Blackburn Rovers Football Club was originally founded in 1875 and it is a team that currently is competing in the English Championship. For many years, it was part of the Premier League and even won the title on one occasion.
One of its main rivals as a club is Burnley, with the East Lancashire derby always being a highly anticipated game. This guide looks at the different aspects that make Blackburn Rovers the club it is today.
History of Blackburn Rovers
1875
The club was started in November 1875 and it became a part of the Lancashire Football Association in 1878 along with 22 other teams. It also took part in the FA Cup for the first time in 1879, getting to its first final in 1882. It won its first FA Cup two years later in 1884 after beating Queen’s Park. Blackburn Rovers was a founding member of the Football League in 1888.
1966
After the Second World War, Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the top flight and remained there for the next decade or so. They were relegated again in 1966, with promotion not coming again for another 26 years. They even dropped down to the Third Division at certain stages during the 1970s and 1980s.
1990
A lifelong supporter of the club and owner of a local steelworks company Jack Walker bought the club before the 1990/1991 season. He spent a lot of money to attract players and got Kenny Daglish in as manager. This saw Blackburn Rovers become a founding member of the Premier League in 1992/1993 after winning the Second Division play-off the previous season, bringing the team back to top-flight football for the first time in 26 years.
1993
The club continued to spend big on players, buying Alan Shearer in a then-record deal for £3.5 million. After being runner up in the Premier League in 1993/1994, Blackburn Rovers won the title the following season. The club never reached these heights again.
2010
Bought by the V H Group in 2010, relegated at the end of the 2011/2012 season. The club then got relegated from the Championship in the 2016/2017 season, getting promoted the following season back to the Championship.
Notable players over the years
Blackburn Rovers has been home to many great players over the years, particularly during its run during the first few seasons in the Premier League when the owners spent a lot of money to get the best talent into the team.
Established England internationals such as Alan Shearer and David Batty were key players during the Premier League winning season. Irish legend Kevin Moran was another key player, having moved away from the club just before it won the coveted title.
Around the turn of the century, young Irish winger Damien Duff was one of the team's standout players before moving to a star-studded Chelsea. Brad Friedel was a solid presence in goals for a number of years, racking up 290 appearances for Blackburn Rovers and even scoring a goal in 2004 against Charlton Athletic in the 90th minute from a corner.
Notable Honors
Blackburn Rovers has managed to win the premier title in English football on three occasions, including winning the Premier League in 1994/1995, adding to the titles it won in the old First Division back in 1911/1912 and 1913/1914. The club has won the Second Division and Third Division titles on one occasion.
Blackburn Rovers has been crowned as FA Cup champion six times, last doing so in the 1927/1928 season. It won a League Cup in 2001/2002 and a FA Community Shield in 1912. Finally, it has won the FA Youth Cup on one occasion and has been runner up three times over the past couple of decades.
Home ground
Ewood Park has been the home to Blackburn Rovers since 1882. The capacity is over 31,000 and the games are usually well attended, with Blackburn itself only having a total population of about 100,000 people.
Betting on Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers are still pushing to try to make it back to the Premier League. Their games are often exciting and present great betting opportunities. All sportsbooks will have betting markets on these games, allowing you to be to your favourite Blackburn Rovers players and games. To see what the best operators out there today are, you can check out the reviews on Roger.com.
