Blackburn Rovers’ Indian owners, the Venky’s, have decided they want to try and pick up the pieces of their relationship with the fans and have come up with a novel idea to create cohesion on and off the field.
Our Indian owners have been puzzled by the lack of joined-up thinking at the club and are now trying their best to fit in. But they haven’t been going to pieces about it and have come up with a novel scheme called Operation Jigsaw Puzzle.
Scientists believe jigsaw puzzles are not only therapeutic, but also very good for seeing the bigger picture. Encouraging Rovers players to use jigsaw puzzles as part of their training routine could reap great benefits for the team. Solving puzzles helps reinforce connections to our brain cells, even for footballers. This improves mental speed and thought processes. Jigsaw puzzles are especially good for improving short-term memory. This helps us remember different shapes and colours and visualize the bigger picture to figure out which pieces will fit together and which won’t.
There are quite a few jigsaw puzzle terms to be found in the world of football. One only has to think of set pieces and being in the box. One of the most important aspects of being a team member is their ability to be able to fit in. Perhaps the most ironic connection between jigsaw puzzles and Blackburn Rovers is this pastime’s origin. Jigsaw puzzles were invented around 1760 by British engraver and cartographer, John Spilsbury. His surname seems rather apt when remembering some of our recent goalkeepers.
Never ones to miss a business opportunity, it’s not just the players our owners want to encourage to take up solving jigsaw puzzles. They are also trying to persuade Rovers fans to go for a beer in Blues Bar after matches and help put together a giant jigsaw puzzle. Each piece will be numbered and cash prizes will be available to fans who select the winning numbers. Fans can also buy blocks of pieces and win cash prizes when their pieces are drawn out and complete sections of the finished jigsaw puzzle.
A giant Ewood Park jigsaw puzzle is an example of one subject fans would really enjoy putting together. It could include photos of thousands of fragmented fans in the bigger picture, each one a jigsaw piece, numbered and ready to be joined together again. Perhaps one day this could really happen.
