1SimonGarner
Senior Member
As I led in bed last night struggling with the mother of all colds I've been suffering from, my mind as it often does when I can't sleep, turned to the Rovers. I spent what seemed like hours mulling over what sort of club we are? What our fan base think, how fans of other clubs view us, what we are now compared to what we've been in the past and maybe in the future etc etc?
The one thing I couldn't get away from is the general disconnect there is between the club and the fans and wondered whether this is a symptom of an entitled fan base, just a modern day theme that's prevalent at lot's of clubs or whether there is something unique about our club in the here and now.
As such I said to myself as I lay there thinking these were likely my last few days on earth, that at some stage it would be good to pour some thoughts out on paper (or a computer screen) and just try and get a sense of where we are as a football club and where the blame lies - if any - for the general "downer" attitude there seems to be around the place.
So let's break down some of the components and see if there's a solid conclusion to come to.
VENKY'S - Obvious starting point, the owners. Although opinion is slightly split on them, the camp that want them out of the club far outweigh's the inny's. There's no doubt that they are bankrolling the club, and have done for a good few years, and without their money making up the shortfall of the club as a pure business, we'd be in big trouble. However the Venky's out majority would strongly argue the point that the financial hardship they're constantly fighting against was caused by them in the first place by a lack of clever investment at the right times.
I'm a bit on the fence with this one, looking from an outward perspective, the Rovers aren't exactly an attractive proposition for any prospective buyers/investors. We're probably looked upon as a club on the way down after our glory years in the 90's with a dwindling fan base a general lack of feel good around the place. Added to the fact that we're playing in a half empty stadium that never looks good when you see it on the telly and all in all it's doubtful we'll be able to attract any buyers with significant funds unless we miraculously find another local lad like Jack in the woodwork.
Where I'm not on the fence when it comes to the Venky's is their apparent lack of passion for "their" club. Not wanting to jump to any conclusions until I've poured all my thoughts out (and I promise I'm just winging this as I type) I can't help thinking this is a major factor in the disconnect between the club and the fans. Their lack of presence around the club, the lack of communication from them has got me grasping for an analogy. The best I can think of is it feels like a parent that, although they give their kid the necessities in life, feed them, clothe them, give them shelter and bit of spending money, they don't actually do what a parents main job should be and give them time, love and show an interest in what the child is doing or going through. A bit deep I know but that child is going to realise when they grow up that they've not been given the best upbringing and will no doubt grow to resent their parent.
That's how it feel for a lot of Rovers fans, we're like a child with a mad passion for something and a parent that seems like they're mildly interested at best.
STEVE WAGGOTT - This one is the most difficult for me to really have an opinion on because I don't know the man, am not connected within the club in any way and most of my experience of him just comes from other peoples opinions. I'm not a sheep and don't like to come to conclusions and make my mind up about anybody based on how other people view them, my thought's are you should take people how YOU find them..... and as I say I don't know the man.
Having said all that, can there really be this much smoke around him without him being on fire
? I'm aware that some that know him think he's an ok guy and doing an ok job, but again like the owners, I think it's safe to say that the Waggott out brigade far outweigh the Waggott inners.
Again my knowledge of the job he's doing is very limited and again is heavily influenced by stories and opinions of others so I can't really make any hard and fast comments on him, but I think it's fair to say that the majority of Rovers fans think he's a penny pinching Venky's yes man with poor business sense and an overall lack of understanding of the club and it's fanbase. They're not my words, just a conclusion from what I've read of other people views. It would be very interesting to get some people's thoughts on here that are maybe more closely in touch with the club and have a better understanding of what his job entails.
Finally I will say this. He's not a local lad, he's employed in a (supposedly) high paid job and has his bosses to answer to and a business to run, who really knows what limitations are put on his ability to make certain decisions by the men in India? My gut feeling is that his job is a good bit harder than most will understand looking in from outside. What do others think?
JDT - This one's an easy and quick one. With a virtual non existent budget and inheriting a very young squad I think its fair to say he's done and is doing a fantastic job. Only the most over optimistic of fans will think he's under achieving, we're undoubtedly playing the best football we've seen in years and if he can somehow get the balance between attack and defence sorted then we could be on for a cracking period on the pitch.
Seems a really nice guy as well which always helps you get behind someone and all in all I'd say the vast majority of the Rovers fans are right behind him/ No disconnect here!
THE PLAYERS - Another pretty easy one. A very young squad filled with lot's of academy players that have been here a long while and a good spattering of local lads means again there is no apparent disconnect between the players and the fans. Obviously some fans will never be happy and even happy clappers like me have their fav players and the ones they're not too keen on but all in all the Rovers fan base is right behind this group of youngsters and if they spark it could yet still be a really good season.
THE FANS - As people on here will know, some of my strongest views regarding the Rovers are reserved for our fans. Without wishing to go over old ground too much, I see a fan base that is struggling get the idea out of their head that we're a Premiership club that's struggling. I posted somewhere recently that ever since the abolition of the minimum wage in the 60's and the big City clubs basically taking over the game at the top end, the ONLY time we've spent in the top flight was when we got bankrolled by big Jack.
THAT was the exception to the general rule of this club over the last 60 years, not what we've had since. As I've said countless times, while it's fine to dream and strive to get better and WANT to get better, if you're base thinking is that of a struggling Premiership club then you're going to be disappointed for the vast majority of the time.
I think that just about sums up why there is such a general downbeat feeling about our fan's. " We SHOULD be in the Premiership" No we shouldn't. "We SHOULD be getting 20000 crowds, erm NO we shouldn't. "We should have money to spend" No we shouldn't etc etc.
None of these things are beyond possibilities, of course they're not, but to expect them. to think that if they're not happening then we're failing will bound to lead to a discontented fan base. Obviously not everyone falls into this category, there are lot's of sensible Rovers fans out there that understand we're a town club, missing knocking on 40% of it's prospective fan base and we're doing well just to be competing at the level we are while always understanding and hoping that we have as much chance and potential to do a Burnley or a Bournemouth as we do of becoming a Derby or an Oldham.
ADMIN - Lastly I thought I'd just throw this one in because I know from reading other club's forums that a big bugbear of lot's of fan's is the way their fans are treat by the club on the administrative side. Using just my own experience this is one area I think the Rovers are pretty strong in. I know it helps when you have thousands of spare seats going round every home game but my experiences of dealing with the ticket office and the club shop have always been top class. Absolutely no problems here.
CONCLUSIONS - When I started writing this I was pretty sure I'd lay most of the blame for the lack of feel good around the club at the doors of an entitled fan base, but in all honesty I think it's a combination of factors that has seen this club become nothing like the one I grew up supporting in the 80's.
Owners that don't seem that interested in the club they're pumping millions into every year, a CEO that has made shall we say some questionable decisions in his time here and doesn't seem to want to adhere himself to the fans, and a fan base that for all their denial is way too expectant of what is reasonably achievable for a club of this size and stature in the here and now, the 2020's, not the 1920's or the 90's Walker era.
The one constant of a football club is the fans, we're not going anywhere, so for the feel good factor to have a chance of returning to the club I feel we really need some freshness from some new owners. This may mean the club has to take a few steps backward to start going forward again, by forward I mean in the reconnecting of the club with the town and the fans and not necessarily for matters on the pitch.
After all regardless of whether you're a happy clapper or someone who thinks our rightful place IS in the Premier, we all want the best for the club and we all want anyone involved in running it to feel the exact same way. Surely that's not too much to ask for your football club?
COYB.
The one thing I couldn't get away from is the general disconnect there is between the club and the fans and wondered whether this is a symptom of an entitled fan base, just a modern day theme that's prevalent at lot's of clubs or whether there is something unique about our club in the here and now.
As such I said to myself as I lay there thinking these were likely my last few days on earth, that at some stage it would be good to pour some thoughts out on paper (or a computer screen) and just try and get a sense of where we are as a football club and where the blame lies - if any - for the general "downer" attitude there seems to be around the place.
So let's break down some of the components and see if there's a solid conclusion to come to.
VENKY'S - Obvious starting point, the owners. Although opinion is slightly split on them, the camp that want them out of the club far outweigh's the inny's. There's no doubt that they are bankrolling the club, and have done for a good few years, and without their money making up the shortfall of the club as a pure business, we'd be in big trouble. However the Venky's out majority would strongly argue the point that the financial hardship they're constantly fighting against was caused by them in the first place by a lack of clever investment at the right times.
I'm a bit on the fence with this one, looking from an outward perspective, the Rovers aren't exactly an attractive proposition for any prospective buyers/investors. We're probably looked upon as a club on the way down after our glory years in the 90's with a dwindling fan base a general lack of feel good around the place. Added to the fact that we're playing in a half empty stadium that never looks good when you see it on the telly and all in all it's doubtful we'll be able to attract any buyers with significant funds unless we miraculously find another local lad like Jack in the woodwork.
Where I'm not on the fence when it comes to the Venky's is their apparent lack of passion for "their" club. Not wanting to jump to any conclusions until I've poured all my thoughts out (and I promise I'm just winging this as I type) I can't help thinking this is a major factor in the disconnect between the club and the fans. Their lack of presence around the club, the lack of communication from them has got me grasping for an analogy. The best I can think of is it feels like a parent that, although they give their kid the necessities in life, feed them, clothe them, give them shelter and bit of spending money, they don't actually do what a parents main job should be and give them time, love and show an interest in what the child is doing or going through. A bit deep I know but that child is going to realise when they grow up that they've not been given the best upbringing and will no doubt grow to resent their parent.
That's how it feel for a lot of Rovers fans, we're like a child with a mad passion for something and a parent that seems like they're mildly interested at best.
STEVE WAGGOTT - This one is the most difficult for me to really have an opinion on because I don't know the man, am not connected within the club in any way and most of my experience of him just comes from other peoples opinions. I'm not a sheep and don't like to come to conclusions and make my mind up about anybody based on how other people view them, my thought's are you should take people how YOU find them..... and as I say I don't know the man.
Having said all that, can there really be this much smoke around him without him being on fire
? I'm aware that some that know him think he's an ok guy and doing an ok job, but again like the owners, I think it's safe to say that the Waggott out brigade far outweigh the Waggott inners.Again my knowledge of the job he's doing is very limited and again is heavily influenced by stories and opinions of others so I can't really make any hard and fast comments on him, but I think it's fair to say that the majority of Rovers fans think he's a penny pinching Venky's yes man with poor business sense and an overall lack of understanding of the club and it's fanbase. They're not my words, just a conclusion from what I've read of other people views. It would be very interesting to get some people's thoughts on here that are maybe more closely in touch with the club and have a better understanding of what his job entails.
Finally I will say this. He's not a local lad, he's employed in a (supposedly) high paid job and has his bosses to answer to and a business to run, who really knows what limitations are put on his ability to make certain decisions by the men in India? My gut feeling is that his job is a good bit harder than most will understand looking in from outside. What do others think?
JDT - This one's an easy and quick one. With a virtual non existent budget and inheriting a very young squad I think its fair to say he's done and is doing a fantastic job. Only the most over optimistic of fans will think he's under achieving, we're undoubtedly playing the best football we've seen in years and if he can somehow get the balance between attack and defence sorted then we could be on for a cracking period on the pitch.
Seems a really nice guy as well which always helps you get behind someone and all in all I'd say the vast majority of the Rovers fans are right behind him/ No disconnect here!
THE PLAYERS - Another pretty easy one. A very young squad filled with lot's of academy players that have been here a long while and a good spattering of local lads means again there is no apparent disconnect between the players and the fans. Obviously some fans will never be happy and even happy clappers like me have their fav players and the ones they're not too keen on but all in all the Rovers fan base is right behind this group of youngsters and if they spark it could yet still be a really good season.
THE FANS - As people on here will know, some of my strongest views regarding the Rovers are reserved for our fans. Without wishing to go over old ground too much, I see a fan base that is struggling get the idea out of their head that we're a Premiership club that's struggling. I posted somewhere recently that ever since the abolition of the minimum wage in the 60's and the big City clubs basically taking over the game at the top end, the ONLY time we've spent in the top flight was when we got bankrolled by big Jack.
THAT was the exception to the general rule of this club over the last 60 years, not what we've had since. As I've said countless times, while it's fine to dream and strive to get better and WANT to get better, if you're base thinking is that of a struggling Premiership club then you're going to be disappointed for the vast majority of the time.
I think that just about sums up why there is such a general downbeat feeling about our fan's. " We SHOULD be in the Premiership" No we shouldn't. "We SHOULD be getting 20000 crowds, erm NO we shouldn't. "We should have money to spend" No we shouldn't etc etc.
None of these things are beyond possibilities, of course they're not, but to expect them. to think that if they're not happening then we're failing will bound to lead to a discontented fan base. Obviously not everyone falls into this category, there are lot's of sensible Rovers fans out there that understand we're a town club, missing knocking on 40% of it's prospective fan base and we're doing well just to be competing at the level we are while always understanding and hoping that we have as much chance and potential to do a Burnley or a Bournemouth as we do of becoming a Derby or an Oldham.
ADMIN - Lastly I thought I'd just throw this one in because I know from reading other club's forums that a big bugbear of lot's of fan's is the way their fans are treat by the club on the administrative side. Using just my own experience this is one area I think the Rovers are pretty strong in. I know it helps when you have thousands of spare seats going round every home game but my experiences of dealing with the ticket office and the club shop have always been top class. Absolutely no problems here.
CONCLUSIONS - When I started writing this I was pretty sure I'd lay most of the blame for the lack of feel good around the club at the doors of an entitled fan base, but in all honesty I think it's a combination of factors that has seen this club become nothing like the one I grew up supporting in the 80's.
Owners that don't seem that interested in the club they're pumping millions into every year, a CEO that has made shall we say some questionable decisions in his time here and doesn't seem to want to adhere himself to the fans, and a fan base that for all their denial is way too expectant of what is reasonably achievable for a club of this size and stature in the here and now, the 2020's, not the 1920's or the 90's Walker era.
The one constant of a football club is the fans, we're not going anywhere, so for the feel good factor to have a chance of returning to the club I feel we really need some freshness from some new owners. This may mean the club has to take a few steps backward to start going forward again, by forward I mean in the reconnecting of the club with the town and the fans and not necessarily for matters on the pitch.
After all regardless of whether you're a happy clapper or someone who thinks our rightful place IS in the Premier, we all want the best for the club and we all want anyone involved in running it to feel the exact same way. Surely that's not too much to ask for your football club?
COYB.
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