A GROUP of Blackburn Rovers fans are convinced Venky’s are in it for the long haul – after enjoying lengthy talks with the club’s owners in India at the weekend.

Nine members of the official fans forum travelled to Venky’s’ home city of Pune, at the owners’ expense, to express their concerns at the running of the club but returned more reassured about the future.

Balaji Rao’s comments to the Indian media last week, calling Steve Kean a ‘brilliant manager’ and insisting he was positive about the way things were going, caused a furore among the Ewood Park faithful.

But after their hour-long private meeting with him, Rovers fans forum representatives insist the owners are fully aware of the club’s perilous position and are confident they will take action if results don’t improve quickly.

Other Blackburn Rovers fans have welcomed the meeting in India and the positive feedback from it but, with the club sitting in the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s trip to Loftus Road, insist actions speak louder than words – with Kean still under heavy fire from many.

The fans forum secretary John Wareing, said: “What we have seen is they have genuine passion for the club and are genuinely interested in interacting with the fans.

“They know they did not get off to best of starts in terms of decisions made about people leaving the club and in terms of not playing well.

“But we do see a real passion there and I am convinced they are in it for the long haul and any idea that anyone has that they can persuade Venky’s to sell the club is living in cloud cuckoo land.

We all have to work with them.

“I am fairly clear after the meeting that no one at the club is unsackable and if results don’t pick up they know they have to take action.”

The fans group were told to expect a senior appointment at the club imminently and, with the owners determined to make Rovers India’s team, the importance of keeping the club in the Premier League was acknowledged by Venky’s.

A statement from the fans forum, said:”Balaji was charming, gracious and, most importantly, passionate. He listened intently and surprised us with his knowledge of the club and the fans.

“We talked about the current feelings of the fans and our poor on the pitch form, how Venky’s are perceived to the fans. We specifically raised the concerns a great many fans had with the current team management set-up and it was clear that he was aware of fans’ feelings.

“We discussed the impact key people leaving the club had had and we also stressed how Blackburn Rovers was much more than a football club, it was the heart of a community.

“Overall his responses seemed honest and he seemed to take the concerns seriously, just as the representative we’d spoken to earlier (who was also present) did.”

Other Blackburn Rovers fans believe the forum’s experience was positive but admit there will still be a lot of scepticism until they can see improvements.

Adam Cottier, said: “I just don’t know what to think about Venky’s. Obviously it is good to hear some fans say this but we want actions.

“I am one who wants Steve Kean to succeed but, with the unrest there is, Venky’s will struggle to win fans round while he is still manager.

“I am glad they are listening to the fans but they have to prove they mean what they say. So obviously a lot will still be very wary.”

Fellow fan Chris Stanton, said: “People will still be sceptical until results improve.

"The expectations were risen by Steve Kean and some of the players and results have to improve.

“It is positive to hear supporters saying things like they have but the Premier League is an unforgiving league and we want to see improvement, rather than hearing impressive words.

“It is all very well convincing a group of people who are in India at your expense, but other Rovers fans will still be wary."