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Mercurial · 06-10-2008, 09:31 PM

Presented By - Mercurial

Club Information

In May 2008, Mark Hughes left the club for the vacancy at Manchester City . Several names were mooted to replace Hughes, including former players Mike Newell and Alan Shearer. Other managers linked included Henk Ten Cate, former England Manager Steve McClaren and former Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce and Paul Ince, who took Milton Keynes Dons to the League Two title in 2007–08, was also linked with the manager's job. On 22 June 2008, it was officially confirmed by the Blackburn Rovers website that Ince had indeed been brought in to manage Rovers, signing a three-year deal with the club. Ince's first job was to persuade some of the want away players to stay. Although he could not keep hold of England's bright young Midfielder David Bentley who left to join Tottenham Hotspur. On 4 July, Ince signed experienced coach Archie Knox to boost his eray of staff at Blackburn.

Before the start of the 2008–09 season, regular goalkeeper Brad Friedel (Aston Villa) and England international winger David Bentley (Tottenham Hotspur) left the club for a combined fee of around £19.5 million. Goalkeeper Paul Robinson then became Ince's first signing on the 25 July for a fee of £3.5 million.

Unsuccesful Takeovers

In January 2008, the Dan Williams-led consortium interested in taking the club over withdrew interest. The club are prepared to sell and other groups are still interested. On Sunday 20 April 2008, Blackburn Rovers were yet again linked with another consortium led bid. This time from new JJB Sports owner Chris Ronnie, and a Icelandic based consortium. Whether this will lead to a formal bid being presented to the Walker Trustees, is still yet to be seen. On Sunday 8 June 2008, Blackburn Rovers were again linked to Chris Ronnie's consortium in the National Press. In which the Sunday People reported "Chris Ronnie is closing in on his takeover of Blackburn Rovers", the aritcle also went on to say "Ronnie has had four meetings with Rothschilds, the financiers selling the club for the Jack Walker Trustees, and there has been 'significant progress."

However, on 6 July, it was revealed that Ronnie had pulled out of a bid to buy the club, and that Chowdery had a bid of £210 million pounds rejected. This does however pave the way for new bidders to make an offer for the club, this could prove vital if Blackburn are seriously considering challenging for a Champions League spot.

‹ The Staff

Manager - Paul Ince
Assistant Manager - Ray Mathias
First Team Coach - Archie Knox
Assistant First Team Coach - Karl Robinson
Senior Fitness Coach - Mark Howard
Fitness Coach - Duncan Russell
Goalkeeping Coach - Bobby Mimms
Defensive Coach - Nigel WinterburnClub Doctor - Phill Batty
Physiotherapist - Dave Fevre
Physiotherapist - Paul Kelly
Reserve Team Manager - Iain Brunskill

‹ First Team Squad

GK - Paul Robinson #1
DF - Andre Ooijer #2
DF - Stephen Warnock #3
DF - Christopher Samba #4
MF - Kerimoglu #5
DF - Ryan Nelson #6
MF - Brett Emerton #7
MF - David Dunn #8
ST - Roque Santa Cruz #9
ST - Benny McCarthy #10
MF - Vincenzo Grella #11
MF - Morten Gamst Pederson #12
DF - Zurab Khizanishvili #13
MF - Johann Vogal #14
DF - Aaron Mokoena #15
MF - Steven Reid #16
MF - Keith Andrews #17
ST - Paul Gallagher #18
MF - Carlos Villanueva #19
DF - Danny Simpson #22
ST - Robbie Fowler #23
ST - Julio Santa Cruz #26
ST - Matt Derbyshire #27

The Future

Blackburn Rovers are one of the "chasing pack" behind the top four teams in England. With money becoming a bigger and bigger factor in football today it would seem impossible for Rovers to compete at a higher level without some sort of investment in players and youth development. If you take Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool for example. Money has been plowed into those football clubs over the last number of years and success in different forms has been the outcome. Clubs who are in a similar situation to Blackburn are Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham. These clubs are spending big money to bridge to gap on the glamour sides in England and its paying dividends already. Portsmouth claiming the FA Cup in 2008 and Tottenham picking up the Carling Cup.

Blackburn Rovers have not won a major trophy themselves since 1995 when an abundance of investment led to Lancashire club to the Premier League with influencial players such as Tim Sherwood and Alan Shearer taking the honours. With a few more millions in the transfer kitty and a few more top class players, Blackburn Rovers could be seeing the glory days back sooner than expected.

06-10-2008, 09:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mercurial Banned Join Date: Sep 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,371	Blackburn Rovers - The Rose Of Lancashire Presented By - Mercurial Club Information In May 2008, Mark Hughes left the club for the vacancy at Manchester City . Several names were mooted to replace Hughes, including former players Mike Newell and Alan Shearer. Other managers linked included Henk Ten Cate, former England Manager Steve McClaren and former Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce and Paul Ince, who took Milton Keynes Dons to the League Two title in 2007–08, was also linked with the manager's job. On 22 June 2008, it was officially confirmed by the Blackburn Rovers website that Ince had indeed been brought in to manage Rovers, signing a three-year deal with the club. Ince's first job was to persuade some of the want away players to stay. Although he could not keep hold of England's bright young Midfielder David Bentley who left to join Tottenham Hotspur. On 4 July, Ince signed experienced coach Archie Knox to boost his eray of staff at Blackburn. Before the start of the 2008–09 season, regular goalkeeper Brad Friedel (Aston Villa) and England international winger David Bentley (Tottenham Hotspur) left the club for a combined fee of around £19.5 million. Goalkeeper Paul Robinson then became Ince's first signing on the 25 July for a fee of £3.5 million. Unsuccesful Takeovers In January 2008, the Dan Williams-led consortium interested in taking the club over withdrew interest. The club are prepared to sell and other groups are still interested. On Sunday 20 April 2008, Blackburn Rovers were yet again linked with another consortium led bid. This time from new JJB Sports owner Chris Ronnie, and a Icelandic based consortium. Whether this will lead to a formal bid being presented to the Walker Trustees, is still yet to be seen. On Sunday 8 June 2008, Blackburn Rovers were again linked to Chris Ronnie's consortium in the National Press. In which the Sunday People reported "Chris Ronnie is closing in on his takeover of Blackburn Rovers", the aritcle also went on to say "Ronnie has had four meetings with Rothschilds, the financiers selling the club for the Jack Walker Trustees, and there has been 'significant progress." However, on 6 July, it was revealed that Ronnie had pulled out of a bid to buy the club, and that Chowdery had a bid of £210 million pounds rejected. This does however pave the way for new bidders to make an offer for the club, this could prove vital if Blackburn are seriously considering challenging for a Champions League spot. ‹ The Staff Manager - Paul Ince Assistant Manager - Ray Mathias First Team Coach - Archie Knox Assistant First Team Coach - Karl Robinson Senior Fitness Coach - Mark Howard Fitness Coach - Duncan Russell Goalkeeping Coach - Bobby Mimms Defensive Coach - Nigel WinterburnClub Doctor - Phill Batty Physiotherapist - Dave Fevre Physiotherapist - Paul Kelly Reserve Team Manager - Iain Brunskill ‹ First Team Squad GK - Paul Robinson #1 DF - Andre Ooijer #2 DF - Stephen Warnock #3 DF - Christopher Samba #4 MF - Kerimoglu #5 DF - Ryan Nelson #6 MF - Brett Emerton #7 MF - David Dunn #8 ST - Roque Santa Cruz #9 ST - Benny McCarthy #10 MF - Vincenzo Grella #11 MF - Morten Gamst Pederson #12 DF - Zurab Khizanishvili #13 MF - Johann Vogal #14 DF - Aaron Mokoena #15 MF - Steven Reid #16 MF - Keith Andrews #17 ST - Paul Gallagher #18 MF - Carlos Villanueva #19 DF - Danny Simpson #22 ST - Robbie Fowler #23 ST - Julio Santa Cruz #26 ST - Matt Derbyshire #27 The Future Blackburn Rovers are one of the "chasing pack" behind the top four teams in England. With money becoming a bigger and bigger factor in football today it would seem impossible for Rovers to compete at a higher level without some sort of investment in players and youth development. If you take Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool for example. Money has been plowed into those football clubs over the last number of years and success in different forms has been the outcome. Clubs who are in a similar situation to Blackburn are Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham. These clubs are spending big money to bridge to gap on the glamour sides in England and its paying dividends already. Portsmouth claiming the FA Cup in 2008 and Tottenham picking up the Carling Cup. Blackburn Rovers have not won a major trophy themselves since 1995 when an abundance of investment led to Lancashire club to the Premier League with influencial players such as Tim Sherwood and Alan Shearer taking the honours. With a few more millions in the transfer kitty and a few more top class players, Blackburn Rovers could be seeing the glory days back sooner than expected.