MEMBERS of Blackburn Rovers' new Independent Supporters Association are working together with the club in a bid to try and come up with a solution to the problem of falling attendances at Ewood Park.

BRISA was formed last month by a group of like-minded Rovers fanatics and the main aim of the association is to campaign on key issues affecting the club and football in general.

While the group are keen to stress they are independent, they intend to work closely with the club on a whole range of different issues.

And top of the agenda at their next meeting with Rovers' chairman John Williams and the club's managing director, Tom Finn, is the thorny issue of dwindling 'gates'.

Neil Thornton, BRISA's media spokesman, said: "The point behind the whole BRISA thing is we are completely independent but we are here to be constructive and we want to work with the club on tackling whatever issues our members feel need addressing.

"We've agreed to have regular meetings with Tom Finn and John Williams and in each of those meetings we'll be looking at a specific agenda.

"In the next one, we'll be looking at attendances so we've got between now and January to talk to our members and try and get a consensus as to why attendances are falling at Ewood.

"There's a lot of different theories, but we've got to try and put together some constructive ideas and talk to the fans to try and find out exactly why they are staying away."

The interest shown by fans in BRISA has already surpassed all expectations with nearly 200 joining up since the association was formed last month.

Thornton added: "The open meeting we had last month went very well and we were really happy with the turn-out.

"More than a hundred people turned up and we've now enrolled about 170 members.

"We were very conservative in our initial estimates. We thought we might get to three figures by the end of the season, but the interest shown so far has surpassed our expectations."

The launch of BRISA has received the backing of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, a long-time Rovers supporter and vice president of the club.

He said: "It is important for Rovers to engage with the fans to help move the club forward.

"Rovers fans are some of the most enthusiastic and committed supporters in the country and I feel sure BRISA will be successful in highlighting local and national issues in a positive way."

Wayne Hemingway, a lifelong Rovers fan and founder of the iconic fashion label Red or Dead, has also expressed his support.

He said: "Rovers are a family club, with proper values and an unthreatening atmosphere.

"It's a club that underpins the town's values and the fans have a great sense of humour.

"We're a small town that has a big club. What more could you ask for?

"I love my home town, I love my Rovers and so do all my kids - and they have been brought up in the south!"