Former Telegraph web manager Paul Cockerton did a great piece for his new ‘paper headlined “From Woolworths to Blockbuster: How our high street has been hit by recession”.

He goes on:- “The high street bloodbath has claimed more than 200,000 retail jobs” and reminds us about JJB Sports, Comet and Peacocks . . . but now also Jessops, HMV and Blockbuster.

We rue their passing in a sentimental kind of a way but the plain fact of the matter is we didn’t use it, so we ended up losing it!

But it’s not just carnage on the high street, our local pubs are closing at the rate of 18 a week, according to the Independent.

My last local closed in the last five years. Every New Year’s Eve a horde of fully clad Vikings would descend upon us on the infamous Revidge Run. Never did it myself, but I understand it was constituted by some 15 local pubs. But now with the Woodlands, Dog, Corpy and Sportsmans are all no more. What do Revidge revellers do for that pub-less 2 miles?

But I’m not writing about shops or pubs but really about human habit evolution.

Our family love Blackburn Rovers, through the good times and the bad. The yellow-clad Premiership Play Offs 1992, that day at Anfield in 1995, the League Cup Final 2002 and the trips to Grimsby, Port Vale and the like. We have a ritual: Time to set off, sweets or not, flask of hot chocolate or not, the same route to the ground, where to park, buying the programme, the match itself and even a post-match routine, same pub for the requisite post mortem.

But isn’t this changing and under threat for change beyond recognition?

Years ago I reminisced with our then primary-aged Ewood zealot son (taught by Mike Jackman, author of many Rovers stats tomes) about going to footie matches and lads like him being “stiff boarded” down over men’s heads and placed at the front together so as to be able to see the game. No child-protection worries in those days, you just waited at the final whistle for your Dad or an “Uncle” to come and collect you. Do people recall fleets of corporation buses from Bridge St and then on Nuttall St to ferry thousands to and from the ground? When all-seater stadiums were first mooted it shocked our son. “What can be better than standing next to your Dad watching the Rovers?” he challenged.

But things change and those inept at adapting to change aka dinosaurs will cease to exist. It’s just the way it is. With the Sky “jukebox” of sports, catch up TV and other 21st century innovations, with more equality in married relationships and women going to live sport, Wiis & PSs, the internet, near 24/7 shopping, DIY superstores, garden centres galore there are many many more competitors for everyone’s time.

The Rovers used to attract 40,000, 50,000 and bigger gates. Dads used to lift-lads over the turnstiles, almost every male in the town would have “gone down the Bolton Road” after finishing Saturday morning shift, to watch the game.

But this is no longer so, players earning four or five times more a week than teachers like Mike Jackman’s annual salary! They are not of this town, these communities, this country and that’s how that is too. “Crowds” have now dropped below 15, even 10 thousand.

Overseas investors snap up football clubs these days, from the US, or the oil rich middle east. A massive, successful and highly philanthropic family Indian firm, the Raos aka the Venkys now own Blackburn Rovers, and we should all wish them well. But I don’t think they get football, get East Lancashire or most importantly, the deep rooted and highly-complex position held in our relationships - club and community.

This isn’t just me talking. Everyone who speaks to me thinks and says the same.

Football Clubs generate friendship groups, supporters groups, fanzines and these days, websites and trusts. You could perceive these as self-appointed busy bodies or tailor-made consumer reference groups. Some successful businesses spend millions so they can find out what their customer base wants, likes, thinks etc . . . here we have them ready-made.

The Raos have done things differently, some would say wrongly. They have picked up with, befriended and trusted certain people, some would say the wrong people.

I amongst others have written to the Raos, not once, but four times, all unheeded. I want to help. Many others have also written. I was brought up to expect that, if someone, anyone wrote to you, you paid them the courtesy of a reply.

We want to be respected, trusted and communicated with. The Venkys by the same set of protocols do not to deserve to be shouted about or at or abused.

I shudder to think and fear, quite soon, a once great and proud Club languishing with the Barrows, Grimsbys, Lutons, and Stockports of the non league world. Skill and hard work dissipated to that end.

We want to help, we have no vested interest in any demise of Blackburn Rovers. It’s not about me, the Venkys or anyone. It’s a about a respected, revered loved institution that’s right up our street.

Just like Woolies, HMV & Jessops used to be.