, often ruin a thread. Not everyone sees it as funny, personally I find myself skipping large chunks of one line posts that are usually worthless in terms of the discussion 3. Failing to read a thread and re-posting the same information. We are putting new features in place to try and improve the MB and it's a shame to see other areas declining. For example Media Watch should be of real value to us all but to date there has been little response. We think the Memorabelia Section could create real interest. The Member Map seems to have been well received. There are other new sections on the way, one of which I feel will be seen as possibly the best thing the site has done to date. As den says it's really up to the members to tell us how the MB should be run. For instance if we begin to delete all irrelevant one-liners will we get a "thought-police" reaction?

den, I'd argue it has everything to do with Sky as this is the source of the cash. The point being the players are paid a fortune, consequently the players are expected to perform to a level that justifies the salary. Play well and the money is not any issue, fail to perform and the salary becomes a big issue. These arguements were coming from very well-heeled individuals, people whose household incomes would be in the range of £50 to £100K, not the man on the factory floor.

On Saturday night I chatted with 3 ex ST holders - had six between them - about why they are no longer ST holders. The conversation broadened to Rugby League ( a sport I know little about), each had stopped watching Wigan following the advent of the summer game. The view regardng Rovers from these casual rather than die-hard fans is: 1. The players earn too much money 2. The bulk of the players are mercenary 3. None of the players have a real interest in the club or fans and fail to understand the supporters perspective. The players are viewed as distant from the support 4. Even local players, Dunn was cited as the example, ultimatley are swayed by money and ambition. 5. The players know if they fail in their job they can simply walk away and pick up a fat signing on fee at another club. In no other walk of life does this occur. 6. There should be a salary cap with performance related bonuses introduced Each of these people has Sky, none mentioned the ease of getting a match day ticket or that it was simpler to watch on Sky. The ST cost was not an issue nor, surprisingly, was last season. Each of these potential ST holders took children, have good incomes and often took wives along as well. In the instance of RL, the major point was that this is a winter sport and that in the summer there are many other alternative activities. RL is seen as a winter sport, the mud, blood and cold all being part of the event. What else can you do on a wet January Sunday was the question? My point, and I do follow Revidge's arguement on finance, is the Sky money has created the financial problem clubs like ours face. It is the Sky money that funds multi-millionaires who know they can under-perform, walk away and pick up another signing on fee. The bulk of Sky money ends up in the pockets of those with the least interest in the club. This cannot be right. The more football appears on TV and the more reliant on TV money the game becomes the weaker the clubs position. Look at the transfer market, big fees are becoming a thing of the past as clubs know that money must be retained for the player's salary. In another thread it's suggested JFH is a bargain on a free beacuse all the Rovers have to do is find his salary Yes, it's a good thing we can see more of the Rovers away from home.......but all good things must come to an end.

How about having to start work at 7.00pm in Leyland? Which may well be the case for one ST holder in our house, not me though I did pay for the ticket.

I'll hold my hand up then. I think Sky and the Murdoch empire in general is a bad thing. I agree their football coverage is very good, I simply don't feel it is for the long-term good of the game or Murdoch media in general is a particularly good thing. Sorry that's how it is, blinkered I know. In football terms there will come a reckoning and it gets closer every season. Wall to wall TV football is not good for the game. The live football fan is a dieing breed, much of it fueled by Sky. I wouldn't have Sky in the house but yes I do watch Rovers in the pub or club when we are away and live. Double standards, probably, but I have to watch the Rovers when I can.

Nope not deluded - 20-21K home support + 8000 MU in the Darwen End is 28-29000. Same as your figure. Point is for MU we SHOULD, but can't for reasons we have discussed endlessly, have 28K Rovers fans + 3K MU.

Remind me to buy you a beer next game Alan. I hope thousands follow your example.

Well i was coming up to brum game and spurs game but no need now! I'm not having a go at you modes but there's the whole problem in a nutshell - a proper, live fan who won't be travelling to a home game. Thanks Mr Murdoch. 1864roverite Man Utd at home - lunchtime KO on a bank holiday weekend. Disaster for the live attendance - you watch we won't sell more than 20,000 in the home areas. Queue moans about attendance and 8,000 allocation to Utd. Liverpool and Spurs 5.15pm KO - they are having a joke aren't they Ar least three of the home games clash with other things in our household. I am totally ###### off with Sky. Paul Next season I won't be renewing the STs until I have seen the Sky announcement. With these fixture changes I have wasted the money on one ST which will probably only be used for 6 out of the first 10 home games. Those who believe Sky continues to be good for the game need to think seriously about the impact on the whole picture and not just being able to watch highlights 50 minutes after full time.

From the LET Looks like you lot booked up all the flights first

Five Live has been reporting a bid of £5m for Jeremy and J Cole - seems cheap?

Nothing on the SMS service to date. BTW the SMS was a long way behind when the fixtures were announced. Clearly Lee doesn't text very fast