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Back the Badge

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When Venkys purchased Blackburn Rovers in November 2010, they purchased a top 10 Premiership football club with an average home attendance of 25000. Two years later Rovers sit fifteenth in the Championship and are on their fifth manager in just four months, coupled with this home crowds have plummeted to an average of just 14000, a record low for the New Ewood Park, built by the late Jack Walker during the early nineties.

Many clubs have had to deal with the prospect of relegation, however not many lose 50% of their home crowd in such a short space of time. Despite Blackburn Rovers having the cheapest season tickets in the country, it`s still not been enough to tempt lifelong supporters to return to the stands. We hear of many reasons why supporters have made the decision to stay away from Ewood Park with reasons varying from fan to fan. These reasons include:

1. Poor managerial appointments
2. Poor club administration
3. Negligent ownership
4. Poor decision making
5. Replacement of an experienced Board of Directors
6. Clubs disconnection from the community
7. Loss of Premiership football
8. Poor performances

The BRFC Action Group are today launching the “Back the Badge” Campaign and we are calling on ALL supporters, old and new, young and old, to put aside their grievances and differences of opinion and unite as one to deliver a clear message to the owners of our football club highlighting what match days at Ewood Park could, and should be like, had they respected both the clubs heritage and supporter base.

Football supporters will always have differing opinions but regardless of these opinions there is one common denominator which brings us all together, the club`s famous badge. Owners, managers and players may come and go, but supporters will always support the badge.

On Saturday 9th February 2013, Blackburn Rovers face Ipswich Town at Ewood Park and we would like all supporters to show their support towards the badge and attend this fixture to deliver a visual message to the clubs owners in an effort to show them that they are a big part of why the attendances have dropped. Many supporters have chosen to stay away but with so many different reasons which could be used to explain the low crowds this one act of unity can finally dispel the myths or explanations which have previously been put forward by the clubs administration to the owners.

BRFC ACTION GROUP STATEMENT

“We call on all supporters` groups and individuals to put your weight behind the “Back the Badge Campaign”. The last two years have brought about much disharmony both around the club and within the stands. ALL Supporters matter and every opinion is an important ingredient to why we love our Club.

A lot of reasons have been given as to why supporters have chosen to stay away, however the only way to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the primary reason is the way the club has been dismantled under Venkys ownership is to unite together for this one match and pack Ewood Park out with home supporters. We ask all supporters not to do this for Venkys or any supporter group but to do it for yourselves and the famous badge which unites us all.

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Vital Blackburn Site Editor / Fence Sitter

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