Back the Badge

As the editor of Vital Blackburn I fully endorse the Back the Badge campaign for the home game against Ipswich on Saturday February 9th.

Unlike previous attempts at showing discontent with the way the club is currently run, this initiative is likely to have an overwhelmingly positive effect on the matchday experience at Ewood Park.

Back the Badge is a campaign that won't affect nor endear to the current hardcore loyals that have bravely stuck it out through the tough times the club is currently experiencing but it is aimed towards those who have stayed away be it through indifference or disillusionment. If we can get a percentage of those to show, for one game, that they would come back if Venky's gave us something to be proud of again it would show the owners that their actions are the principle reason people have stayed away.

The idea will need proper pre-match marketing to make the intentions clear and leave room for no distortion in the midsn of the owners as to why this is happening, but I have every confidence this will be the case.

Hopefully a bi-product of the idea is that it will pull a fractured fan base back together - even if it is only for one day initially. By making the focus of the day the club badge (something we all respect) it will steal focus away from the arguments and fan tension that have plagued the stands in recent times. Likewise the conflicting, larger Blackburn fan groups can put aside their differences and show that our team and our club are the most important thing and overrides anything else.

Add into this that the players are likely to respond to and feed off a large crowd following and it has the makings of a nice initiative, one that should and will be backed.

In an ideal world the plan wouldn't involve giving careless owners extra funds that they probably don't deserve but for me, the positives far override the negatives.

I'd ask all to 'Back the Badge' and make a stand whilst making a positive difference.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.