About
About the trust
We believe that all fans are equal and deserve their say in how our club is run. Players, managers, CEO’s and owners come and go but supporters remain the one constant. It’s our club, and WE ARE the Rovers.
We are immensely proud of our club’s rich history and heritage. The original Rovers, our team have been at the forefront of the game for almost 150 years. We’re the most successful town team in world football. We’re the only team to have won major honours in three centuries. We are THE ROVERS.
The Trust Board will endeavour to ensure that the supporters interests are always a priority for the club we love, and continue to push for meaningful engagement and actions.
Objectives
Secure the Assets and Heritage of the Club
Ewood Park is at the heart of our community. Rovers have played at Ewood since 1881 and Blackburn Rovers bought the freehold for £2,500 in 1893. We are determined to secure Ewood Park for future generations; that is why we secured, and recently renewed, the ground as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). The ACV is a a powerful tool that protects the very future of Ewood from redevelopment or sale.
We are also advocates for a Blackburn Rovers museum. We have such a rich heritage when it comes to the history of our Club and this deserves to be recognised. A museum could be such an important community resource as well as a income generator.
Preserving the long term health of the Club
A successful Blackburn Rovers is so important to our local economy whether that be small business or larger commercial operations. A successful Club breathes life and confidence into our town and the wider area, it also brings investment which is much needed in what is an area facing economic and social challenges.
We see many positives with our Club in terms of the outreach work carried out by the Community Trust. This is something we are proud of but want to see expanded outside of the immediate Blackburn with Darwen area into all those other towns and villages populated by Rovers supporters.
Regenerate Support and encourage return of ‘stay-aways’
We have lost support due to relegation from the Premier League. We are confident that we can again rebuild our supporter base through community engagement, better marketing, affordable ticket pricing and a targeted approach to attract younger fans. We want Ewood Park to again be an exciting vibrant and welcoming place for fans to visit; this is why we have been involved in discussions with the Club over issues such as Safe Standing and Season Ticket pricing along with new initiatives such as ‘Fan Takeover’ games.
Help mitigate a lost generation of Supporters
With ownership changes and the unrest and disquiet around those changes we lost some of what was our core support. We are looking to work with the Club to re-engage those ‘lost’ fans and encourage them to revisit Ewood and rekindle their active support for the Club. This requires time, patience and often a one-to-one approach; it should be done and your Supporters Trust are determined to help with this journey and encourage a return to Ewood Park.
What has the Trust achieved?
In addition to acquiring a minor stake in the club, the Trust has a large number of successes, including:
- Sponsorship of local grassroots football teams
- Sponsorship of first team players
- Had Ewood Park designated as an Asset of Community Value (ACV)
- Led and contributed to multiple public meetings regarding BRFC
- Forged strong links with and provided interviews across regional, national and international publications and media outlets
- Put forward Early Day Motion to Parliament regarding football governance
- Contributed to Fan Led Review of Football Governance led by Tracey Crouch MP
- Attempted to open communication links with the Club’s owners via open letters
- Regular meetings with the Club’s CEO as well as contributing to Fans Forum and Supporter Consultation meetings
What about performances on the pitch?
Ordinarily, the performance of the manager and players is something that elicits many different opinions and wouldn’t be something the Trust would campaign or comment on. However, where the actions (or inactions) of the club’s ownership negatively impact on field performances, the Trust would be expected to represent the opinions of its members.
The Board
Duncan Miller
We rely on Membership fees
Without the support of our members, we couldn’t continue to fund the projects we do.