Blackburn Rovers

Lore & Background

Blackburn Rovers was founded in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888. They won five FA Cup finals in the 19th century: 1884, 1885, 1886, 1890 and 1891. The team was crowned English League champions in 1911–12 and 1913–14, then won a sixth FA Cup in 1928. They were relegated for the first time in 1936, but returned to the top-flight as Second Division champions in 1938–39.

Relegated in 1948, Rovers secured promotion again in 1957–58, but were relegated in 1966 and again in 1971. Blackburn won the Third Division title in 1974–75, and were again promoted in 1979–80 after suffering relegation the previous year. They won the Full Members' Cup in 1987. In 1992, Rovers gained promotion to the new Premier League via the play-offs, a year after being taken over by local entrepreneur Jack Walker, who installed Kenny Dalglish as manager.

In 1994–95, Rovers became Premier League champions. Relegated four seasons after being crowned champions, they secured promotion in 2001, and won the Football League Cup Final the following year. They spent eleven successive seasons in the Premier League, but were relegated in 2012 and again into the third tier in 2017. Blackburn secured promotion out of League One at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Reader's Guide

The club was founded following a meeting at the Leger Hotel, Blackburn, on 5 November 1875. The first match was a 1–1 draw on 18 December 1875. Blackburn Rovers became a founding member of the Football League in 1888. They won the FA Cup three times in a row from 1884 to 1886, and again in 1890 and 1891. The club won the First Division in 1911–12 and 1913–14, and the FA Cup in 1928. They were relegated in 1936, promoted as Second Division champions in 1938–39, relegated again in 1948, promoted in 1957–58, relegated in 1966 and 1971, won the Third Division in 1974–75, promoted in 1979–80, and won the Full Members' Cup in 1987. After Jack Walker's takeover, they won promotion to the Premier League in 1992, became Premier League champions in 1994–95, won the League Cup in 2002, and were relegated in 2012 and 2017, before returning from League One in 2018.

Did You Know?

• Blackburn Rovers was the first provincial team to reach the FA Cup final, in 1882.
• The club was awarded a specially commissioned silver shield for winning the FA Cup three times in a row.
• William Townley scored the first hat-trick in an FA Cup final in 1890.
• The club spent £615 on player wages in the 1885–86 season, the first season of legal professional football.