The Rovers Return

Michel Salgado celebrates his first goal for Rovers.

Headline copyright Richard Boardman (2009)

Rovers showed their class by brushing aside Championship strugglers Peterborough to avoid any cup embarrassment and progress through to the League Cup quarter finals.

Despite having players quarantined because of the swine flu illness that swept through the side, goals from Pedersen, Reid, Salgado, McCarthy and Kalinic ensured an entertaining cup tie ended in success for Rovers.

It’s great to see all of those names on the scoresheet.

Pedersen finally reminding us what he’s capable of from a dead ball situation. Reidy grabbing himself one, despite it being a penalty, after all that has been said in the press recently. Salgado has been far from impressive so far, but his goal that restored Rovers lead after we’d been pegged back twice was a lovely finish from a tight angle. Benni hasn’t featured much this season but his goal showed he’s still got the finishing touch. While £6-million future of Croatian football Nikola Kalinic finally got on the scoresheet (yes, another penalty) which should work wonders for his confidence!

It was also good to throw all those smug comments from Fergie Jnr well-and-truly back in his face.

On top of that, Sam was able to run the rule over a number of fringe players, whether he wanted to or not. Jason Brown, Michel Salgado, Phil Jones, Martin Olsson, Junior Hoilett, Brett Emerton, Steven Reid, Benni McCarthy and Nikola Kalinic all started the game. Read more »

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From the Peterborough Evening Telegraph:

By Alan Swann

League Cup (first round), September 11, 1961: POSH have only played Rovers once in the Football League Cup and that was 48 years ago. Third Division Posh went down 3-1 at the home of top-flight opposition in the first round of the 1961-62 competition.

Billy Hails opened the scoring for Posh in the 15th minute after good work by Dennis Emery, but Ian Lawther (2) and Bryan Douglas ensured there would be no shock.

Posh boss Jimmy Hagan had caused a shock with his team selection for a Monday night fixture dropping Norman Rigby and Peter McNamee after a dismal team performance in a 6-2 defeat at Bradford Park Avenue 48 hours earlier.

Posh: Ronson, Whittaker, Walker, Rayner, Ripley, Stafford, Hails, Emery, Bly. Smith, Sheavills.

Blackburn: Else, Bray, Newton, Clayton, Woods, McGrath, Isherwood, Crowe, Pickering, Douglas, Laverty.

And Posh have only played Blackburn twice in the Football League. Rovers won the Third Division title in the 1974-75 season, but Posh beat them 1-0 home and away.

Jeff Lee’s first-half penalty following a foul on David Price was enough to secure victory at Ewood Park after a Freddie Hill (right) goal won the game at London Road.

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Tonight’s game against Peterborough is one Rovers really need to win.

With the way our league season is going, a cup run is massively important and, having avoided Premier League opposition so far, we have a superb chance of making it to the quarter finals.

The swine flu cases that have dominated the press build-up so far are a cause for concern, but we should have enough fit players in our squad to take the game. We certainly don’t want to risk any players suffering ahead of the United game on Saturday!

One bonus is the return of Franco Di Santo. But Chimbonda is out, as will be Chris Samba. David Dunn trained yesterday but I would be surprised if Allardyce risked him in this one.

The Posh have not had the greatest of starts to their Championship season following promotion last year. They currently sit in 21st place, just one point above the relegation zone, and Darren Ferguson’s side only have a three point advantage over struggling Ipswich Town! And from their seven away games so far they are yet to taste victory, their three points coming from draws. They have also only scored five goals on their travels.

Compare that to Rovers’ current home form. Three wins on the bounce, scoring eight goals, and we are clear favourites. Read more »

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No marks for accuracy.

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Gael Givet scored Chelsea's opener.

Rovers’ swine flu-hit squad suffered another hefty defeat in the capital as our away form continues to be nothing short of awful.

At half time and just 1-0 down through an unlucky Gael Givet own goal, the first own goal I can remember Rovers conceding in a long time, I felt we were in a decent position to come back.

But with Samba and Dunn both missing, the second half saw an almighty collapse as Chelsea well and truly routed us.

It’s only become apparent since the game that Rovers are suffering from a swine flu outbreak. A third member of the playing staff and two members of non-playing staff are suffering from the disease.

It’s also become apparent that about half of the squad that started at Chelsea had taken paracetamol before the game to help them through.

According to the FA, a game can only be cancelled if the Government confirms a serious situation with the disease, so despite being severely weakened by the condition, the game had to go ahead, as will the cup tie with Peterborough tomorrow nigh Read more »

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The Rovers Return has been qouted in a report on the progress of Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo for goal.com
Here it is:

On-loan Chelsea striker Franco di Santo has quickly made an impression on the Blackburn Rovers staff and supporters, according to one fan.

Dan Clough, journalist and writer behind Blackburn fansite The Rovers Return, believes that after scoring his first goal for the club, against arch rivals Burnley on Sunday, the 20-year-old striker has already endeared himself to the Ewood Park faithful.

“After Sunday he’s a hero,” Clough said.

“Scoring against Burnley means he is part of Rovers’ history. We were chanting his name, so I think we like him.

“He’s skilful, quick, good on the ball and likes to take defenders on. His height is also an advantage as he’s useful with his head as well.

“Manager Sam Allardyce has been selecting his squad around the in-form David Dunn playing in the hole behind a lone striker, and it appears he enjoys playing with Dunn.”
Read more »

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Simon Garner

It seems only right to pay this tribute while the Burnley win is still in the memory. As Garner was a constant thorn in the side of the Dingles back in the days when we played them a bit more often!

It’s rather ironic to think that Garner, who was voted as Rovers’ cult hero in a BBC Football Focus series in 2005/06, pretty much had his long Rovers career ended with the arrival of Jack Walker.

With Walker’s millions, and Kenny Dalglish in charge, there was no room for sentiment as the pair built a side ready for the newly-formed Premier League. The arrivals of David Speedie, Mike Newell, Roy Wegerle and Duncan Shearer, to name but a few, saw Garner spend much of the promotion-winning season on the sidelines.

In his book There’s Only One Simon Garner, a must-read for true Rovers fans, remembers how he spent the majority of the Second Division Play Off final in a Wembley Portaloo smoking cigarettes he was so tense, such was his love for the club, despite not being in the side.
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I tend to slag Emile Heskey off when he plays for England. But if Big Sam was to swoop and bring him to Rovers in January, I certainly wouldn’t complain…

From The Sun:

EMILE HESKEY could be offered an England World Cup lifeline in January – by Blackburn.

Rovers are keeping tabs on the situation of the Aston Villa striker, who is not currently a first choice.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce is resigned to losing on-loan Argentinian hitman Franco di Santo back to Chelsea.

So he will be in the market for a new target man in the transfer window, with £6million Croat Nikola Kalinic still finding his feet.

Heskey knows he risks a South Africa KO if he is not playing regularly.

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Di Santo kisses his Rovers badge after being substituted in the 3-2 win over Burnley. Hope Rovers don't mind me using their picture... (Sorry)

A young Argentine from Chelsea became an instant hero on Sunday as he nodded Rovers ahead in the East Lancashire derby.
He didn’t foul Brian Jensen. It was as much a foul by the on loan striker as it was by the Burnley defender on the line who also pushed into his overweight keeper.
The fact remains, the goal stood, and Rovers fans were ecstatic.
Franco Di Santo has recently impressed for Rovers. He has become the starting striker of choice for Big Sam as Jason Roberts fell out of favour after a couple of dodgy displays on his own up front.
And with fellow Rovers hero David Dunn in the supporting role, Di Santo has flourished.
If that goal itself wasn’t enough to endear him to the Rovers faithful present at Ewood that day, who instantly began chanting the 20-year-old’s name, kissing the Rovers badge on his shirt certainly cemented his place in the heart of every Rovers fan.
We may lose him in January, but Franco Di Santo’s name is well and truly cemented into the Blackburn Rovers, and Burnley, history books.
The recent revelation that he wants to stay at Rovers comes as a timely boost for Rovers, as recent comments by Big Sam have suggested he thinks it is unlikely the striker will be allowed to stay beyond January with the transfer embargo forced upon Chelsea recently. Read more »

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