Rovers Trust calls on Venky's to put Blackburn Rovers up for sale

The call comes amid mounting concern among fans over the future of the club, including growing anger on social media over the way Rovers is being run, a poor start to the season and falling attendances.

Last night’s EFL Cup clash with Crewe Alexandra, which Rovers won 4-3 after extra-time, attracted 3,448 supporters.

That was the lowest Ewood Park crowd for a league, FA Cup or League Cup match for 30 years.

Saturday’s encounter with Burton Albion, which Rovers drew 2-2 to remain bottom of the Championship table, was watched by 10,356 fans.

That was the lowest attendance for a league game since November 1991.

The Trust’s call for the club to be put on the market also comes as the fifth anniversary of its initial request to meet and talk to Venky’s approaches.

It is the first time the supporters trust has formally called for a change of ownership at Rovers and comes as it says the relationship between fans and the owners is deteriorating even further.

Members of the Trust were asked if they approved this new stance and 97 per cent of those who responded said ‘yes’.

The organisation also says it is willing to work with other groups and explore all options to help see positive change take place for the good of the club.

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Wayne Wild, chairman of the Rovers Trust, said: “We are calling on the owners to put Blackburn Rovers up for sale in a professional and public way that will encourage people to think about possible investment in the club.

“We know there are people out there who are definitely interested and the time is right.

“Blackburn Rovers has become a toxic brand for Venky’s, the present situation is clearly not working and they constantly have to fund losses.”

Wild stressed this is not a kneejerk reaction to a poor start to the season but the culmination of five years of being ignored by Venky’s.

He said: “We first made our request to talk to the owners, to discuss all the issues that concern supporters, almost five years ago. At that time Blackburn Rovers was a Premier League club.

“Today, although it is early in the season, we are already at the bottom of the Championship and the financial situation looks increasingly alarming.

“It is time for a change.”

Wild also said recent movements in the transfer market, with the sale of defender and captain Grant Hanley to Championship rivals Newcastle United, and no sign of that money being reinvested on the pitch, was adding to the frustration and anger being felt by supporters.

Throughout its existence the Trust has offered to work with the club and to act as a conduit through which Venky’s could engage with supporters in a meaningful and respectful way.

But it now says that the situation at Ewood – both on and off the pitch – has reached such a low state that putting Rovers up for sale is the only answer for the club’s future.

Wild says the Trust remained committed to acquiring a stake in the club at any opportunity.

And he added: “Our founding remit to take a stake in Blackburn Rovers, in whole or in part, to help bring our club back into the East Lancashire community remains.

“Our members – and many Rovers fans – are increasingly looking to us to lead the campaign to remove the owners from our club.

“We’re willing to work with any other groups, to explore all options and help in any sensible way we can to see a positive change at Ewood Park, which we now believe is in the interests of all parties.”