Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Full name	Blackburn Rovers Football Club
Nickname(s)	Rovers, Blue and Whites, Pride of Lancashire
Founded	1875
Ground	Ewood Park (Capacity: 31,367)
Chairman	John Williams
Manager	Paul Ince
League	Premier League
2007–08	Premier League, 7th
Home colours Away colours

Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. It is one of only three teams to be founder members of both the Football League and the Premier League, the others being Aston Villa and Everton. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (596x618, 32 KB)[edit] Licensing This is a logo of an organization, item, or event, and is protected by copyright and/or trademark. ... Football club names are a part of the sports culture, reflecting century-old traditions. ... This article is about the building type. ... Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and the home of Blackburn Rovers football club. ... Rungnado May Day Stadium is the worlds largest football stadium. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince (born 21 October 1967 in Ilford, London) is a football player who won numerous honours with Manchester United and became the first black player to captain the England team. ... For other sports leagues which may be referred to by this name, see list of professional sports leagues. ... The 2007–08 Premier League season (known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the sixteenth since its establishment. ... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... variation for Template:Football kit File links The following pages link to this file: Feyenoord Rotterdam AS Monaco FC Bristol Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers F.C. Woking F.C. A.C. Siena Categories: GFDL images | Football kit templates ... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... It has been suggested that replica shirt be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... football kit with red half File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... It has been suggested that replica shirt be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For the Scottish equivalent see Scottish Premier League The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership in England and the Barclays English Premier League or just simply The EPL internationally) is a league competition for football clubs located at the top of the English football league system... “Soccer” redirects here. ... This article is about the town in Lancashire, England. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ...

Blackburn Rovers Football Club was established in 1875, and in 1888 became a founding member of The Football League. In 1890 Rovers moved to its permanent home at Ewood Park. Until the formation of the Premier League in 1992, the majority of the club's success was pre-1930 when they won the league and FA Cup on several occasions, and their relegation in 1966 was followed by 26 successive seasons of football outside the top flight. The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1875 throughout the world. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1888 throughout the world. ... The Football League is a league competition featuring professional football clubs from England and Wales. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and the home of Blackburn Rovers football club. ... For the Scottish equivalent see Scottish Premier League The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership in England and the Barclays English Premier League or just simply The EPL internationally) is a league competition for football clubs located at the top of the English football league system... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the English FA Cup. ...

In 1992, Blackburn were promoted to the new Premier League a year after being taken over by local steel baron Jack Walker, who installed Kenny Dalglish as manager. In 1995, Blackburn became league champions, having spent millions of pounds on players like Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton But the title winning team was quickly split up and, in 1999, the club were relegated. They were promoted back to the Premiership two years later, just after Walker's death, and have been in the top flight ever since. During this time they have qualified for the UEFA Cup four times; once as League Cup winners, twice as the Premiership's sixth-placed team and once via the Intertoto Cup. “Tycoon” redirects here. ... For other people named Jack Walker, see Jack Walker (disambiguation). ... Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish MBE (born 4 March 1951 in Dalmarnock, Glasgow) is a former Scottish international football player. ... Alan Shearer, OBE (born 13 August 1970 in Gosforth) is a retired professional English footballer who played as a striker for the England national team and Premiership clubs, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United and is widely regarded as one of the best Center Forwards in FA Premier League and... Christopher Roy Sutton (born 10 March 1973 in Nottingham, England) is an English former footballer. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1999 throughout the world. ... The UEFA Intertoto Cup is a summer football competition for European clubs that have not qualified for one of the main UEFA competitions (the Champions League and the UEFA Cup). ...

The club's Latin motto "Arte et labore", which was used by the town council before the club were formed, literally translated means "by art and by labour". For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ...

The Jack Walker Stand during a match

History

This article or section may be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective. (June 2008)

Image File history File links Gnome_globe_current_event. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ...

The early years

The club Blackburn Rovers was the idea of John Lewis and Arthur Constantine during a seventeen-man meeting at the Leger Hotel, Blackburn on the 5th November 1875. The club's first secretary was Walter Duckworth, and Lewis was its first treasurer. Many of the initial members were wealthy and well-connected, and this helped the club survive and rise beyond the large number of other local teams around at the time. Blackburn has had a particular strong history of football, Rovers weren't the town's only side in the 19th century; other rivals included Blackburn Olympic F.C. (1883 winners of the FA Cup) and Blackburn Park Road F.C., among others. John Lewis (b. ... The Leger Hotel, in Mokelumne Hill, California is one of the oldest hotels still operating in California. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1875 throughout the world. ... This article is about the town in Lancashire, England. ... Blackburn Olympic were a football team which existed for about a decade in the 19th Century. ... This article is about the English FA Cup. ... Blackburn Park Road were a soccer team formed in 1875. ...

Leaflet advertising a Blackburn Rovers match on the 12th September, 1887 against 'The Wednesday' at Olive Grove.

The first match played by Blackburn Rovers took place in Church, Lancashire on 18 December, 1875 -- and was a 1-1 draw. Although the make-up of the team was not recorded it is generally thought to be: Thomas Greenwood (goal), Jack Baldwin, Fred Birtwistle, (full-backs), Arthur Thomas, J. T. Sycelmore (half-backs), Walter Duckworth, John Lewis, Thomas Dean, Arthur Constantine, Harry Greenwood, Ed Youngson (forwards), in a 2-2-6 formation. Download high resolution version (640x977, 45 KB)Leaflet advertising a Blackburn Rovers match on the 12th September, 1887 against The Wednesday. Creator: LET Date: Location: Grid Ref: Document Type: Print (Other) Description: Leaflet advertising a Blackburn Rovers match on the 12th September, 1887 against The Wednesday. Classification No: W136Blackburn Rovers... Download high resolution version (640x977, 45 KB)Leaflet advertising a Blackburn Rovers match on the 12th September, 1887 against The Wednesday. Creator: LET Date: Location: Grid Ref: Document Type: Print (Other) Description: Leaflet advertising a Blackburn Rovers match on the 12th September, 1887 against The Wednesday. Classification No: W136Blackburn Rovers... SWFC redirects here. ... Olive Grove was Sheffield Wednesday F.C.s first permanent football ground, home to the club for just over a decade at the end of the 19th Century. ... Church is a suburb of Accrington in the Hyndburn district of Lancashire, England, about a mile west of Accrington town centre. ... is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... John Lewis (b. ...

At the time, the club had no ground of its own and no gate receipts. The only income came from members' subscriptions, which totalled £2 8s 0d during the first season.

During the 1876–77 season, Rovers finally gained a ground of its own by renting a piece of farmland at Oozehead, on the west side of town facing Preston New Road. The ground was little more than a meadow with a pool in the middle that had to be covered with planks and turf for matches. But it did allow the club to collect gate receipts totalling 6s 6d for the season. Occasional games were also played at Pleasington Cricket Ground. The 1876-1877 season was the sixth season of competitive football in England. ... Oozehead was the name of the first home ground of Blackburn Rovers F.C., used in 1876-1877, the season after Rovers formation. ...

Subsequently Blackburn Rovers rented Alexandra Meadows, the home of the East Lancashire Cricket Club, for their matches. The inaugural game at Alexandra Meadows was played against Partick Thistle, the most prestigious club Rovers had played until then. The result was a 2–1 win for Blackburn, with two goals from Richard Birtwistle. East Lancashire Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at Alexandra Meadows in Blackburn. ... Partick Thistle Football Club is a Scottish professional football club from the city of Glasgow. ...

On 28 September 1878, Blackburn Rovers became one of 23 clubs to form the Lancashire Football Association. On 1 November, 1879 the club played in the F.A. Cup for the first time, beating the Tyne Association Football Club 5–1. Rovers were eventually put out of the competition in the third round after suffering a heavy 6–0 defeat by Nottingham Forest. is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1878 throughout the world. ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1879 throughout the world. ... This article is about the English football club. ...

Controversy erupted during 1880 when the club used players not from Blackburn to fill in for unavailable team members — this violated what, at the time, was considered an important principle of the LFA. The situation became worse at the start of the 1881 season when a Darwen player transferred to Blackburn Rovers. The move caused a great deal of bitterness between the clubs and local populations. Accusations of professionalism began to fly, with Darwen accusing Blackburn Rovers of offering the player in question, Fergie Suter, improved terms. However, Suter had initially moved to Darwen from Scotland and given up his trade as stonemason to play for the club. So the professional/amateur divide was already blurred. Nevertheless, subsequent matches between Blackburn Rovers and Darwen were fractious affairs both on and off the pitch. The teams were drawn against each other in the fourth round of the Lancashire Cup, and the clubs refused to agree on a date for the match. As a result the LFA ejected both teams from the competition. This type of controversy would only be resolved five years later in 1885 with the legalisation of professionalism. The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1880 throughout the world. ... Darwen F.C. are a football club from Darwen in the north west of England. ... Fergus Suter, Blackburn Rovers full-back, from 1880 to 1889 Fergus Suter (or Fergie Suter) was a former stonemason and footballer in the early days of the game in the United Kingdom during the 19th century. ... The art and craft of the stonemason has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures and sculpture using stone and other raw materials from the earth. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1885 throughout the world. ...

During the 1881–82 season, the club continued to rent the facilities at Alexandra Meadows, but began to look towards a move elsewhere. As the leading club in the area, it was felt that Rovers needed its own ground. A ground was leased at Leamington Street and £500 was spent on a new grandstand capable of seating 600-700 spectators. Boards were placed around the pitch to help prevent a repeat of the crowd troubles with Darwen, and a large ornate entrance arch was erected bearing the name of the club and ground. The 1881-1882 season was the eleventh season of competitive football in England. ... , Darwen is a market town in Lancashire, England extending onto the West Pennine Moors. ...

Blackburn Rovers cup winners in 1883–84. The first FA Cup win for the team. The photograph includes the East Lancashire Charity Cup; the FA Cup and the Lancashire Cup. Back row (left to right): J. M. Lofthouse, H. McIntrye, J. Beverly, Kurt Edwards, F. Suter, J. Forrest, R. Birtwistle (umpire) Front row (left to right): J. Douglas, J. E. Sowerbutts, J. Brown, G. Avery, J. Hargreaves.

On 25 March 1882 the club won through to the final of the F.A. Cup against the Old Etonians. Blackburn Rovers was the first provincial team to reach the final, but the result was a 1–0 defeat by the Old Etonians. There was no repeat of the previous season's success during the 1882–83 season, when Rovers suffered a bitter defeat 1–0 at the hands of Darwen in the second-round. Local rivals Blackburn Olympic went on to be the first provincial team to actually win the F.A. Cup. Rovers finally won the F.A. Cup on 29 March 1884 at the Kennington Oval, with a 2–1 victory over the Scottish team Queen's Park F.C. Had it not been for this cup success the club would have folded leaving Blackburn Olympic the primary team in Blackburn. The same teams played the F.A. Cup final again the next season, with Blackburn Rovers again emerging victorious, with a 2–0 score. Rovers repeated this success yet again the next season, winning the final against West Bromwich Albion. For this three-in-a-row of F.A. Cup victories, the club was awarded a specially commissioned silver shield and given the unique privilege of displaying the club crest on its corner flags. Blackburn Rovers cup winners in 1883-1884. ... Blackburn Rovers cup winners in 1883-1884. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1882 throughout the world. ... The Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College. ... Blackburn Olympic were a football team which existed for about a decade in the 19th Century. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The famous gasometers, which are now listed buildings. ... Queens Park Football Club is a famous Scottish football team, and is the oldest football club in Scotland[1], founded in 1867. ... West Bromwich Albion Football Club (also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or W.B.A.) are an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands. ...

The 1885–86 season was the birth of the legal professional footballer, and Blackburn Rovers spent £615 on player wages for the season. Despite the new professionalism, it was a disappointing season for the club — an unusually high number of defeats would culminate in Rovers losing its three-year grip on the F.A. Cup when it lost 2–0 in the second round to the Scottish club Renton on 4 December 1886 at the Leamington Street ground. Further defeats followed in the other major cups that season. The 1885-1886 season was the fifteenth season of competitive football (soccer) in England. ... Renton Football Club was a prominent team in the early history of Scottish football. ... is the 338th day of the year (339th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The Football League and Ewood Park

On 2 March 1888, William McGregor, a Birmingham shopkeeper and a committee member of Aston Villa Football Club, sent a letter to five clubs — Blackburn Rovers among them — suggesting that twelve of the leading clubs should organise a series of home and away matches between themselves. With the introduction of professional players, it seemed natural that better organisation should be brought to the complex and chaotic system of friendly and competitive matches prevalent at the time. On 22 March 1888 John Birtwistle represented Blackburn Rovers at a meeting of a number of clubs at the Anderton Hotel in London. This meeting, and subsequent ones, led to the creation of the Football League, with Blackburn Rovers as part of it. Rovers finished the inaugural season of the league in fourth place, and unbeaten at home.-1... Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the British city. ... Aston Villa Football Club play at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. ... is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Blackburn Rovers again reached the F.A. Cup final on 29 March 1890 at the Kennington Oval. The club claimed the trophy, for the fourth time, by beating Sheffield Wednesday a hefty 6-1 — with left forward William Townley scoring three goals and becoming the first player to achieve a hat-trick in the F.A. Cup final. The summer of 1890 brought yet another significant event in the history of Blackburn Rovers with the decision to move again. The choice of new home was Ewood Park, and it remained the club's home for the next century or more. is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... SWFC redirects here. ... William Townley in his earlier years William Townley, (born February 14, 1866, died May 30, 1950 in Blackpool, England), was an English football (soccer) player and coach. ... In sports, a hat-trick (more often rendered in North America as hat trick, without the hyphen) is associated with achieving something in a group of three. ...

Main article: Ewood Park

F.A. Cup winning side of the 1890-91 season

Ewood Park was built in 1882, the idea of four local businessmen, and it had hosted a number of sporting events. In 1890 Blackburn Rovers purchased the ground and spent a further £1000 on refurbishments to bring it up to standard. The first match was played on 13 September 1890 against Accrington, with a 0-0 draw result. Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and the home of Blackburn Rovers football club. ... Blackburn Rovers group shot from 1890-1891. ... Blackburn Rovers group shot from 1890-1891. ... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... Accrington Football Club were one of the founder members of the Football League in England. ...

The 1890-1891 season saw Blackburn Rovers win the F.A. Cup for fifth time against Notts County F.C. with a 3-1 victory — but this success marked beginning of a downturn in the fortunes of the club, and a long lean period would follow. During the 1896-1897 season the club stayed in the first division only as the result of a decision to increase the number of teams. The season did, however, mark the beginning of Bob Crompton's 50-year association with the club, both as a player and eventually as an F.A. Cup winning manager. Notts County Football Club is a football club based in Nottingham, England, and are the oldest of all the clubs that are now professional[1]. The team currently plays in Football League Two, of the Coca-Cola league section of the English football league system. ... Robert Bob Crompton (26th September 1879 - 16th March 1941) was a former Blackburn Rovers F.C. and England football player. ...

The final years of the 19th century brought little success for Blackburn Rovers and several narrow escapes from relegation.

Early 20th century

Blackburn Rovers continued to struggle during the early years of the 20th century, but the results began a gradual improvement. Major renovations were made to Ewood Park: in 1905 the Darwen End was covered at a cost of £1680 and the new Nuttall Stand was opened on New Year's Day 1907. During the first three decades of the 20th century, Blackburn Rovers were still considered a top side in the English league. They were league champions in 1912 and 1914, and F.A Cup winners in 1928, but the F.A Cup win was their last major trophy for nearly 70 years.

Mid 20th century

Blackburn Rovers maintained a respectable mid-table position in the First Division until they were finally relegated (along with Aston Villa) from the top flight (for the first time since the foundation of the league) in the 1935-36 season. Their final match prior to relegation was a triumph. By the last game of the season, they were already certain to be relegated, but at Villa Park, they beat the home side, thus dragging the only other team of the original Football League who had never been relegated, Aston Villa, with them. They struggled in the second division for the next two seasons, until winning the Second Division title in the final season before the war.

When the league resumed after the war, Blackburn Rovers were relegated in their second season (1947-48) and remained in the second division for the following ten years. After promotion in 1958, they again returned to the mid-table position they had occupied in the earlier part of the century. During this time, they seldom made a serious challenge for a major trophy - although they did reach the 1960 FA Cup final. Rovers lost this game 3-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers after playing most of the game with only 10 men on the field. Full back Dave Whelan was lost during the game to a broken leg, the game being played in the days before substitutes were allowed. Despite losing, cup final man of the match was future Scotland manager Ally MacLeod (left winger MacLeod scored 47 goals in 193 appearances for Rovers). During the 1960s Blackburn Rovers had several players who made it into national teams. They were again relegated from the First Division in 1966 and began a 26-year exile from the top division. For the former St Mirren and Hibernian player (born 1951), see Ally McLeod Alistair (Ally) Reid MacLeod (26 February 1931 – 1 February 2004) was a Scottish professional football player. ...

1970s and 1980s: More frustration

During the 1970s, Blackburn Rovers bounced between the Second and Third Divisions, winning the Third Division title in 1975, but never mounted a challenge for promotion to the First Division despite the efforts of successive managers to put the club back on track. They went up as runners up in the Third Division in 1980 and have remained in the upper two tiers of the English league ever since. In 1988-89 they mounted their first serious promotion challenge for many years, and reached the Second Division playoff final in its last-ever season of the home-away two-legged format - but lost to Crystal Palace. A defeat in the 1989-90 Second Division playoff semi-finals brought more frustration to Ewood Park, but the following season saw the club taken over by local steelworks owner and lifelong supporter Jack Walker (1929-2000).

1990s: The Jack Walker revolution

Back at the top (1991-1994)

Jack Walker's takeover was too late to save Rovers from finishing a dismal 19th in the Second Division at the end of the 1990-91 season, but the new owner had made millions of pounds available to spend on new players. Blackburn Rovers began the 1991-92 season with Don Mackay still manager, but he was soon sacked to make way for Kenny Dalglish - who had resigned as Liverpool manager some months earlier, after a six-year spell in charge had yielded five major trophies. Dalglish made several substantial signings during the season. After his appointment Rovers climbed the league, eventually opening up a significant gap at the top of the table. It seemed a foregone conclusion that Rovers would win the Second Division title, but an unexpected twist followed. Rovers lost six games in a row, causing them to fall out of the play-off places, but Rovers fought back and a 3-1 victory at Plymouth got Rovers to the final play off place. The club had got to the play-offs three times previously without success. The semi-final was against Derby County but Blackburn Rovers got off to a bad start as Derby went into a two nil lead. Rovers recovered strongly in the second half to win 4-2. A 2-1 Derby win in the second leg couldn't stop Blackburn Rovers reaching the play-off final at Wembley where they beat Leicester City 1-0 thanks to a Mike Newell penalty. Newell, a former Leicester striker, had missed most of the 1991-92 season due to a broken leg, but his stylish comeback was enough to book Blackburn Rovers place in the new Premier League for 1992-93 - ending 26 years outside the top flight. For other people named Jack Walker, see Jack Walker (disambiguation). ... The 1990-91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England. ... The 1991-92 season was the 112th season of competitive football in England. ... Don Mackay managed Fulham Football Club for three seasons in the early 90s. ... Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish MBE (born 4 March 1951 in Dalmarnock, Glasgow) is a former Scottish international football player. ... Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside, who play in the Premier League; they are historically the most successful club in the history of English football, having won more trophies than any other English club. ... In the Football League and English Conference, a Play-Off system is used to determine who the last team to be promoted from that league will be. ... For the new stadium, see Wembley Stadium. ... Michael Newell (born January 27, 1965, Liverpool, England) is an English football manager and former player currently in charge at Luton Town, for whom he also played in the late 1980s. ... Leicester City Football Club, (also known as The Foxes) is an English professional football club based in the city of Leicester. ...

Rovers made headlines in the summer of 1992 by paying an English record fee of £3.5million for the 22-year-old Southampton and England centre forward Alan Shearer. Other expensive signings during the 1992-93 season included Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux, Middlesbrough winger Stuart Ripley and Coventry striker Kevin Gallacher. An impressive Blackburn side remained in the title challenge for most of the season before finishing fourth in the final table, that season not quite enough for UEFA Cup place. Leeds midfielder David Batty and Southampton goalkeeper Tim Flowers were two key signings who helped Blackburn progress in 1993-94 and finish Premiership runners-up to arch rivals Manchester United. Rovers broke the English transfer fee record again a few weeks later when paying Norwich City £5million for 21-year-old striker Chris Sutton. Sutton's prolific striking partnership with Alan Shearer would be dubbed the "SAS", an acronym for "Sutton and Shearer" and the elite British special forces unit the SAS. Blackburn Rovers scored the 1000th goal in Premier League history. Mike Newell was on target in April 1993 in a 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest. Alan Shearer, OBE (born 13 August 1970 in Gosforth) is a retired professional English footballer who played as a striker for the England national team and Premiership clubs, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United and is widely regarded as one of the best Center Forwards in FA Premier League and... The 1992-1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Graeme Pierre Le Saux (born October 17, 1968 in Jersey) is a retired English footballer who played as a left back, though he was also skillful and pacy enough to move into midfield or even the left wing. ... Middlesbrough Football Club (commonly known as Boro) are an English football club based in Middlesbrough. ... Stuart Edward Ripley (born November 20, 1967 in Middlesbrough) is a retired English football player who made his name with Middlesbrough in the late 1980s before achieving success in a move to Blackburn Rovers by winning a Premiership medal in the 1994-95 season and becoming a cult hero. ... Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, is an association football club based in Coventry, England. ... Kevin Gallacher (born November 23, 1966 in Clydebank, Scotland) is a former professional footballer and now a sports pundit. ... The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. ... For the Australian Rules position, see Midfielder (Australian Rules). ... David Batty (born December 2, 1968 in Leeds, England) is a professional football (soccer) player who plays in a midfield position. ... Southampton Football Club is a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. ... Timothy Tim David Flowers (born February 3, 1967 in Kenilworth, Warwickshire) is an English retired football goalkeeper. ... The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England. ... MUFC redirects here. ... Christopher Roy Sutton (born 10 March 1973 in Nottingham, England) is an English former footballer. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Backronym and Apronym (Discuss) Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations, such as NATO, laser, and ABC, written as the initial letter or letters of words, and pronounced on the basis of this abbreviated written form. ... SAS in their armed jeeps, during the North African campaign The Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. ...

Premiership Champions (1994-1995)

Early exits from the UEFA Cup, F.A Cup and League Cup were frustrating for Rovers in 1994-95, but turned out for the best as they could concentrate on the league and the challenge with arch rivals Manchester United for the Premiership title. During the season Blackburn Rovers suffered two highly controversial defeats to Manchester United. Firstly Henning Berg was wrongly sent off at Ewood Park with Rovers leading 1-0 as TV replays clearly showed he had won the ball from Lee Sharpe, with Eric Cantona equalising with the resulting penalty and Manchester United going on to win 4-2, and secondly an equaliser from captain Tim Sherwood was disallowed controversially at Old Trafford when Alan Shearer was ruled to have fouled Roy Keane in the build up, with United taking the game 1-0. Rovers led for most of the season but a 2-1 defeat at Dalglish's old club Liverpool on the final day of the season looked to have blown the club's dreams to pieces. But the news came through that their arch rivals Manchester United could only manage a 1-1 draw at West Ham United and the league title was back at the famous Blackburn Rovers for the first time since 1914. Jack Walker's dream had come true: within five years of buying the club, he had taken them from strugglers in the old Second Division to champions of the Premier League. The 1994-1995 season was the 115th season of competitive football in England. ... Henning Berg (born September 1, 1969 in Eidsvoll) is a former Norweigan football player, currently the manager of FC Lyn Oslo. ... Éric Daniel Pierre Cantona (born 24 May 1966 in Paris raised in Marseille) is a French former footballer of the late 1980s and 1990s. ... Tim Sherwood (born 02 February 1969 in St Albans, England) is a professional footballer. ... Roy Maurice Keane (born 10 August 1971 in Mayfield, Cork City, Ireland) is an Irish former professional footballer and the current manager of English Premier League club Sunderland. ... Current season West Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London, and have played their home matches at the 35,303 capacity Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904. ...

Ray Harford era (1995-1997)

Kenny Dalglish moved upstairs to the position of Director of Football at the end of the championship season, and handed over the reins to his assistant Ray Harford (1945-2003). Ray Harford (June 1, 1945 - August 9, 2003) was an English footballer, better known for his successes as a coach and manager than as a player. ...

Blackburn Rovers made a poor start to the 1995-96 season, and found themselves in the bottom half for most of the first half of the season. Rovers also struggled in the Champions League and finished bottom of their group with just four points. A 7-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on the day of the official opening of the redeveloped Ewood Park and a 4-1 win over Rosenborg (including a nine minute Mike Newell hat-trick, which is still the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history) were two highlights of an otherwise disappointing seasons. Alan Shearer was instrumental again, becoming the first striker to score more than 30 Premiership goals in three successive seasons. Blackburn Rovers improved as the season went on, finishing seventh in the Premiership and narrowly missing out on a UEFA Cup place. The 1995-1996 season was the 116th season of competitive football in England. ... UEFA Champions League, which replaced the European Champions Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ... Michael Newell (born January 27, 1965, Liverpool, England) is an English football manager and former player currently in charge at Luton Town, for whom he also played in the late 1980s. ...

Alan Shearer was top goalscorer at Euro 96 and was linked to domestic and international clubs. The main talk in the national media was of Shearer joining hated rivals Manchester United. Blackburn Rovers, Alan Shearer (many Rovers fans didn't forgive Shearer for several years due to his denials) and the Lancashire Evening Telegraph constantly slammed the rumours especially the links with Manchester United. Local journalist Peter White stated that the club should never be forgiven should Shearer be allowed to join Manchester United.

However Shearer was sold to hometown club Newcastle United for a then world record fee of £15million in the summer of 1996, and Rovers were unable to find a suitable replacement. For the Australian club, see Newcastle United Jets. ...

It was clear that while Shearer was allowed to join Newcastle that Jack Walker would never have allowed him to join Manchester United. The chairman of Manchester United, Martin Edwards admitted this.

A terrible start to the 1996-97 Premiership campaign saw Harford resign in late October with the club bottom of the division, having failed to win any of their first ten games. Relegation looked a real possibility, just two seasons after winning the league. The club immediately began the process of recruiting his replacement. ^[3] The 1996-1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England. ...

• Manchester City.{ Meanwhile caretaker manager Tony Parkes turned the club's fortunes around and they eventually finished in a secure 13th place in the final table.

On 16 December 1996 with Rovers hovering above the relegation zone, it was announced at an Ewood Park press conference that Sven-Göran Eriksson had signed an "unconditional contract" with Rovers to take over as manager at the end of the season on 1 July 1997 when his contract with Italian Serie A club U.C. Sampdoria expired. The Swede had already visited Ewood Park and the club training facilities at Brockhall as well as sending representatives to watch Rovers' Premiership clashes on his behalf. Tony Parkes is the former assistant manager of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. ...   (IPA: , born 7 April 1948) is a association football manager, currently with Manchester City F.C. of the English Premier League. ... This article is about the Italian football league. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and the home of Blackburn Rovers football club. ... Brockhall is a village in Lancashire and home to the training facilites for Blackburn Rovers F.C. External links Directions to Brockhall from Blackburn Rovers website. ...

The signing of a high-profile manager (Eriksson had won the UEFA Cup, Portuguese Championship and Coppa Italia with previous clubs) was seen as exactly what was required. "We set out our stall to bring in a top man with experience of football on the continent if possible and we believe we have done just that" commented club chairman Robert Coar The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... The Portuguese Liga (pron. ... The Coppa Italia trophy - Coppa in Italian meaning Cup - representing the tournaments title. ...

It was hoped that the signing of Eriksson would usher in a new era of success after the continuing difficulties following Ray Harford's disappointing tenure as manager. "Not only do I want us to be a top club in this country, I want European football to be the norm for us", said club owner Jack Walker. "If we get support as high as we want it and the public back us in every way they can then we could even consider [redeveloping] the Walkersteel Stand".^[4] Ray Harford (June 1, 1945 - August 9, 2003) was an English footballer, better known for his successes as a coach and manager than as a player. ... For other people named Jack Walker, see Jack Walker (disambiguation). ... Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and the home of Blackburn Rovers football club. ...

Eriksson's move to Lancashire would not come to fruition, however. Eriksson went back on his word much to the anger of Jack Walker. He would instead go on to join Lazio in 1997, with whom he would later win the Italian Championship and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to SS Lazio or simply Lazio, is an Italian professional sports club most noted for its football section, founded in 1900 and based in Rome. ... This article is about the Italian football league. ... The UEFA Cup Winners Cup (also known as the European Cup Winners Cup) was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. ...

Renewed Hope & Downfall (1997-1999)

Roy Hodgson joined the club from Inter Milan in the summer of 1997, and appeared to have had a positive effect on the club. He marked his arrival with the signings of highly rated Swedish striker Martin Dahlin and promising defender Stephane Henchoz. Rovers were one of the league's most entertaining sides, scoring 57 goals in 38 games, including seven in one game against Sheffield Wednesday at Ewood Park. Chris Sutton and Kevin Gallacher led a prolific attack, and were able to help the team overcome the disappointing form of Dahlin, who struggled with a back injury. UEFA cup football was secured with a 6th place finish, and there were plenty of entertaining games, such as a 4-3 defeat to Leeds which saw all 7 goals coming within the first 32 minutes, and a 5-3 success over Leicester at Ewood Park. Although some of these results went against them, it summed up Hodgson's newly installed attacking ideology. With European football coming up, and the prospect of a title challenge on the horizon, things looked promising at the start of the 1998/99 season. Roy Hodgson (born August 9, 1947) is an English football manager. ... Martin Dahlin (born April 16, 1968, in Lund) is a Swedish football player. ... Stéphane Henchoz (born September 7, 1974 in Billens, Switzerland) is a Swiss international footballer who is a defender with Celtic in Glasgow. ... Sheffield Wednesday are a football club in the English Football League. ... Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and the home of Blackburn Rovers football club. ... Christopher Roy Sutton (born 10 March 1973 in Nottingham, England) is an English former footballer. ... Kevin Gallacher (born November 23, 1966 in Clydebank, Scotland) is a former professional footballer and now a sports pundit. ... Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. ... Leicester City Football Club, (also known as The Foxes) is an English professional football club based in the city of Leicester. ...

However, Rovers made a poor start to the campaign and Hodgson was sacked in December following a 2-0 home defeat to bottom side Southampton, a result that locked Rovers in the relegation zone. A series of injuries to key players, such as Tim Flowers and Sutton, combined with the failure of a number of costly signings, meant the Ewood Park side were firmly in trouble. The £7.5m signing of young Southampton striker Kevin Davies was a disaster, with Davies only netting once, against Charlton in a rare win, in 24 games. To make matters worse, team captain and midfield enforcer Tim Sherwood was sold to Tottenham Hotspur, leaving the side without a leader. Brian Kidd, the hugely successful Manchester United assistant manager, was named as Hodgson's successor. The popular coach had initial good success, taking his team out of the relegation zone and winning the Manager of the Month award for February. However, the turning point was a bitterly disappointing 3-3 draw versus Southampton at the Dell, when they had led 3-1. The club slipped away, despite a memorable and morale raising 3-0 away win at Aston Villa, and relegation was confirmed with a scoreless draw at home to Manchester United in the penultimate game of the season. Kidd was left with a battered and bloated squad, with the club having spent heavily and desperately over the campaign. Nathan Blake, Christian Dailly, Jason McAteer, Keith Gillespie, Sebastien Perez and Lee Carsley, mid season arrivals all, had failed to impress. So, just 4 years after lifting the Premiership title, Blackburn Rovers were now back in the second tier of English Football. They are, to date, the only side to both win and be relegated from the English Premier League. Southampton Football Club is a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. ... Timothy Tim David Flowers (born February 3, 1967 in Kenilworth, Warwickshire) is an English retired football goalkeeper. ... Southampton Football Club is a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. ... This article is about the football player. ... Current season Charlton Athletic Football Club (also known as The Addicks) is a professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. ... Tim Sherwood (born 02 February 1969 in St Albans, England) is a professional footballer. ... Current season Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is an English professional football club which currently plays in the Premier League. ... Brian Kidd (born 29 May 1949, Collyhurst, Manchester) is an English former professional footballer, who since his retirement has worked as both a coach and manager. ... Southampton Football Club is a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. ... MUFC redirects here. ... Nathan Alexander Blake (born 27 January 1972, Cardiff) is a Welsh former professional footballer, who played in the English Premier League for several clubs and also represented his country at international level. ... Christian Edward Dailly (born October 23, 1973 in Dundee, Scotland), is a Scottish professional football player. ... Jason Wynn McAteer (b. ... Keith Robert Gillespie (born 18 February 1975 in Larne, County Antrim) is a Northern Irish professional footballer, who plays in midfield. ... Lee Carsley (born February 28, 1974 in Birmingham, England) is a professional football player for Everton, and who represents the Republic of Ireland internationally (his grandmother is from Dunmanway, Co. ...

The new millennium

Fighting for a comeback

1999–00 was a massive disappointment for Rovers, who began the season as promotion favourites. Brian Kidd was sacked in October with the club hovering just above the Division One relegation zone, and first-team coach Tony Parkes was named caretaker manager once again. Parkes was eventually given the job on full-time time basis until the end of the season, but only remained in charge until March when the club appointed Graeme Souness as their new manager. Jack Walker died just after the start of the 2000–01, and the club dedicated its promotion challenge in memory of their benefactor. Promotion was achieved at the end of 2000–01, as Division One runners-up, behind Fulham F.C. Blackburn Rovers relied on the form of their young stars Matt Jansen, Damien Duff and David Dunn and on the performances of goalkeeper Brad Friedel, whom Souness had previously coached at Galatasaray and whom he signed on a free transfer when he arrived at Rovers. They returned to the Premiership with a strong team and hopes of returning to their best. The 1999-2000 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England. ... Brian Kidd (born 29 May 1949, Collyhurst, Manchester) is an English former professional footballer, who since his retirement has worked as both a coach and manager. ... Tony Parkes is the former assistant manager of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. ... Graeme James Souness (IPA: []) (born 6 May 1953 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager. ... For other people named Jack Walker, see Jack Walker (disambiguation). ... The 2000-2001 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England. ... Jansen celebrates Blackburns League Cup final victory in 2002 Matt Jansen (born October 20, 1977 in Carlisle, England) is an English football player who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers. ... Damien Anthony Duff (born March 2, 1979 in Ballyboden, Dublin) is an Irish footballer. ... David John Ian Dunn (born December 27, 1979 in Great Harwood, England) is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers as a midfielder. ... Bradley (Brad) Howard Friedel (born May 18, 1971 in Lakewood, Ohio) is an American international football (soccer) goalkeeper who plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League. ... Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (in English: Galatasaray Sports Club) or Galatasaray SK is a Turkish sports club based in Ä°stanbul which is most famous for its football section. ...

Return and Cup Glory

In 2001–02, the club marked their first season back in the Premiership with a tenth-place finish and their record signing, an £8m swoop for Manchester United's Andy Cole. More significantly, Blackburn Rovers won their first-ever League Cup by beating Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff - where Cole proved his worth by scoring the winning goal in the 69th minute after Matt Jansen had put Rovers in front. The Jansen and Cole partnership excited the Ewood Park faithful after the latter's arrival in January, and both were disappointed not to make the 2002 England World Cup squad. Before the season began, Turkish playmaker Tugay Kerimoglu, Italian hotshot Corrado Grabbi and full back Lucas Neill were signed to strengthen an already solid squad. With David Dunn and Damien Duff both shining, the season was a memorable one. A mid season slump during the Worthington Cup campaign was arrested, and despite the poor form of new boy Grabbi, the team established themselves as a strong side of high entertainment value. This was underlined by another seven goal haul, as they destroyed West Ham United in October. Their cup success meant a place in the UEFA Cup for 2002-03. The 2001-2002 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England. ... MUFC redirects here. ... Andrew Alexander Andy Cole (born 15 October 1971 in Nottingham) is an English footballer, who is one of the highest scoring players in the games history. ... The Carling Cup Trophy The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition. ... Current season Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is an English professional football club which currently plays in the Premier League. ... The Millennium Stadium (Welsh: Stadiwm y Mileniwm), is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital Cardiff, and is used primarily for rugby union and football home internationals. ... Jansen celebrates Blackburns League Cup final victory in 2002 Matt Jansen (born October 20, 1977 in Carlisle, England) is an English football player who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Corrado Grabbi also credited as Ciccio Grabbi was born 29 July 1975 in Turin and is an Italian football player. ... Lucas Neill (born March 9, 1978 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player who currently plays for West Ham United, and most often plays at right-back or centre-back. ... David John Ian Dunn (born December 27, 1979 in Great Harwood, England) is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers as a midfielder. ... Damien Anthony Duff (born March 2, 1979 in Ballyboden, Dublin) is an Irish footballer. ... The Carling Cup Trophy The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition. ... Current season West Ham United Football Club is an English football club based in Upton Park, London Borough of Newham, East London, and have played their home matches at the 35,303 capacity Boleyn Ground stadium since 1904. ... The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... The 2002-2003 season was the 123rd season of competitive football (soccer) in England, from August 2002 to July 2003: // England national team Key: ECQ = 2004 European Championship qualifiers, F = Friendly; scores are written England first European club competitions UEFA Champions League Manchester United - Quarter finals Arsenal - Second group phase...

The following season, Souness signed Dwight Yorke from Manchester United, thus reuniting the Trinidad & Tobago international with former United strike partner Cole, a duo which had been massively successful for Manchester United during the late nineties. The signing was equally necessary though, as Matt Jansen was involved in a motor cycle accident during pre-season that left him with serious head injuries. He would play little part in the campaign. The lack of form from Grabbi and Egil Ostenstad, coupled with the retirement of veteran Mark Hughes meant new attackers were needed. Blackburn Rovers progress continued as they finished sixth on the last day, with an impressive 4–0 win away at Tottenham, to qualify for the UEFA Cup for the second season running. Again it was Duff and Dunn who shone brightest, while goalkeeper Brad Friedel was one of the league's best players, as the American stopper provided a series of vital and breathtaking performances throughout the season. Highlights including a league double over defending champions Arsenal, a deserved victory over Manchester United at home, and the 5-2 thrashing of Newcastle United. The signing of legendary Turkish striker Hakan Sukur in December proved their growing calibre and prestige. However, the club had to be content with a disappointing exit from the UEFA Cup to eventual finalists Celtic, and the form of Yorke and Cole in attack was not as good as expected. Despite this, the club went into the 2003-04 with great expectations. This article is about Dwight Yorke, the football player. ... MUFC redirects here. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Jansen celebrates Blackburns League Cup final victory in 2002 Matt Jansen (born October 20, 1977 in Carlisle, England) is an English football player who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers. ... Egil Johan Østenstad (born January 2, 1972 in Haugesund), nicknamed Østen, is a Norwegian director of football and former player at Viking. ... This article is about the Welsh footballer. ... The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Bradley (Brad) Howard Friedel (born May 18, 1971 in Lakewood, Ohio) is an American international football (soccer) goalkeeper who plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League. ... Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. ... MUFC redirects here. ... For the Australian soccer club see Newcastle United (Australia). ... Categories: Football (soccer) stubs | 1971 births | Turkish people | Turkish sportspeople | Turkish footballers ... The UEFA Cup (also known as European Cup 3, CE3 or C3) is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club