Easter Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Stoke City didn’t do Blackburn’s hopes of a top-six berth much good. And, just to rub some salt into those gaping Rovers wounds, you can make a pretty formidable team out of the most exciting young players who have slipped through Blackburn’s fingers in recent years.
This lot would make the Championship look like a stroll in the park on a balmy April afternoon.
David Raya – Brentford
When Joe Bryan channelled his inner-Ronaldinho and caught out Raya with the most audacious of free-kicks in the 2020 Championship play-off final, the former Rovers stopper probably couldn’t have imagined that he’d be receiving a first ever call up for the Spanish national team less than two years later.
When the time comes for Raya to leave West London, you can bet your bottom dollar that Brentford will make a fine return on their £3 million investment.
Michael Keane – Everton
Ok, we’ve cheated a bit here. But Keane did start out as a right-back at Manchester United. So there. Sue us.
The £30 million England international impressed on loan at Blackburn in 2013/14, so much so that manager Gary Bowyer made no secret of his desire to strike a permanent deal. Imagine the frustration at Ewood Park, then, when Keane put pen to paper with bitter rivals Burnley just a few months later, for a bargain £2 million no less.
Grant Hanley – Norwich City
Perhaps best remembered at Blackburn for a late winner at Old Trafford on New Years’ Day 11 years ago – Sir Alex Ferguson certainly had better birthdays – Hanley left for Newcastle United in 2016. He’s now a Premier League captain in the yellow and green of Norwich City.
Unless The Canaries pull off a ‘Great Escape’ that Frank Lee Morris probably wouldn’t even attempt, Hanley will be returning to his old stomping ground in the second-tier next term.
Jack O’Connell – Sheffield United
Snapped up by Rovers a decade ago, Merseyside-born O’Connell never made a single league appearance in blue-and-white before taking the David Raya route from Blackburn to Brentford.
Now 28, the classy, commanding, left-footed central defender was one of Sheffield United’s star performers during their iconic 2019/20 season under Chris Wilder.
Karim Rekik – Sevilla
Two players in this list have both Blackburn and Sevilla on their CVs. Rekik is certainly the least recognisable of the two. He played just five games for the 1995 Premier League champions on loan from Manchester City after all.
The versatile defender is now a useful member of Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla squad, starting 11 La Liga games this term.
Harrison Reed – Fulham
Another former loanee, Reed was a firm favourite amongst Blackburn supporters for his committed, energetic performances in the centre of the park.
The diminutive ball-winner even hinted that he would jump at the chance to sign a permanent deal with the club, only to end up at Fulham the very next season.
Steven N’Zonzi – Al-Rayyan
Is there a player in this team who has soared quite so high as Steven N’Zonzi? But, like Icarus himself, N’Zonzi flew too close to the sun and ended up with his fingers burned.
The midfielder’s £24 million move to Roma may have been an expensive disaster but he can still look back on his World Cup winner’s medal – and a glorious stint in Seville – with a great deal of pride.
Tom Cairney – Fulham
Like Reed, Cairney will surely be his stuff in the Premier League for Fulham once again next season.
The Cottagers paid just £3 million to lure the prancing playmaker away from Blackburn in 2015. It didn’t take long for Cairney to blossom into arguably the finest attacking midfielder anywhere in the Championship.
Josh King – Watford
The former Manchester United youngster netted just three goals in 56 league games after joining Blackburn permanently back in 2013. He certainly found his scoring boots at Bournemouth, however, hitting 16 in the 2016/17 Premier League season alone.
Now at Watford following the most forgettable of stints at Everton.
Anthony Modeste – Cologne
Only four players in the Bundesliga have scored more goals this season than a man who’s most memorable moment on English soil was a red card in a dismal 3-0 defeat to West Brom; Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland, Patrik Schick and Christopher Nkunku.
Brilliant in the air and a force of nature on his day, Modeste fired Cologne into Europe with 25 goasl a couple of years ago. He could repeat the trick this term.
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Adam Armstrong – Southampton
It’s a testament to Ben Brereton-Diaz’s form that Blackburn have spent much of this season flirting with the play-offs despite losing last season’s top scorer to Southampton in August 2021.
Things haven’t worked out for Armstrong on the South Coast. Still, no one’s scored more goals in a single season for Rovers since Alan Shearer.
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