As Blackburn Rovers head into a relegation scrap, Andy Cryer looks at the club’s slump since the Venky’s takeover, and asks where the club goes from here.

STEVE Kean will rarely, if ever, have had a harder few days in his footballing life as Blackburn Rovers fans turn up the heat on their beleagured boss.

Internet forums have been in overdrive, letters, emails and phone calls calling for Kean’s head have been received at the Lancashire Telegraph offices, and the frustration and anxiety is clear for all to see around the town.

Who can blame them either? Blackburn Rovers is a huge part of so many people’s lives and to watch their proud club be taken to the brink is too painful for many to take.

No matter how many times owners Venky’s tell us they appointed Steve Kean because he was a ‘thinker’, the decision to replace the pragmatic Sam Allardyce in December will never, ever make sense to me – or anyone else for that matter.

Nor will their constant pursuit of superstars, like Ronaldinho and David Beckham, when all the squad really needed was a reliable goal scorer and a midfielder to improve on last season’s top 10 finish.

Venky’s and their new regime have to start getting real.

They have to understand what football fans in England want and they have so many questions to answer they should be residing in Blackburn this summer.

Should Steve Kean be Blackburn Rovers’ manager? No, of course he shouldn’t, handing such a responsibility to someone so inexperienced was another bad move by the club’s owners.

They made the mistake of listening to the vocal minority who were unhappy with Allardyce’s brand of football, listened to some bad advice, and wielded the axe accordingly.

From that moment, Rovers were always going to be heading for a relegation scrap and that is exactly where we are today. Five games to go to save the club’s future.

Being brutally honest, you can’t help but fear for the club should the worst happen. Top players would leave, a crippling wage bill would need to be reduced and ticket prices would in all likelihood increase to make up for the loss of income.

That is why there is no room for inquests. Nothing is changing between now and the end of the season, the dice has been rolled and all anyone can do is hope Rovers’ number isn’t up.

Steve Kean will NOT be sacked before the season finishes no matter how loud people shout for it to happen, how much they call for protests or how many polls are held about whether Kean should go or not.

The only people who are going to be affected by shows of discontent on match day are the players. They may be well meaning but it is the last thing Rovers need in a desperate fight to stay up.

Listening to ‘Kean out’ chants as they wait in the dressing room before the game is not exactly the perfect preparation.

It is doubtful whether we will even see the owners between now and the end of the season. They should be here, but then there are a lot of things they should have done.

These last five games cannot be about Venky’s, about Steve Kean or any other individuals. It has to be about doing everything possible to help your heroes avoid a catastrophic relegation.

Rovers need your help. It may be hard and it may be painful, but the fans have made the difference at Ewood before and can do again.

There are two options: resign yourself to relegation and carry out the protests or fight for a group of players who have given this club so much joy over the years.

I know which one I am going to do.