Comments on Blackburn Rovers stories following the Jerome Anderson interview with Sky Sports, have been frozen on the Lancashire Telegraph website after the paper received a letter from Mr Anderson’s solicitors.
Their statement reads as follows: “The Lancashire Telegraph will continue to allow fair and even robust comments on this subject acknowledging the depth of feeling of supporters and their right to express their opinions as long as these comments are lawful and obey our house rules. But we refuse to accept defamatory and unproven accusations of criminal or other wrongful activity which break the rules governing the comments facility.”
Now it’s fair to say a lot of what gets posted in the comments section of any Rovers story, usually descends into stuff which crosses many a line. But…
These are fans who are passionate about their club. A club which is being hung out to dry by owners who appear not to care about the position the club finds itself in or how that affects the fans.
Rovers are a club at the heart of a community. 137 years of history and an important part of the town. Rovers matters to us. Yet somehow, in just over a year, the club has become a pale imitation of the real Blackburn Rovers. The fans? Not important anymore. Morals? None to speak of.
How has this happened? Quite simply – Venky’s. And who introduced Venky’s to Blackburn? Step forward Jerome Anderson.
So excuse us if that makes the fans a little bit bitter when you go on Sky Sports News and criticise us for our protests. Excuse us if we feel we’ve been sold down the river by owners who’ve lied about what they’re going to do. Excuse us if we believe you’ve been a key player in the dismantling of 137 years worth of proud history.
Anderson supposedly has no active role with the club anymore, yet feels qualified to appear on national TV as some kind of self-appointed expert. He clearly feels he has the right to express his views and then silence anyone who dares to hold an alternative opinion. Has Britain suddenly become Communist Russia without us noticing?
You can send as many solicitor’s letters to as many people as you want Mr Anderson. But you cannot and will not be allowed to silence our fundamental right to voice our opinions on the whole sorry fiasco which is currently Blackburn Rovers.
We live in a democracy for a reason. Freedom of speech and fair comment are precious to us. No amount of bleating or crocodile tears from you will prevent the fans from airing their well-founded concerns.
As for legal threats? They do nothing other than show the whole Venky’s, Kean & Anderson triumvirate to be a cancer which needs to be cut out of Blackburn Rovers as a matter of urgency. Anything less and the club will die.