Comment, by Peter White

IT was the night that patience finally ran out among Blackburn Rovers supporters.

And, ultimately, that is the crucial factor.

Ray Harford has made no secret of the fact that he has offered his resignation more than once in the past.

It is there to be accepted if it was felt that was in the best interests of the club he has served - with particular loyalty over the past 16 months or so.

His position now seems to have become so untenable that a parting of the ways - whether the manager jumps or is pushed - now looks inevitable.

But will that solve the club's problems?

Maybe in the short term - if they bring in the right man and give him full backing.

But, in the longer term, perhaps more far-reaching policy changes need to be made.

The fans took to the streets last night, their anger and frustration understandable.

Yet it wasn't simply the manager who was the target for their orderly protest.

They feel that all is not well elsewhere.

Jack Walker has created an empire that brought great success. It is now in grave danger of self-destruction.

And the question must be asked - has the manager been given full and free reign to do his job, especially during the last two costly summers when the rot set in with a failure to add significantly to a title-winning squad?

Ray Harford has made mistakes. He is the first to admit that and will now, almost certainly, have to take the consequences for his and those of others.

For there seems to be a distinct lack of the right kind of policy or leadership at a club where there is a board of directors but the real power lies higher.

Forget the financial side, because that will be a mess if Rovers drop out of the Premiership anyway.

Football matters are where the major blunders have been made.

I'm not sure Harford should shoulder all the blame. For he has had to follow policy laid down higher up the scale.

But he probably will, because that's what happens to football managers, whatever the real cause of their failure.

As someone said yesterday - it's all going to end in tears.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.