gandycoleuk

I wanted a challenge on Football Manager instead of being a predictably successful club. So I have chosen a little football club Blackburn Rovers to make my career out of.

Watch this space as I will be telling the little success story that is Blackburn Rovers as each development comes.

gandycoleuk

MAJOR SHOCK AS UNKNOWN KHAN TAKES OVER AT BLACKBURN

What a night it has been in this little town of Blackburn. An extraordinary managerial merry-go-round has transpired as fans favourite Mark Hughes sensationally walked out on Blackburn Rovers and was replaced by hometown fan Faiz Khan. Hughes was said to have had an argument with chairman John Williams over his new contract and he resigned almost immediately after the incident. And the appointment of unknown Khan is guaranteed to infuriate the club's loyal supporters even more. On a lighter note, new manager Faiz Khan had this to say: 'it is a fantastic moment for me to take charge of my hometown club. I feel proud and honoured to be the manager of Blackburn Rovers. I would like to assure the great supporters of this club that I want exactly what you want. People are talking about us going down to the Championship but I'm not even thinking about that in the slightest and neither are my players.'

gandycoleuk

Wednesday 13th July 2005

SVENSSON HEADING FOR EWOOD PARK

Faiz Khan has wasted little time since becoming new manager of Blackburn. Khan has just completed the future signing of young Swedish stopper Karl Svensson from IFK Goteborg on a free transfer. Svensson was said to be ecstatic to have agreed personal terms and cannot wait to be playing at a higher level. The first signing of Khan's reign will go through on Friday 2nd December 2005, the day after his current contract expires.

gandycoleuk

Monday 1st August 2005

ROVERS LOOKING GOOD IN PRE-SEASON

Faiz Khan has been getting his new side Blackburn ready for the new season and the results are quite promising indeed. Khan's men were unbeaten in their five games, including a goalless draw in the San Siro against Inter Milan. Here are the results in full:

Rovers 2 Club Brugge 0
Vittoria 0 Rovers 2
Pistoiese 0 Rovers 0
Spezia 0 Rovers 2
Inter Milan 0 Rovers 0

gandycoleuk

Saturday 6th August 2005

GUARIN COMING IN 2006

It maybe in a years time but highly-rated Colombian youngster Freddy Guarin will be on his way to Ewood Park. Faiz Khan has agreed a fee of £950,000 with Envigado to bring Guarin to Blackburn. Rovers fans will be brimming with excitement, only bad thing about this is when he comes. Guarin himself is said to be very pleased with the next step in his career to a good Premiership club. Khan has said he has been tracking Guarin for months and is ecstatic to have him coming very soon.

gandycoleuk

Monday 8th August 2005

BOOKIES SAY CHELSEA FOR THE TITLE

Defending Premiership champions Chelsea have been made slight favourites at 6-4 to retain their league crown. Their closest rivals include Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. Here a few of the top bets:

Chelsea 6-4
Man Utd 7-4
Arsenal 7-4
Liverpool 3-1
Everton 25-1
Middlesbrough 40-1

Blackburn Rovers have been very heavy favourites to be relegated by the end of the season. Faiz Khan, their new manager has said that both he and his team are determined not to let anything close to that happen.

gandycoleuk

Saturday 14th August 2005

SHOCK OF THE DAY: TOFFEES STEAL HIGHBURY POINT

Arsenal were held 1-1 by Everton at Highbury on the opening day of the season. James Beattie cancelled out Dennis Bergkamp's early opener. Although Arsenal were expected to win comfortably, this match was very even and Everton were full value for their point.

gandycoleuk

Monday 15th August 2005

SILVESTRE COMPLETES AMAZING LATE TURNAROUND FOR 10-MAN UNITED
BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 MANCHESTER UTD 2

Well, they left it late but Manchester United got their opening win against unlucky Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park tonight. Mikael Silvestre scored in injury time. An early goal from Matt Jansen gave Blackburn the lead. Paul Scholes was then controversially sent off soon after. But then late on, Ryan Giggs grabbed a breakaway equaliser before Silvestre's heroics. Faiz Khan gave Rovers' debuts to David Bentley and Shefki Kuqi while Manchester United had Kieran Richardson come in for the injured Roy Keane.

On a sweltering August evening, referee Graham Poll got the match underway. Blackburn's summer signing Shefki Kuqi was to be their main threat and he justified these claims by playing his part which led to an early goal. A Ryan Giggs corner was cleared by Steven Reid and the ball came to Matt Jansen on the halfway line. Jansen turned and sent a wonderful ball over the top to Kuqi and had a shot which brilliantly saved by Edwin van der Sar - only Jansen had taken the gamble and followed the action and fired home the rebound into the bottom corner. What a great start for Rovers and that start got even better ten minutes later albeit in fortunate circumstances. Kuqi was caught by a flailing elbow from Paul Scholes and Poll promptly showed him the red card and Scholes was off for an early bath. But even moments after that, United should have been back on level terms as Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo combined to send Ruud van Nistelrooy through on goal only for the Dutchman to send his shot into the sidenetting. A couple of minutes later, Ronaldo set up Wayne Rooney for a speculative effort that flew a few yards wide. Blackburn hit back with an attack of their own as Morten Gamst Pedersen cut in from the left wing and put an right foot effort the wrong side of the post. Just before the half hour mark, United should have equalised as Richardson's inviting cross was stabbed well over from merely six yards out by van Nistelrooy. Straight after, Bentley forced a stunning stop from van der Sar from a great Pedersen cross. Nothing really happened between then and before half time when Rovers should have increased their lead. Pedersen and Reid combined and set up Jansen to get his and Rovers' second goal only for him to shoot against Silvestre and the danger was cleared by Gabriel Heinze. Just moments later, it was half time at Ewood Park. After Blackburn's early goal and early Paul Scholes sending off, both sides had opportunities to score goals but could'nt take any more. At half time, the score was BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 MANCHESTER UTD 0.

The second half got underway and Blackburn should really have got a second a minute into the second half. Bentley and Lucas Neill combined on the right wing and the former sent a teasing cross to the far post only for Pedersen to head it over the bar and his head was in his hands. Seven minutes later, Aaron Mokoena sent a high ball into the area for Kuqi to send a difficult sailing over the bar. Halfway through the second half and Rovers were really starting to show the extra man factor. Pedersen sent a corner into the United area and Robbie Savage's header was tipped over brilliantly by van der Sar to keep his side in the game. With just over ten minutes remaining, substitute Brett Emerton almost managed to catch van der Sar off his line with a cheeky lob but the Dutch stopper was again excellently equal to the task. And with eight minutes left, those saves from van der Sar were to prove crucial as United pegged Blackburn back against the odds. A long clearance from Rio Ferdinand had Rovers on the back foot and Giggs latched onto the ball and lifted the ball over the onrushing Brad Friedel into the far corner. And in injury time, the comeback was complete. Rooney, who had been very quiet for the majority of the game, played a freekick into the area and Silvestre towered above everyone to power home a header into the roof of the net. The final whistle went moments later and Rovers were beaten in a very cruel fashion. The Blackburn bench were stunned to lose a game in which they dominated so late in the day. On the other hand, the United bench were just relieved to have won this match under the circumstances. The final score on this hot night at Ewood Park was BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 MANCHESTER UTD 2

Blackburn : Friedel 6, Neill 6, Gray 7, Nelsen 7, Mokoena 7, Bentley 7 (Emerton 64, 6), Pedersen 7, Savage 6, Reid 7 (Flitcroft 76, 6), Kuqi 7 (Dickov 76, 6), Jansen 7.

Goals : Jansen (2)

Man Utd : van der Sar 8, G Neville 6 (Brown 82, 6), Heinze 7, Ferdinand 7, Silvestre 8, C Ronaldo 6 (Smith 71, 7), Giggs 8, Scholes 5, Richardson 7 (Fortune 71, 7), Rooney 7, van Nistelrooy 7.

Goals : Giggs (82), Silvestre (90)

Sent Off : Scholes (12)

Man of the Match : Mikael Silvestre - great winning goal but his last ditch block from Jansen in the first half was equally important. A good all-round performance from the Frenchman.

Attendance : 31264
Referee : Graham Poll

gandycoleuk

Monday 15th August 2005

FRIEDEL HAS INJURY NIGHTMARE COME TRUE

What was a disappointing Monday morning for Blackburn boss Faiz Khan got worse. In the aftermath of their agonisingly late defeat to Manchester Utd, experienced American goalkeeper Brad Friedel has been ruled out for between 2 weeks and a month courtesy of a pulled hamstring suffered during the game. It is a big blow as Friedel is one of leaders on and off the pitch and he will be sorely missed by both the team and the fans.

gandycoleuk

Saturday 20th August 2005

SHOCK OF THE DAY: POOL STUNNED AT THE COTTAGE

Fulham pulled off the shock result of the new Premiership season so far this afternoon after beating European champions Liverpool at Craven Cottage. The only goal of the match was scored by former Everton man Tomasz Radzinski just ten minutes after the break. The Cottagers thoroughly deserved the three points as they dominated the Merseyside side from start to finish.