Newsletter - June 2021
Your Trust has been very active during May and June. We are actively involved in the Government’s Fan-Led Review of the Governance of Football.
June 23, 2021
Visit this post to read our submission to Tracey Crouch MP and also see her very encouraging reply.
As Chair of the Review she is personally writing an Interim Report with early recommendations by the end of September.
Season-ticket prices have come out in the past week, and have hardly been imaginative or welcoming. But our presence back at Ewood should act as a catalyst for improvements on the Field (including our new International Ben Brereton-Diaz for BBC iPlayer aficionados) and maybe off the field. The Glazers have made key concessions to MUFC supporters but as you read below your Trust is still “Trying to Break the Silence”.
Please encourage other Supporters to join the Trust – our target is a 25% increase to 1000 members, the largest and most representative group of Rovers Supporters. Just point them or yourself to www.roverstrust.com
It's now a month since we sent the Open Letter directly to Pune and to Venkys London Limited, as well as the Directors of BRFC. Plus Sohail Pasha, VLL aide for UK.
At the time of writing, the Trust has received no formal response from anyone connected to the Club.
We have received 37 responses from Trust members and for 2 days it was the widest read item on the Lancashire Telegraph. The Trust waited for the Season to end before circulating the letter, only after leaving a week after sending it to the Owners and Directors.
The Trust does not comment on the performance and Management of our team - despite many challenges to do that! We do think, however, that the common thread in the success of Leicester City, Brentford and now Bolton and Blackpool again, is the unity of purpose and strategic direction of Owners, Directors, Management and Team Manager of these Clubs.
We feel that until the Owners of BRFC engage with the supporters and Public we can never progress. The fact that they send an 'intermediary' to Blackburn from time to time who also does not speak, and has never spoken, further undermines the Owners' credibility.
We have had 10 years of this 'arms-length' treatment and then we get the BIG 6 making their ESL move and the reaction of their Supporters - with no recourse to the rest of the pyramid.
We continue to press those at Blackburn Rovers for a response.
The Trust AGM has been pushed back due to Covid restriction extensions, and will be at Billington Band Club, BB7 9NR at 7.30pm on Tuesday the 20th July 2021. Drinks from 7pm.
Please RSVP to enquiries@roverstrust.co.uk Members and non-Members welcome.
As we have reached the end of a 2-year Board Election cycle for some members, (with some having served for 3 years, complicated by the lack of 2020 AGM caused by the Pandemic), there are a number of announcements to make.
Of the current Board, Mr. Oliver Jones and Mr. David Riding have chosen not to stand for re-election.
We note that Mr. Jones has served a full 10 years as Joint-Chair then Vice-Chair and as the last link to its founding stages, we thank him for his fantastic service.
Mr. Riding is stepping down to prioritise his work in our NHS. We thank him for dividing his time between the Trust and the NHS in what has undoubtedly been a challenging year.
Co-opted Board Member Anthony Green has also had to step down, owing to a move down to Somerset. His passion for our Club and the Trust was clear at each meeting, and we'll miss his drive and ideas, many of which formed the basis of our successful 2020 Marketing Prospectus.
We thank him for his service and hope he will continue to support the Trust, and possibly return one day.
So what does the future look like currently?
Chair Mr. John Murray has been invited to stand for re-election by Acting Secretary Mr. Michael Ellison.
Mr. Michael Ellison has been nominated to stand for election, seconded by Chair Mr. John Murray. His role as Acting Secretary is therefore being taken over by a more permanent addition in Mr. Robin Sparkes.
Board Member Mr. Peter Bolton continues into his second year, after election in 2020.
We have nominations to stand for election from Mr. Andy Young and Mr. Duncan Miller, respectively seconded by members Mr. Marc O'Neill and Mr. Pete Doggett.
There now remains 2 weeks to nominate yourself for election to the Trust Board. All nominations, and secondments, must be received by Acting Secretary Mr. Michael Ellison by 12.00pm on Tues 13th July 2021 by emailing michael91ellison@hotmail.com
Let's make sure our voice continues to be heard by OUR club!
