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Blackburn fans call for removal of owners and vow to continue boycott in protest

Blackburn Rovers fans call for the removal of the club’s owners, Venky’s (the Rao family), and vow to continue their boycott in protest.

They have suffered a prolonged decline, with managerial instability, poor recruitment, pitch problems leading to abandoned or disrupted games, the dismantling of the women’s team, the departures of key players, staff exits, a lawsuit from kit supplier Macron for breach of contract, and mishandling of the club’s 150th anniversary listed as reasons.

While fan groups have welcomed the recent departure of head coach Valerien Ismael following an eight-game winless run, it has also been deemed insufficient, with fans expressing no confidence in the executive team, including COO Suhail Pasha Sheikh and Director of Football Rudy Gestede, due to failed transfers, lack of accountability, and underwhelming January windows.

We Are The Rovers and the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition now want Venky’s sell the club to competent, transparent, and invested owners who respect its heritage and prioritise long-term stability.

Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition statement:

The Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition welcomes the decision to relieve Valerien Ismael of his duties as Head Coach. While this action was necessary, it does not address the deeper and more serious issues affecting our football club.

Significant questions remain regarding the club’s recruitment model and the ongoing failure to retain key players. The Coalition has no confidence in the current executive structure. In particular, the appointment of Rudy Gestede

as Director of Football is deeply concerning. He is inexperienced for a role of such importance and should not be occupying a senior football position at a club with the stature and history of Blackburn Rovers.

We are concerned that another manager has left by mutal consent following yet another failed January transfer window.

Despite repeated failures, there has been no visible accountability from either the Director of Football or the club’s senior executive leadership.

As a result, the Coalition has no confidence that Chief Operating Officer Suhail Pasha Sheikh or Rudy Gestede are fit to oversee the appointment of the club’s next manager. Until those roles are occupied by experienced, competent professionals and a transparent board who accept scrutiny and accountability is put in place, Blackburn Rovers will continue to suffer both on and off the pitch.

All of this has occurred under the ownership and oversight of the Rao family. Until they relinquish ownership of the club and allow engaged, accountable custodians who genuinely care for Blackburn Rovers to take control, the decline will continue.

The Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition will therefore continue to call for the Rao family to put the club up for sale. We will also continue to support the principle of “Not a Penny More” until meaningful change is delivered.

We are the Rovers statement:

On January 24th 1,000s of Rovers fans sacrificed going to support the team to show their disdain at our current ownership. As a fanbase we have all suffered since Venky’s took charge 15 years ago, but the past 12 months has been of particular concern.

We have seen the dismantling of the Women’s team as well as many long-time staff members departing including our Director of Football. The Men’s first team has also seen significant changes for the worse. with key players leaving resulting in a team that is battling for survival in the Championship. We have also seen two games abandoned due to lack of investment in the pitch at Ewood.

Our current club captain Todd Cantwell has even called out the pitch condition on social media, and to top off a dreadful 2026 the club is even being taken to court by our own kit supplier for breach of contract.
WATR has always strived to maintain a positive communication line with officials at the club. Over the last 12 months this has become strained with little constructive dialogue, particularly around the 150th anniversary celebrations. The club has also ignored the MOU that was signed, which is very concerning.
WATR’s objectives have always stood at the heart of everything we do:

– Secure the assets of our club and promote our unique heritage

– Preserve the long-term health of the club

– Regenerate a new support base and mitigate against lost fans

Given all the above WATR calls for The Venky’s to sell the club to an ownership who can adhere to WATRs objectives, appropriately invest into the structure of the club and reignite a disillusioned fanbase who all want the same thing – Success on and off the pitch for Blackburn Rovers.

To kick this off we are urging all supporters to consider joining WATR, with all supporters unified our voice can be heard. For a limited time, we are offering a yearly membership for just £1. More information to follow on @roverstrust and at our website www.roverstrust.com

Tonight, we host Sheffield Wednesday for a second time this season at Ewood Park after the first game was abandoned. The SWFC Supporters Trust have shown that unity can lead to the removal of poor ownership. We are calling on all Rovers fans to consider joining WATR to achieve the same outcome.

Here’s the social media reaction as Blackburn fans call for the removal of the club owners and vow to continue with their boycott in protest…

@Antiguamann: 2 famous old clubs, with such history destroyed by those with ulterior motives, than providing football for fans. Sorry state of affairs and the reality of what the games become and definitely not for the better. #GamesGone

@David_Barker1: “the saddest fixture in the EFL”. The 150th anniversary year continues to go well 🤦‍♂️ @Rovers

@cosmo_nffc: my god this is awful viewing

@JimmyBurnsYT: Stuff like this is just what football shouldn’t look like. These are two sides that are really feeling the bad side of football and must be revived.

@paulkimbo11: Very simple. Bad owners that quickly spent a few quid with little return then stopped. Both should’ve sold up years ago

@UTPJoe: This has sadly been coming for years now. Every season I visit it gets worse. Sad because it’s a great ground in the heart of the community.

@owl_s74: Fear Blackburn are at the beginning of the road we’ve just come down

@AlfieBlack7: Send a message! No income! Nowt to steal! Goes for all clubs ⚽️

@SimonClarke14: How sad is that! Wow!

@CodoBod: I used to do Blackburn away every year. Had the full end of the ground too so it was always bouncing. One of my favourite stadiums, I love the fact they left the old single tier Riverside stand. Sad to see this.

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