3412Champion
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Before 2016 and Vardy's season long party, one name stood out among the rest on the list of Premier League Champions. Blackburn Rovers is not a club synonymous with silverware or prestige. However, in the mid-1990's they made headlines with then owner-Jack Walker's decision to bank-roll a series of high profile British transfers. Players such as Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer were brought in for 5m and 3.5m respectively - eye-watering sums for the era. They even broke the British transfer record for a goalkeeper, bringing in Tim Flowers for 2.4m.
In the proceeding years, Blackburn went on to become a serious competitor in the domestic game. The brilliant strike partnership of SAS (Shear and Sutton) and the managerial prowess of Kenny Dalglish, combined with a brilliant team work ethic led the Rovers to the 1994/1995 Premier League title, piping the great Manchester United to the top by a single point.
Sadly, the good times would not continue in the North-West. The highest they placed in the next few years was 6th, before a 19th place in 1999 landed them with relegation to the First Division. There was a resurgence after 2001 were they managed Premier League survival for 11 years until 2012 where, after a cataclysmic season and a haul of a mere 31 points, the 2nd tier of English Football beckoned once again. After a poor showing in the next few years, Blackburn were eventually relegated to Division One in 2017. Fortunately, they achieved automatic promotion a season later, and are now about to start the new season in the Championship.
Despite the obvious achievement of promotion, at the start of the 18/19 season the owners of Blackburn made the difficult decision to part ways with experienced manager Tony Mowbray and replace him with a relative newbie of the managerial game - Justin d'Agar. Even with a international reputation, forged during his playing days with Manchester United, it was not well received by the fans.
The owners, Venkys, were impressed with d'Agar's passion and vision for the future of Blackburn Football Club. He plans to tap into the spirit and ethos of the heroes of 1995 and create a mainly home-grown hardworking team. However, this foundation is to be coupled with fast, modern wing play, using 3 central defenders to allow wide men to soar forward, delivering cross field passes into space or early crosses into the box.
Plans to seek promotion to the Premier League by the 19/20 season have been promised to be financially supported by the owners, but only time will tell if they made the right decision.
In the proceeding years, Blackburn went on to become a serious competitor in the domestic game. The brilliant strike partnership of SAS (Shear and Sutton) and the managerial prowess of Kenny Dalglish, combined with a brilliant team work ethic led the Rovers to the 1994/1995 Premier League title, piping the great Manchester United to the top by a single point.
Sadly, the good times would not continue in the North-West. The highest they placed in the next few years was 6th, before a 19th place in 1999 landed them with relegation to the First Division. There was a resurgence after 2001 were they managed Premier League survival for 11 years until 2012 where, after a cataclysmic season and a haul of a mere 31 points, the 2nd tier of English Football beckoned once again. After a poor showing in the next few years, Blackburn were eventually relegated to Division One in 2017. Fortunately, they achieved automatic promotion a season later, and are now about to start the new season in the Championship.
Despite the obvious achievement of promotion, at the start of the 18/19 season the owners of Blackburn made the difficult decision to part ways with experienced manager Tony Mowbray and replace him with a relative newbie of the managerial game - Justin d'Agar. Even with a international reputation, forged during his playing days with Manchester United, it was not well received by the fans.
The owners, Venkys, were impressed with d'Agar's passion and vision for the future of Blackburn Football Club. He plans to tap into the spirit and ethos of the heroes of 1995 and create a mainly home-grown hardworking team. However, this foundation is to be coupled with fast, modern wing play, using 3 central defenders to allow wide men to soar forward, delivering cross field passes into space or early crosses into the box.
Plans to seek promotion to the Premier League by the 19/20 season have been promised to be financially supported by the owners, but only time will tell if they made the right decision.