Blackburn Rovers fans vented their fury at owners Venky’s after the 1995 Premiership champions were relegated to the Championship last night. A chicken in the club colours was thrown on the pitch during the game, mocking the main business of the owners, and Blackburn striker Yakubu had to pick it out of the net.
Blackburn Rovers fans vented their fury at owners Venky’s after the 1995 Premiership champions were relegated to the Championship last night. A chicken in the club colours was thrown on the pitch during the game, mocking the main business of the owners, and Blackburn striker Yakubu had to pick it out of the net.
The mood of fans had not been improved before the game when a small aircraft flew over the ground towing a banner reading ‘In Venky’s We Trust – Burnley SU.’ After the final whistle chants of ‘Venky’s Out’ rang round the stadium. Some fans threw tennis balls with ‘Kean Out’ on them.
Ever since Venky’s took over the club has been in a downward spiral. Their remote style of management has been deeply unpopular with fans. Getting rid of experienced manager Sam Allardyce was a strange decision to say the least, as was the removal of experienced chairman John Williams.
There are mixed views about the prospects for an immediate bounce back. The club will get parachute payments which are larger and last longer than was once the case. Even so, relegation is likely to cost Blackburn around £30m in lost television, matchday and commercial revenue. The club received £42.1m in television income in 2010-11 whereas in the Championship a figure of £3m was more typical.
Wages at present account for more than 80 per cent of turnover. This is an unsustainable figure but cutting it could involve a fire sale of players which would impede the chances of promotion. Many fans are pessimistic about the prospects.
Local MP Jack Straw said, ‘Over the years a lot of teams who are relegated get back. We did it in 1992 and in 2001. In fact I think this is the longest spell we have had in the top flight since the end of the war.’
In the past, however, the club benefitted from the Walker millions. In many ways Blackburn have punched above their weight. But they are a club that has embodied authenticity and one of their greatest assets has been the loyalty of their fans. This has been undermined by the current regime.