Blackburn Rovers’ deputy chief executive wanted manager Steve Kean sacked in December last year, a leaked letter he sent to the club’s Indian owners has revealed a day after the side were relegated from the Premier League.
Paul Hunt’s letter, obtained by the Sporting Intelligence Web site, also revealed his concerns about the club’s financial position and the growing mood of supporter unrest at Ewood Park following the takeover of the club by Indian poultry firm Venky’s in November 2010.
So concerned was Hunt by what he saw as a worsening situation and the threat of relegation, he asked Venky’s chairman Anuradha Desai to allow him greater control of the northwest side.
Blackburn were relegated from the lucrative English top flight on Monday following a 1-0 defeat at home to Wigan Athletic.
In his 2,500-word letter, Hunt, the most senior official at Ewood Park since the departure of former chairman John Williams more than a year ago, wrote: “I have been your senior officer at the club for six months now and I feel that I must now write to you to ask you to make some significant changes to save the club, perhaps from relegation, but also perhaps from administration.”
“In 20 years of the Premier League there has been only one side that was bottom of the league at Christmas that has survived relegation at the end of the season,” he wrote. “I have kept quiet for a time now out of utmost respect and I trust that you realize that I am only e-mailing you now as I want what is only the best for Blackburn Rovers and the owners.”
“Publicly, I have been asked to support the manager and I always have, as I personally like Steve,” Hunt wrote. “However, I am now of the opinion that it isn’t working and he is ready to go.”
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