Blackburn Rovers invited supporters' groups for a meeting with senior players to address the poor run of results and atmosphere at Ewood Park.
Rovers have won one of their 11 Championship games, taking five points out of a possible 33. They started December in seventh but have now dropped to 18th, five points above the relegation zone.
In that run, they have failed to beat Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers, all at Ewood Park. The club now face a massive 10 days on the pitch as they take on Stoke City, Birmingham City and Preston North End, two of which reside below Rovers.
With the relationship between supporters and the hierarchy plummeting, a meeting was called by the club, with fans' groups invited to attend to speak with senior players.
READ MORE: Rovers identify early favourite to replace Tomasson
Captain Dom Hyam, Aynsley Pears, Sam Gallagher, Ryan Hedges and Sam Szmodics were all in attendance as well as Chief Executive Steve Waggott. The CEO has come in for criticism from supporters for a lack of proactive communication.
It's understood that the meeting was an open space for honest conversations as the players and supporters aired their opinions about the current run of form.
Players spoke openly about their disappointment at the lack of positive results. They took responsibility for the results and aired their frustration at being unable to stop the current plight.
There was honest feedback about the impact of negative chanting and the morale in the camp. Senior players addressed concerns about how booing could impact the younger members of the squad.
This was not a criticism of supporters but an open dialogue with everyone keen to help Blackburn Rovers achieve results on the pitch.
In turn, supporters spoke about the disconnect between the fan base and those running the club. The frustrations and anger felt towards Venky's and a lack of clear communication from the club was vocalised, as well as wider issues such as matchday experience and ticket pricing.
The meeting also allowed fans to give further details to the players about the history between Venky's and Blackburn Rovers supporters. The players in attendance are said to have been enlightened to learn more about the backstory.
Rovers fans made clear that whilst results have been disappointing, the main direction of their anger is at Venky's and the board, rather than individual players.
Ultimately, the purpose of the meeting was to air out some of the negativity ahead of a crucial match against Stoke City on Saturday. It was a rallying cry from the senior players for fans to get behind the team, whilst also acknowledging their role in the current situation.
Rovers face a crucial 10 days in their season. The team are now only five points above the relegation zone and face two teams below them in the next five days.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel