TWO EAST Lancashire MPs have raised concerns over the future of Blackburn Rovers at Westminster.

Town MP Kate Hollern along with Hyndburn MP Graham Jones proposed an Early Day Motion which named Blackburn Rovers as a club whose fans “have lost faith in their clubs’ owners amid deep concerns about the future direction of their clubs”.

Early Day Motions are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons.

‘EDM 611’ has been backed by some fans groups, and the Rovers Trust said it “highlights the fact Venky’s harmful ownership of Blackburn Rovers has been a catalyst for Parliamentarians to call for new laws to protect clubs and fans from owners who do not have adequate plans to safeguard a football club’s future”.

Michael Doherty of the Rovers Trust said: “The fact that Blackburn Rovers, owned by the Rao family and Venky’s, is listed first in this catalogue of disastrous owners should be a matter of shame for the club and the owners.

“It is time for the Rao family to put Blackburn Rovers up for sale.”

Mr Jones said: “Rovers’ situation is increasingly worrying. We are now a third of the way through the season, remain in the relegation zone, and have seen no leadership from the owners as to how we get out of this mess.

“The time has come for the government to make good on their promises and introduce legislation to improve the rules around purchasing football clubs and putting fans on club boards.”

The motion criticises the “the widening detachment between the fans who love the game and a growing number of football owners, authorities and leading figures” and calls for an investigation into allegations that “the game is rife with corruption”.

It also “notes that the fans of many clubs including Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City, Leeds United, Charlton Athletic and Blackpool, including clubs in Scotland, have lost faith in their clubs’ owners amid deep concerns about the future direction of their clubs”, “and calls for progress from the Government in legislating a robust fit and proper persons test”.

It also calls for fan representation on football club boards.They allow MPs to draw attention to an event or cause but very few are actually debated.

A Blackburn Rovers spokesman said: “The club’s aware of the proposed EDM and will respond in due course, pending further developments.”