Not long ago we were beating Chelsea to qualify for Europe , playing in semi finals . Tonight just 3448 fans at #rovers . So so sad !



— Robbie Savage (@RobbieSavage8) August 23, 2016

3448 at Rovers tonight.



Hearing it's the lowest attendance in major domestic competition for 30 years (1986).



Sad times. #VENKYSOUT



— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) August 23, 2016

NEW DELHI: The takeover of the then Premier League club Blackburn Rovers by Pune-based poultry and processed food conglomerate, Venky's in late 2010 was celebrated by many in India as one of the biggest forays by an Indian company in the game of football. It was long before the Indian Super League came into existence. Even though Rovers were not counted as one of the big clubs of arguably the most popular league in the world, they remained a regular in the top flight and were one of the few teams to have won the title in the Premier League era.Rovers are in the select group of just six teams, others being Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Leicester City, to have won the league after it was re-christened as the Premier League in 1992. They won the title during the 1994-95 season.But the association with the Indian owners was not as productive as one hoped, with the club relegating to the Championship, the second-tier, two seasons later ending their 11-year run in the Premier League. From there on, the club has been fighting hard for promotion without success, often enduring a tough time to maintain their position in the Championship itself. They survived relegation from the second tier to the third last season and the seemingly inaction from the side of the owners to reinforce the squad while selling off team's assets has widened the ever increasing gulf between the club and its fans.From the mid-table in the Premier League five years ago, the club is now languishing at the bottom of the Championship after four rounds in the current season with just one point. And for some time now, the loyal fans of Rovers are demanding the Indian owners to leave the club. They are running a campaign which went viral in the social media, especially on Twitter, with the hashtag #VENKYSOUT.As a result, the number of spectators in the stadium has been dwindling for quite some time. This week it touched a new low, 3448 to be exact, in their game against Crewe Alexandra FC in the second round match of the EFL Cup on Tuesday which they won 4-3 after extra-time at the Ewood Park. It was the lowest attendance at Ewood Park for league, FA Cup or League Cup match for 30 years.The situation prompted ex-players and football pundits to express shock with the development. Footballer-turned TV pundit Robbie Savage , who represented the Rovers from 2005 to 2008, tweeted: "Not long ago we were beating Chelsea to qualify for Europe, playing in semi finals. Tonight just 3448 fans at #rovers So so sad !"Another former English footballer, Stan Collymore also tweeted on the similar lines, using the hashtag #VENKYSOUT - "3448 at Rovers tonight. Hearing it's the lowest attendance in major domestic competition for 30 years (1986). Sad times. #VENKYSOUT"It follows after they registered their lowest attendance for a league game since November 1991 last Saturday against Burton Albion, when only 10,356 fans turned up to watch the weekend tie. And on Wednesday, The Rovers Trust - official supporters trust for the club - called on the Indian owners to put the club up for sale. It was the first time the Trust has formally asked for a change of ownership of the club, and the stance was approved by an overwhelming 97 percent of the responders.Rovers finished a disappointing 15th last season and this year they are at the bottom. With no signs of owners showing interest in reviving the club, it will be hard for the team to even remain in the Championship or retaining any player worth their calibre in the division. With the dwindling numbers of fans in the stadium, the revenue - both from the ticket sales and sponsorship - will soon dip substantially, leaving the club in debts, which has already reported to have exceeded 100 million pounds.