Derby County Championship Rivals Confirms Shock Exit As Club Fell Away After John Eustace Exit
Derby County Championship rivals confirm shock exit as club fell away after John Eustace exit
Latest Derby County news from DerbyshireLive brings you news of a departure from a Championship club after the end of the season
Derby County’s Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers have confirmed the exit of chief executive Steve Waggott after seven years with the release of just a two-sentence statement.
Waggott came under pressure at Ewood Park following the departures of Jon Dahl Tomasson and John Eustace as managers inside 12 months, plus this week’s decision to withdraw their women’s side from Super League 2 due to finances.
He admitted last month that it was “a difficult moment” for him and other senior officials, with support groups urging the hierarchy not to attend the final games of the season.
Now he is leaving, with Blackburn just saying: “It has been agreed that Steve Waggott will be leaving Blackburn Rovers. We would like to thank Steve for his work over the past seven years and we wish him well for his future endeavours.”
Blackburn have been back in the Championship for seven seasons and finished just outside the play-offs on three occasions. Eustace pulled them away from a relegation fight last term and had them on course for a top-six challenge this time around before quitting in favour of a scrap at the other end of the division with Derby County.
Form initially stuttered under new boss Valerien Ismael before settling to eventually see them finish seventh with 66 points.
The club is owner by India-based Venky’s, who do not seem to be interested in selling despite supporter frustration – and although there had been rumours that Waggott was considering retirement, his exit has come as a shock.
“It is a difficult moment. I have been in football a long time and results on the pitch can determine attitude and behaviour off the pitch,” Waggott told Radio Lancashire in April.
“I get the frustration when we dip into bad form because when you dip into a bad run of games then all other questions are being asked – ‘Did we invest enough in the squad? Who’s running what? Is he the right head coach?’
“It is determined predominantly by events on the pitch. If you get into a rich vein of form, it keeps fans happy to a certain extent, but when you hit bad form, it becomes difficult. It is hard to keep the alignment that I think is absolutely essential for a successful football club – from the owners, board, executives and players right the way through to supporters.
“For the seven-and-a-half-years I have been at the club, my door has been very open to the fans. I attend all the fans’ forums, the Supporters Trust, We Are The Rovers, individual groups, away travel groups, individual people who write emails with constructive criticism. I bring them in and discuss certain points with the club.
“All in all, it is keeping that alignment in trying to keep everybody on the same page if it is possible. But at this moment in time, it is wobbling and it is up to me as chief executive of the club, with protest groups and other things, to get around the table to try and iron out the issues we are currently facing.”
