Blackburn Rovers FC

In the history of the Premier League, only six clubs have won the competition: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester … and Blackburn Rovers. On top of being in such exclusive company, Blackburn can also boast with two First Division titles, six FA Cups and one League Cup. Additionally, they made their mark by becoming the founder members of both the Football League and the Premier League.

Basic facts

Founded: 1875
Country: England
City: Blackburn

Home grounds

Oozehead Ground (1876-1877)
Pleasington Cricket Ground (1877-1878)
Alexandra Meadows (1878-1881)
Learnington Road (1881-1890)
Ewood Park (1890-)

Main trophies

First Division/Premier League: 3
FA Cup: 6
Football League Cup: 1

Prominent players

Bob Crompton, Bryan Douglas, Bill Eckersley, Ronnie Clayton, Derek Fazackerley, Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton, Kevin Gallacher, Ian Pierce, David Batty, Graeme Le Saux, Andy Cole, Mark Hughes, Roque Santa Cruz, Brad Friedel

Club records

Most games played: Derek Fazackerley (596)
Top goalscorer: Simon Garner (192)

History

Blackburn Rovers Football Club was founded in 1875 by Arthur Constantine and John Lewis, two young men with the idea of forming a club that would be eligible to play under Association rules. Almost right from the beginning, the club put its name on the map by winning three consecutive FA Cup trophies between 1884 and 1886 (less known today is that Blackburn Olympic existed from 1877 to 1889 and managed to win the FA Cup before Rovers, in 1883).

Blackburn was one of the first clubs that was part of a historical shift in which football clubs with working-class background took over the game from the clubs that was associated with a school, such as Oxford University, Old Carthusians and Old Etonians.

Along with eleven other clubs, Blackburn were the founder members of the Football League in 1888. Two years later, the club's new-found popularity led them to move into the Ewood Park, a stadium that would remain their home to this day. The move was followed up by claiming two additional FA Cups in 1890 and 1891.

Relegation to the Second Division

With two First Division titles in 1912 and 1914, it seemed like Blackburn were poised to become one of the giants of English football. But the World War I and subsequent decline eventually saw the club drop off the map. The 1928 FA Cup victory would be Blackburn's last trophy for the next seven decades, and they were soon relegated to the Second Division.

At the beginning of the 90s, Blackburn were still firmly in the Second Division. But their fortunes changed when the club was bought by local steel magnate Jack Walker; being an avid supporter of Blackburn since his childhood days, Walker had no problems with investing large sums of money in the club. Following the appointment of Kenny Dalglish as manager in 1991, Blackburn earned promotion just in time to join the newly-formed Premier League.

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Return to the top league

Once in the top flight, Walker went one step further and broke the English transfer record by paying 3.5 million pounds for the supremely talented Alan Shearer. It was this shrewd acquisition that led to Blackburn reaching the stars once again; led by a partnership of Shearer and Chris Sutton which resulted in more than 50 goals between the two of them, Blackburn won the Premier League in 1995.

Blackburn line up
Blackburn's typical line up in the 1994-95 season
That Cinderella story was, however, the end of Blackburn's time in the spotlight. Chris Sutton got injured whereas key players like David Batty and Alan Shearer, were grabbed by other clubs. With the championship team broken up even quicker than it was assembled, the club was relegated from the Premier League in 1999. The passing of Jack Walker in 2000 would mean that Blackburn no longer had the same economical strength.

In 2002, Blackburn won its last trophy by defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the League Cup final.

By Martin Wahl

Logo

Blackburn Rovers logoSince the season 1974-1975 the crest has been on the team's shirt. The first version of the crest was consisting of the Lancashire rose with the B.R.FC initials below. Later versions added a circle with the team name and establishing year. Also at the bottom, the latin words "Arte Et Labore" could be found which in English translates to "By skill and by labour" and remains from an old town motto of Blackburn.

Blackburn Rovers FC timeline

1875 The club is established.
1884 Winning their first FA Cup title.
1888 One of the founding members of the new Football League.
1890 The club move to the Ewood Park.
1912 First time national league champions.
1929 A record attendance at Ewood Park by 62,522 (which still stands).
1936 Relegated from the First Division for the first time.
1991 Steel magnate Jack Walker become the new club owner.
1992 Alan Shearer is signed from Southampton for £3,5M, a new club transfer record.
1995 First Premier League title.
2002 Winning their first League Cup title.
2009 Roque Santa Cruz is sold to Manchester City for £17,5M, a new club transfer record.
2010 The Indian conglomerate Venky's (V H Group) become the new owner of the club.

Trivia

Football clubs also founded in 1875

Birmingham City FC logoBirmingham City FC

League statistics

League record

Titles in total: 3
Premier League titles: 1
First participation: 1888-1889
First title: 1911-1912

All seasons

Season League Position Points Notes
2018-19 Championship 15 60  
2017-18 League One 2 96 Promoted
2016-17 Championship 22 51 Relegated
2015-16 Championship 15 55  
2014-15 Championship 9 67  
2013-14 Championship 8 70  
2012-13 Championship 17 58  
2011-12 Premier League 19 31 Relegated
2010-11 Premier League 15 43  
2009-10 Premier League 10 50  
2008-09 Premier League 15 41  
2007-08 Premier League 7 58  
2006-07 Premier League 10 52  
2005-06 Premier League 6 63  
2004-05 Premier League 15 42  
2003-04 Premier League 15 44  
2002-03 Premier League 6 60  
2001-02 Premier League 10 46  
2000-01 1st Division 2 91 Promoted
1999-00 1st Division 11 62  
1998-99 Premier League 19 35 Relegated
1997-98 Premier League 6 58  
1996-97 Premier League 13 42  
1995-96 Premier League 7 61  
1994-95 Premier League 1 89 3rd league title
1993-94 Premier League 2 84  
1992-93 Premier League 4 71  
1991-92 2nd Division 6 74  
1990-91 2nd Division 19 52  
1989-90 2nd Division 5 74  
1988-89 2nd Division 5 77  
1987-88 2nd Division 5 77  
1986-87 2nd Division 12 55  
1985-86 2nd Division 19 49  
1984-85 2nd Division 5 73  
1983-84 2nd Division 6 67  
1982-83 2nd Division 11 57  
1981-82 2nd Division 10 59  
1980-81 2nd Division 4 50  
1979-80 3rd Division 2 59  
1978-79 2nd Division 22 30  
1977-78 2nd Division 5 45  
1976-77 2nd Division 12 39  
1975-76 2nd Division 15 38  
1974-75 3rd Division 1 60 Promoted
1973-74 3rd Division 13 46  
1972-73 3rd Division 3 55  
1971-72 3rd Division 10 47  
1970-71 2nd Division 21 27 Relegated
1969-70 2nd Division 8 47  
1968-69 2nd Division 19 37  
1967-68 2nd Division 8 43  
1966-67 2nd Division 4 51  
1965-66 1st Division 22 20 Relegated
1964-65 1st Division 10 42  
1963-64 1st Division 7 46  
1962-63 1st Division 11 42  
1961-62 1st Division 16 39  
1960-61 1st Division 8 43  
1959-60 1st Division 17 37  
1958-59 1st Division 10 44  
1957-58 2nd Division 2 56 Promoted
1956-57 2nd Division 4 52  
1955-56 2nd Division 4 48  
1954-55 2nd Division 6 50  
1953-54 2nd Division 3 55  
1952-53 2nd Division 9 44  
1951-52 2nd Division 14 40  
1950-51 2nd Division 6 46  
1949-50 2nd Division 16 38  
1948-49 2nd Division 14 38  
1947-48 1st Division 21 32 Relegated
1946-47 1st Division 17 36  
1939-46 - - - WWII
1938-39 2nd Division 1 55  
1937-38 2nd Division 16 38  
1936-37 2nd Division 12 42  
1935-36 1st Division 22 33 Relegated
1934-35 1st Division 15 39  
1933-34 1st Division 8 43  
1932-33 1st Division 15 38  
1931-32 1st Division 16 38  
1930-31 1st Division 10 42  
1929-30 1st Division 6 45  
1928-29 1st Division 7 45  
1927-28 1st Division 12 41  
1926-27 1st Division 18 38  
1925-26 1st Division 12 41  
1924-25 1st Division 16 35  
1923-24 1st Division 8 45  
1922-23 1st Division 14 40  
1921-22 1st Division 15 38  
1920-21 1st Division 11 41  
1919-20 1st Division 20 37  
1915-19 - - - WWI
1914-15 1st Division 3 43  
1913-14 1st Division 1 51 2nd league title
1912-13 1st Division 5 45  
1911-12 1st Division 1 49 1st league title
1910-11 1st Division 12 37  
1909-10 1st Division 3 45  
1908-09 1st Division 4 41  
1907-08 1st Division 14 36  
1906-07 1st Division 12 35  
1905-06 1st Division 9 40  
1904-05 1st Division 13 27  
1903-04 1st Division 15 28  
1902-03 1st Division 16 29  
1901-02 1st Division 4 36  
1900-01 1st Division 9 33  
1899-00 1st Division 14 30  
1898-99 1st Division 6 36  
1897-98 1st Division 15 24  
1896-97 1st Division 14 25  
1895-96 1st Division 8 29  
1894-95 1st Division 5 32  
1893-94 1st Division 4 34  
1892-93 1st Division 9 29  
1891-92 Football League 9 26  
1890-91 Football League 6 24  
1889-90 Football League 3 27  
1888-89 Football League 4 26  

Note. The 1939-40 season was abandoned after three rounds and is therefore excluded.

Premier League – facts, stats and history

References:
https://www.rovers.co.uk/club/club-history/records/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Rovers_FC
https://thebeautifulhistory.wordpress.com/clubs/blackburn-rovers/
http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Blackburn_Rovers/Blackburn_Rovers.htm