Blackburn Rovers Action Group are scheduled to stage their largest protest against the Premier League club's owners, the Rao family, and manager Steve Kean tomorrow.
As the Blackburn following prepare to line the streets outside Ewood Park ahead of the club's vital league fixture against Aston Villa, protest organiser Simon Littler talks to Sports Mole about the fans' feelings towards their Indian owners, his views on skipper Chris Samba leaving, and if the Lancashire club can survive the dreaded drop.
Why has the Action Group decided to stage this protest with 12 games left to go in the season?
"It's to tell the owners that they've done too much damage and it's time to either put up or shut up, to put it as bluntly. If we get anywhere between 600 to 1,000 people [in the protest] that will be big enough. As far as we're concerned Steve Kean is only a symptom of the disease that Venky's or the Rao family have infected the club with. They've just totally dismantled the total working of the club. It's gone from a model Premier League club in terms of how it should be run to the worst run club in the league. There's just no communication anymore."
What do you hope to achieve with the protest?
"For us it's making the owners realise that we're not going away. I think they're choosing to ignore us and hoping that we're just people venting our anger and just let things lie. But once Rovers fans start something we will continue it until we're dead as they say. All fan groups are trying to work together as best as we can. We want a buyer or owners of the club that love the club for what it is and have the club's best interest at heart and not just for marketing their own product."
What are your thoughts on the departure of Christopher Samba?
"That's a difficult one. While he was with the club we fully respected him and he was a rock in defence and I respect him for coming out and having the guts to say what he felt and why he felt he had to leave. Was he right to do so with the timing? He lost some respect from fans in terms of that but if you look at the principles behind it he was like the Rovers fans and he's probably like a lot of the Rovers players.
"He'd been lied to by the owners so I've got respect for him. He'll always be a popular player in the club, but then again the club said they weren't going to sell him so that's more lies. We can't trust anything that comes out of the club in terms of communication."
How do you feel about the criticism towards the fans for not giving Kean a chance?
"We did give him a chance. I do feel sorry for him. The owners have just left him to defend himself with no real support. He's a manager that's out of his depth and I can understand why fellow managers have supported him because he has dealt with the criticism and there has been some bad abuse. I must stress it hasn't been by the protesters. The heart of the team has been torn out."
What do you think should happen next - a new manager or new owners?
"I think it's the right time for the owners to admit that they got things wrong. They should have backed [Kean] in December with money. If they thought he was the right person then they should have backed him. Obviously they don't and as far as we're concerned now if he goes can we trust them to bring someone decent in or are they just going to promote someone again who's going to be another 'yes man'? For me the owners have to go for the club to move forward. The fans will support what is right for the club."
Do you think that Blackburn will get relegated?
"I honestly believe that if the fans get behind the team then we stand a very, very good chance of survival. I do believe we can survive, I do believe we have the players to do it and it's about the fans supporting the team and taking it forward. Yes, we are protesting but we're doing it before the game so we give [the team] everything once we get inside. Hopefully we can get the three points."
You can find more information on tomorrow's protest and the Action Group's activities by visiting their official website - brfcactiongroup.org.uk
Danielle Joynson
