Blackburn Rovers protest will be 'biggest yet', say supporters

A section of Blackburn Rovers fans will stage their biggest protest yet before Saturday's game with Aston Villa.

BRFC Action Group say three marches will set off simultaneously an hour before the 1500 GMT kick-off, meeting up at Ewood Park.

They want Blackburn's owners, Indian-based poultry firm Venky's, to sack manager Steve Kean and sell the club.

A statement said: "We feel there is no alternative than to actively seek new ownership."

Protests have been carried out throughout the season - during which the team have struggled near the bottom of the Premier League.

The statement added: "(It) will be the largest and most attended demonstration in the history of our club.

"These marches will symbolise a vote of 'no confidence' in Venky's and will carry the message 'Venky's sell the club'."

The statement also claimed Kean has an "appalling record as a Premier League manager". The former Fulham and Coventry assistant manager has won just 14 of his 54 games in charge of Rovers.

Wayne Wild, the director of the WEC Group - a key Blackburn sponsor - told BBC Sport last week he wants to buy the club through a supporters' trust.

Meanwhile, Venky's have dismissed reports they are set to sell more key players after club captain Christopher Samba's move to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

Venky's representative and Blackburn director Vineeth Rao, told the Lancashire Telegraph: "There are no plans like that there, that is ridiculous.

"There are no plans to sell any more key players, why would there be? Our immediate focus is on staying up in the Premier League.

"We hope Chris Samba will be the last key departure. There are no plans to sell any more key players because we want to improve the squad."

Central defender Samba, who joined Blackburn in 2007, handed in a transfer request in January.

It was initially rejected, but he eventually signed for Anzhi on Friday, having not played for Rovers since 2 January.

"It was not even our intention to sell Chris Samba," Rao added. "We did not want to sell him.

"We wanted him on the pitch because he has been a big player but, in the end, we had to respect his wishes because he wanted to leave."