Neglected supporters unite for protest
LANGUISHING in the Championship’s relegation zone, Blackburn Rovers are in real danger of an unthinkable slide to the third tier.
It is why yesterday was largely about protesting fans rather than the actual football. Blackburn’s plight bears all the hallmarks of Blackpool’s similarly astonishing decline.
As it is, they are comfortably through to the FA Cup fifth round, thanks to goals from Sam Gallagher and Elliott Bennett, the latter an exquisite 30-yard dipping effort. The less said about the rest the better. This was a soulless affair with an official attendance figure of 9,327.
‘Bennett’s goal was worth the admission fee alone,’ Blackburn manager Owen Coyle said. ‘The stuff outside is an uncontrollable.’
Disenfranchised supporters of both clubs linked arms in protest at their bewildering owners. The owners of the clubs – who have 11 FA Cup final appearances between them – may never understand what they’ve taken away from those boycotting.
Blackpool’s chairman, Karl Oyston, is understood to have refused to top up the electricity at the training ground when asked by manager Gary Bowyer. Blackpool’s squad are said to have had to make their way to Bloomfield Road to shower.
Bowyer’s only brief this season is to keep them in League Two. Having also worked under Rovers owners Venky’s, he seems a glutton for punishment – similar to those who spent yesterday afternoon here. BlackBUrn rOverS (4-2-3-1): Steele 6; Nyambe 6.5, Greer 7, Lenihan 7, Williams 6.5; Akpan 6 (Guthrie 67min, 6), Lowe 6.5; Gallagher 7, Bennett 7.5, Conway 6.5; Graham 6.5 (Mahoney 72, 6). Subs (not used): Raya, Stokes, Tomlinson, Brown, Travis. BlackpOOl (4-4-2): Slocombe 5; Mellor 5, Aimson 6, Aldred 6.5, Robertson 6; McAlister 6, Payne 6 (Yeates 63, 6), Pugh 6, Taylor 6; Osayi-Samuel 6 (Matt 55, 6), Cullen 5.5 (Odelusi 55, 6). Subs (not used): Lyness, Nolan, Daniel, Philliskirk. Booked: McAlister, Mellor. Sent off: Mellor (65min). referee: P Bankes 7.