6 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

Get a notepad.

Got a lovely one coupled with a nice clicky Parker pen. Stands me in good stead with my siive like memory.

Just now, BigUts said:

You need to write a book

And genuinely no sarcasm intended!!

29 minutes ago, glen9mullan said:

As promised, I said I would report back on my meeting today with Steve Waggott, which lasted just under a couple of hours.

Firstly the important bit, I chose to not have the coffee and biscuits and explained I did not want to leave the room as Mowgli after his encounter with Karr!!!

I went to the meeting as an individual  and not as a supporter representative, of any group(s), I made it very clear that I was not representative of anyone.

Steve was very welcoming when introducing himself and offered me a seat.

Steve began the meeting explaining how he liked to meet supporters, and that he has previously met with various groups including the Action Group, Ewood WMC Group, The Rovers Trust, The Fans Forum, QEGS Group and individual supporters,

At this point I stopped him before he got into full flow to ask him if he knew why I had come and if he knew anything about me, my history surrounding my involvement in previous supporter groups.

At this point we was joined by Lyndsay Talbot.

I told him I was most disappointed that I have found the need to even ask for a meeting, as I felt my work was done 5 years ago, but was very appreciative that he had given his time at a busy time for the club to meet with me, and listen  to my concerns

I gave him a brief overview of my involvement in three of the groups he had previously mentioned, my role within those groups and also the protest movement. At this point he looked at Lyndsay as it was very evident he had not done any research or asked any questions about me, so was caught a little off guard.

I said to him that no doubt in most of the meetings, he has been asked the same questions which he acknowledged was usually the case. I pointed out that my line of questioning would in many respects form a different line, given the direct contact I have with the Rao's and associates, showing him the owners telephone numbers to support what I was saying.

I was getting quite a warm vibe from Steve who was very welcoming, very passionate, very humble and obviously very focused on the job he had.

My first question was the following -

1. How does someone get a role as the CEO of Blackburn Rovers, when even the Queen waited 6 weeks for a response from India regarding her appearance/meeting with the Rao's, how did his name get thrown in the ring?

He explained that within the game their is an agency who communicate quite regular with individuals who work at board level at possible opportunities and he asked to be considered for the Rovers role as it seemed a good project, at a big club and he felt he could potentially bring something to the party. He was one of four candidates and was interviewed in India by the Rao Family. They sold their vision to him, and and asked what his previous working relationship was with our Manager Tony Mowbray? He said he had a great working relationship with him, and this was certainly something the Rao's wanted, a CEO Who could work hand in hand with the Manager for the betterment of the club.

I then re-directed the question, stating that in some quarters it was the belief Mowbray got him the job and when things dropped off this season he had backstabbed the Manager and offered no support in a) getting clarity on his future and b) Negotiating or starting the ball rolling with Raos for a possible contract extension. I stated that many of my questions will be to dispel what's fact and what's fiction, and this will given him an opportunity to state the facts, in which I will share to a wider audience

He was quite taken aback that people would think he backstabbed or did not give the manager his full support or indeed that he only got the job as part of the Coventry jobs for the boys. He categorically stated Mowbray being at rovers was just a coincidence, and the plan was always for TM to have a discussion at the end of the season with the owners as a mutual agreement which was always the case. He stated he has worked with TM now for half his own football career, and has always had a great relationship with him, where each could talk open and frank regarding how the club is taken forward. He stated he was a big supporter of the Academy, as he was at Coventry who had produced players like Maddison etc. He suggested early on in his tenure to TM The need to explore the talent we have coming through, and try and bring these players through, whilst sprinkling some established players through transfers. He explained in depth the funding of the CAT 1 Academy from the Rao's and the grants.

2. I then asked him if it was the owners objective/remit to him to produce our own players instead of funding transfers? Or if this was his view and vision?

Steve said the owners have never once turned the tap off and mutually they had agreed that we need to continue to attract the best young talent and if good enough give them the opportunity within the first team, however that would always have the financial support to buy players should the players not be ready or good enough, he reiterated the owners have never said no to cash investment when a business case is put forwards

I probed further into what he was saying, and asked if it was this seasons intention to replace our outgoing players with academy players and zero cash injection for transfers, I quantified this by stating that there has been suggestions that the Tap has been turned off and we are literally paddling with no money, are penny pinching where we can, and are being totally unrealistic in terms of both fees and wages needed to secure players as good as what have left? I reiterated this was an opportunity for him to dispel the rumours/myth if this was not the case

Steve stated that although the club feels we have a decent crop of young players, they also know they need to spend money to bring in players who can compete and take the club forward and help support the transition of our own academy.

I redirected, and asked are we talking a decent budget or one which will buy very little given the previous couple of seasons where transfer fees seem to have been next to nothing, frees or loans

Although he would not be drawn on numbers he stated a budget has been agreed to buy players to replace those who have gone, whilst special cases which require more and fall under the Brereton style purchase, would be authorised by the Rao's which has occurred already this summer on a player who we missed out on due to wages which would be an over budget spend in terms of forecast and balance sheet.

I asked how the Brereton deal come about

He said the club had a great scouting network, and BBD Had been suggested to the board and management team following some impressive performances against some top clubs during the cups, and other snippets. There was enough data, analysis to suggest BBD Was a bit special, This was suggested as a business case to the Raos, who asked if he could be the one to really become a future star? Steve said based on the data he had no doubt, and the owners sanctioned the special spend, (Like they did with Rhodes) which was above and beyond the budget, but was given as additional funds

I probed further, regarding budgets, and asked if he could confirm that the board and in particular himself and MIke Cheston sit down prior their visits to India and draft the P & L and put a number on the table to the Rao's of how much is needed to plug the gaps in the P & L, Whilst requesting the following seasons transfer budget.

He confirmed that is pretty much what happens, he has a duty to the club and the owners to not be irresponsible with spending or expectations. He said the Rao's are very wealthy, very supportive but understand the FFP Rules which we are governed by and spending more than what FFP Dictates would put us straight into embargo. He stated the parachute payments of others is making the transfer market even trickier and one wrong move could put us under embargo.

I stated that players are like widgets, and do we do an annual valuation report which is used to support additional spending, with the knowledge we'd need to sell an asset to balance the books later down the line?

He stated there has never been the pressure to sell players from the owners, or find additional revenue by selling players, as with Rothwell, they'd rather lose the player for free that hinder on the pitch progress, and this will be the same with BBD. There is a valuation and if this is not met, which to date is nowhere near to being so. Then with the full support of the Rao's BBD Will remain a rovers player. He was a big investment at the time, is happy at Rovers and we wont be bullied in the transfer market. We want to build a team around our better players, and although there is a time when we have to balance the books, this is very much driven by the board and accepted by the Raos.

 

I will write some more later on, when I've a bit more time as there is quite a bit of content

 

 

You need to write a book

5 minutes ago, superniko said:

“whilst special cases which require more and fall under the Brereton style purchase, would be authorised by the Rao's which has occurred already this summer on a player who we missed out on due to wages”

 

Do we know who this player is? Trying to remember who we may have missed out on. 

Not the lad who ended up at Sheff Utd?

WHam missing out on Lingard could see their interest re-emerge...

6 minutes ago, callumrovers said:

If this comes off, ill get the pints in at ewood 🍻🍻

Is this a private party, or...

5 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Let’s be honest who here has ever finished a sticker book. Maybe the video is an analogy of just how difficult it is to fill the spaces 😅

Not unless you're willing to spend a lot of money acquiring the stickers... 👀

32 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Reports suggesting Poveda will be made available on loan again....

Undecided really on him, just when it looked like he might have started to click he got injured, but prior to that didn't see a great deal.

I'd take him back. He was absolutely dreadful to begin with but the couple of games before his injury he really seemed to turn the corner and showed real glimpses of quality.

Definitely allow us to send him back as part of the loan agreement this time though...!

6 hours ago, patrickvalery said:

Heading a ball like Gestede did was purely down to desire to win the header. Same as tackling was to Stuart Pearce, Ron Harris, Roy Keane or Norman Hunter. Yes there are degrees of competency. But that's the first base. You don't have that desire the rest is irrelevant. Gallagher is a big lad, a proper athlete and there's a good reason he gets linked to Boro and the likes. The raw materials are there. In my opinion, he's too nice.

Agreed. Gallagher frustrates the shit out of me which is why I find him so annoying. In certain games he's an absolute monster and changes the way we play with desire, pressing from the front and using his physique. I think it was Derby at home were he was brought on and he didn't give the whole backline a seconds thought; winning headers, flick ons, slide tackling, blocking, slamming in to centre halves when they cleared the ball.

If he could engage 'beast mode' 90% of the time instead of 10% he could easily be one of the best forwards in this league.

50 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Someone ask the Peterborough boss on Twitter! 

Done!

Am I seeing almost universal agreement that this would be a decent signing?! Has the heat damaged the dimension we are living in?!

Only really remember Brittain from his performance against us at Xmas but he seemed a good wing-back that day and did will going forwards.

Who needs agent Benno when we've got agent @chaddyrovers!

2 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

Where's the messiah Nyambe?

House hunting in salubrious Skelmersdale 

5 minutes ago, callumrovers said:

The current squad is good enough to get results in the opening fixtures. 

Would you rather we sign 3 average players now or wait and make sure we get quality? 

And I also I admire your optimism. 

I agree the first 11 should do OK, but get an injury, which will 100% happen, and we will be up the proverbial creek.

Right-back in particular is a massive concern for me. Brown looked OK against Big Club but he is hugely unproven and if we start with JRC there we know how that ends...

Just now, callumrovers said:

The current squad is good enough to get results in the opening fixtures. 

Would you rather we sign 3 average players now or wait and make sure we get quality? 

Why does it have to be either/or? I want us to have signed 6 quality players 3 weeks ago. We are too easy to accept a shit-show and just shrug our shoulders.

4 minutes ago, Darwen Rover 007 said:

Hearing rumours that hierarchy within Rovers are not happy with transfer progress so far, money is available, but has to be within existing parameters, but as it stands struggling to get the quality within price and senior people within club very nervous about it..

It would be half believable if there were any senior people within the club with footballing knowledge.

8 hours ago, Silas said:

Read like that to me too.

Money has been spent on the pitch came across like me telling my wife I've hoovered the living room.

Sure, the hoover entered that room, what it achieved while there is very much up for debate. 

Is that a euphemism? 

3 minutes ago, neophox said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/20236944.professional-contract-latest-blackburn-rovers-starlet-ash-phillips/

Sounds like there could be some wiggling going on here. I bet a big-time agent has got his claws in, been in the lads ear and had a look at the contract situation.

This obviously all some supposition on my behalf but this wouldn't be the first time this has happened  in football.

1 hour ago, Torgeir said:

Voulet-vous?

We pay him until August 1, correct? 

No, he will be paid until the 30th June. The PFA will give him an extra month if he has no club by the end of July.

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

We're being played Chaddy. Don't you see it?

Bring in another bloke who is supposedly going to aid recruitment 2 weeks before the start of the season, people calm down for a few weeks expecting big things, sees them through to January with the promise of jam tomorrow from the new setup.

What matters is here and now. Beyond the ludicrous situation of appointing a head of recruitment 2 weeks before the season having waited all summer, they're just buying themselves time again.

It will be another Park - 12 month deal and brought in too late to influence the summer business - what's the point other than to appear to be doing something?

Dead on!!

Just now, Armchair supporter supremo said:

I think this is a bit of a non issue...

But out of curiosity really which of our other CBs are left footed? 

Wharton

5 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

I don’t think we’d ever sell enough tickets to compete with the clubs receiving parachute payments. The only viable way I can see is to sell one or two each season for £30m and then invest half back into the squad on 4x £4m type players with a view to selling another two the next summer…meaning that every year you’ve improved the club by +2 good players. Sales of academy stars are free hits…

But even IF Venkys decided to pump in £50m today they couldn’t. Wed fail FFP….

I agree with the parachute payments, but other clubs have competed at the top end of the league and gone up. Check Forest last season. 

Whether its a silver bullet or not, we should increase all revenue, all the time. It give us the best chance possible of success. The more money we have coming in the more we can spend, no matter how small that increase is. As it stands we will have gone backwards over the past 3/4 years on the methods of revenue mentioned in my prior post.

As others have said, we are stagnating on so many levels to try and increase revenue.

Getting more bums on seats and becoming more savvy when it comes to sponsorship are two obvious avenues. If we had reduced ST prices and got more people in the ground then our overall income levels would increase significantly. Instead, we are incredibly short sighted and just try to rinse a core contingent as much as possible.

17 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Waffle.

I think some of what Jim says is correct; if one club is offering significantly more than the other I can't imagine any footballer would even comprehend "the project". Where it would come in to play would be if the offers are similar or the same. I would imagine a centre forward for example would be far more interested in working for JDT then say Mowbray as you could garner more from the former than the latter.

12 hours ago, goozburger said:

I wasn't able to run counts in the last couple of days due to a couple of events at my side, but counts should resume normally going forward.

Not good enough that. How DARE you have a social life outside of providing us with ST sales stats!