Advertisement
Premier League

Divine intervention: Bishop of Blackburn asks fans to lay off Steve Kean

Kean has been under intense pressure from Rovers’ fans who have held protests and demanded his sacking for months.

IN FOOTBALL WHEN you get the vote of confidence from your chairman, your days on the bench are said to be numbered.

When the bishop has to step in to defend you, surely you’re beyond that.

This Christmas Day, the Bishop of Blackburn has asked the local club’s supporters to give under-fire manager Steve Kean a break.

Kean has been under intense pressure from Rovers’ fans who have held protests and demanded his sacking for months. Blackburn are currently bottom of the Premier League.

The League Managers’ Association were already prompted to call for an end to the abuse from the terraces when it reached new heights following his side’s 2-1 home loss to Bolton while the local newspaper publicly demanded his dismissal.

Today however, the Right Reverend Nicholas Reade called on supporters to back the team against Liverpool tomorrow rather than focus on Kean.

“I would say please, always remember the human being, always remember that he’s part of a family – that other people will be suffering because people have got him in their sights,” he told the BBC.

Listen to the audio of the bishop’s message here

Gallery: here’s 83 of our favourite sports pictures from the past 12 months

WATCH: one NFL player’s spectacular flip into the endzone