Blackburn owners facing local backlash
LONDON: Local politicians, former players and fans condemned the owners of Blackburn Rovers on Monday, after one of England’s best-known clubs became the first-ever former Premier League champions to be relegated to the third tier.
Rovers’ fate in League One was sealed on Sunday when they finished j ust below former double European champions Nottingham Forest in 22nd place in the Championship.
It marked another low for Venky’s, the Rovers’ owners, a company run by the Rao family from India. In less than seven years, the club has seen two relegations and 10 managers.
Twenty-two years after winning the Premier League title, Rovers are deep in crisis, with director of football and operations Paul Senior resigning on Monday.
“For the club to drop into League One will knock Blackburn and East Lancashire off the map,” said Graham Jones, the Labour MP for Hyndburn, which adjoins Blackburn, in the British general election next month.
“It is really important the owners recognise the damage that’s been done not just to the football team but to the area,” he told the Lancashire Telegraph. “They promised to sign Ronaldinho and make Rovers a top four club in the Premier League.
“At the moment they’ll be lucky to make Blackburn a top four club in League One.”
Blackburn Labour MP Kate Hollern, who is standing for re-election next month, said: “Venky’s need to engage with the fans and share their plans for the future.
“If they’re not interested, they need to move on. There has already been far too much damage to what should be a community asset.”
Rovers’ fans have staged protests against the owners all season. Hundreds stayed behind to chant anti-Venky’s chants after Sunday’s 3-1 victory at Brentford.
“We are in a spiral of decline with owners who seem to have lost interest with their toy. The whole thing is a shambles,” said John Murray, chairman of the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Trust.
None of the Rao family, whose base is in Pune, India, attended Sunday’s game.
Venky’s made a rare public statement on Monday in a bid to convince their critics that the club’s relegation is only a temporary blip.
“The owners of Blackburn Rovers wish to place on record their appreciation for the work of manager Tony Mowbray since his arrival at the club, during which time both the performances of the team and results have improved significantly,” the statement read.
“Going forward he will continue to have our full support. Despite the courageous performance by the players and the victory at Brentford yesterday [Sunday], results elsewhere led to the relegation of the club from the Championship.
“This is indeed a very sad situation and we are deeply hurt by these events. We share the same feelings as our supporters.
“Notwithstanding this temporary setback, we are confident that the collective efforts of the team, under Tony’s leadership, will enable the club to achieve promotion back to the Championship next season.
“We have all witnessed the events of recent years, where teams have been relegated but have turned their clubs around and emerged stronger, and we are determined to see Blackburn Rovers do the same.”