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 + August 2003
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Rovers Maintained Record
Rovers frustrated free-spenders Chelsea, twice taking the lead before the Blues forced a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Andy Cole scored after 20 seconds and did it again on 58 minutes after Adrian Mutu levelled on the stroke of half time. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink then rescued a point for Chelsea with a 61st-minute penalty as the Blues failed to win for the first time this season. Stamford Bridge's latest arrival, £16.8 million Argentine striker Hernan Crespo made a 15-minute cameo at the end, but he could not prevent Blackburn leaving with a well-earned point.
Match Stats :
Chelski : Cudicini, Johnson, Terry, Desailly, Bridge (Cole 84), Veron, Lampard, Geremi, Duff (Petit 45), Mutu (Crespo 75), Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used : Ambrosio, Gallas
Rovers : Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Babbel, Gresko, Flitcroft, Tugay (Taylor 84), Reid (Johansson 72), Thompson, Cole, Jansen (Gallagher 73). Subs Not Used : Kelly, Grabbi
Booked : Reid, Amoruso, Thompson, Flitcroft
Attendance : 41,066
Referee : M Dean (Wirral)
Baggio On Loan
SS Lazio have officially announced the loan of Dino Baggio to Rovers. The Italian has been training with Rovers with view to a temporary deal, and Souness was keen to snap up the midfielder. Baggio will pile on competition for place in an already-strong Rovers midfield comprising of £7.5m Ferguson, captain Flitcroft, Tugay, Reid, Thompson and Emerton.
Egil To Ibrox
Rovers striker Egil Ostenstad has moved to Glasgow Rangers on a free transfer. The 31 year old Norwegian striker has signed a one-year deal with the Scottish Premier League title holders.
Fergie Completes Move
Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has completed his £7.5million move to Blackburn Rovers after agreeing a four-year contract with Rovers worth £35,000 per week.
 Updated by Jeffrey on 31 August 2003 at 1656.
Anelka Sinks Rovers
A late goal from Nicolas Anelka settled this north west derby in Manchester City's favour. Man City twice took the lead only for Rovers to claw their way on both occasions. But just as both manager's looked set to settle for a point, up popped Anelka with an 87th minute winner to send City to the top of the Premiership.
Michael Tarnat broke the deadlock for the visitors in the 3rd minute when his 35-yard free-kick rocketed past Brad Friedel. City then had the chance to double their advantage when Shaun Wright-Phillips got in on the right but he fired into the side-netting.
Shortly after, it was the visitors' turn to be let off the hook when Dwight Yorke somehow missed the target from six yards after David Seaman could only parry a shot from Steven Reid. But Rovers got back on level terms two minutes before the break when Trevor Sinclair headed a Brett Emerton corner past his own keeper.
In the second half, City regained the lead in the 59th minute courtesy of a Joey Barton goal. But Rovers hit back with an equaliser two minutes later when Lorenzo Amoruso rose majestically to power home another Emerton corner. Three minutes from time, however, City nicked all three points when Anelka squeezed a shot through Friedel's legs from the tightest of angles.
Match Stats :
Rovers : Friedel, Neill, Gresko, Taylor, Amoruso, Flitcroft (Grabbi 89), Tugay, Cole, Reid (Thompson 64), Yorke (Jansen 57), Emerton.
Sub not used : Kelly and Johansson.
Goals : Rovers - Sinclair (og, 44), Amoruso (60). Man City - Tarnat (3), Barton (59), Anelka (87).
Booked : Rovers - Tugay (27), Neill (35). City - Distin (34).
Attendance : 23,361
Referee : Alan Wiley
Souness Targets Trio
Souness wants to bring in Scotland international midfielder Barry Ferguson from Rangers, defender Marcus Babbell from Liverpool, and is hopeful of concluding a deal for on-trial Italian midfielder Dino Baggio, all before the transfer window closes on August 31st.
The Rovers boss has confirmed that he has had one bid for Ferguson turned down but the club will be going back to Rangers with an improved offer, while talks on the other two possible transfers are on-going.
Updated by Jeffrey on 26 August 2003 at 2113.
Yorke rescued Rovers
A 94th min goal by Dwight Yorke plunged Bolton back into last season’s sad scenario of throwing games away in the last minutes. Yorke headed in from a Corrado Grabbi cross from the left.
Bolton lead 2-0 at the break through a 3rd min penalty by Youri Djorkaeff and a 25th min strike by Kevin Davies on his home debut. The goal was set up by a great through ball from Djorkaeff and Bolton were well in control at half time.
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But Blackburn stormed back into the game after 50 minutes when Matt Jansen scored with a fine reflex shot after David Thompson had sent in a low cross from the right.
Blackburn finished the game with ten men as debutant Reid was sent off 12 min after coming on as a subsitute for a foul on Bolton’s Stelios Giannakopoulos. Graeme Souness is set to appeal against the sending off. (more)
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Match Stats :
Bolton : Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Laville, Gardner, Nolan, Campo, Okocha, Djorkaeff, Davies, Pedersen. Subs: Poole, Barness, Giannakopoulos, Frandsen, Jardel.
Rovers : Friedel, Neill, Martin Taylor, Amoruso, Gresko (Reid), Thompson, Tugay, Flitcroft (Grabbi), Emerton, Yorke, Jansen (Cole).
Subs not used : Kelly, Johansson.
Booked : Neill, Flitcorft, Emerton, Thompson, Nolan, Davies
Sent off : Reid
Attendance : 27,423
Referee : A D'Urso
Live Rovers Game
Rovers' home game against Manchester City will be shown "live" on Tuesday's morning 2.55am (Singapore time) on ESPN Channel 23. It will be the first "live" Rovers game shown on television this season. So don't miss it!
Baggio Impresses
Graeme Souness has admitted Dino Baggio has made a good impression during his trial at Rovers. The 32-year-old former Italian international is training at the club with a view to a possible permanent view.
Updated by Jeffrey on 24 August 2003 at 0130.
Rovers whipped Wolves
Rovers welcomed newcomers Wolves to the Premiership with a 5-1 thumping at Ewood Park, where Andy Cole helped himself to a second-half brace. New Rovers Lorenzo Amoruso and Brett Emerton were also on target, with David Thompson smashing home a screamer from 25 yards and Steffen Iversen giving Wolves fans a little something to cheer on 71 minutes. (more)
Match Stats :
Rovers : Friedel, Gresko, Martin Taylor, Amoruso, Neill, Thompson (Grabbi 80), Flitcroft, Tugay, Emerton, Yorke, Jansen (Cole 74).
Subs not used : Johansson, Todd, Kelly.
Booked : Thompson
Attendance : 26,270
Referee : Jeff Winter
Transfer Targets
Markus Babbel - Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier will allow him to join Rovers if he agrees terms with the Ewood Park club. Graeme Souness has expressed an interest in the 30-year-old, who is third choice at right-back this season following the arrival of Fulham's Steve Finnan.
Barry Ferguson - Rangers yesterday failed to dispel the growing belief that their captain, Barry Ferguson, is not likely to remain at the club for long. Ferguson, the only person capable of clarifying his intentions one way or the other, was not available for comment and it was left to the Ibrox chairman, John McClelland, and club's manager, Alex McLeish, to cope with the inquisition about the player's future, which has been in doubt since Rovers inquired about the possibility of buying him last week.
Updated by Jeffrey on 17 August 2003 at 0115.
Reserves Victory
Birmingham came away from Morecambe pointless in their first Barclaycard Premiership Reserves League fixture of the season against Rovers. Corrado Grabbi, Ciaran Donnelly and Jerome Watt grabbed the goals in a 3-0 win as Rovers' reserves kicked off the new season with a victory.
Rovers : Yelldell, Greer, McEveley, Donnelly, Todd, Johansson, Gallagher, Harkins, Grabbi, Ostenstad, Morgan. Subs: Watt, Renton, Nelson, Taylor, Fitzgerald
Photographs from Bray vs Rovers
Photographs from Rovers' pre-season friendly against Bray Wanderers in Ireland are up. Be the first to view them! Photographs taken by Antony Kelly, Irish Supporters Club.
Weekend Soccer Session
The weekly session starting will resume this Sunday, 17 August. Please email Thomas or Chew if you are keen for the kickabouts. The details are as follows:
Genre : Street Soccer
Date : 17 Sept
Time : 9.30 am
Meeting place: 9.20 am @ Tanjong Pagar MRT Ctrl
Yahoo Fantasy Soccer League
A Yahoo group for the up and coming season EPL league has been created. Do feel free to register your team for our own friendly competition. The details are as follows :
1) Go to http://uk.premiership.fantasysports.yahoo.com/salary.
2) Create a team and choose "Join a Private Group".
3) Then, when prompted, enter the following information. Group ID#: 7949 Password: password
Blackburn 1 Chievo 0
David Thompson's spectacular goal lit up Blackburn's friendly win over Italian Serie A outfit Chievo. Thompson's 86th-minute volley was the highlight of an otherwise low-key match, played in stifling temperatures. Former Coventry striker Thompson rasped home his shot after substitute Paul Gallagher nodded the ball down to him.
Thompson looked Blackburn's best player throughout, and forced Chievo keeper Luca Marchegiani into two excellent saves in the space of five first-half minutes. Rovers' boss Graeme Souness will also have been pleased by some skillful touches from Matt Jansen, while keeper Brad Friedel continued his form of last season. The big American saved superbly from Robert Baronio and deserved his slice of luck when the ball ran to the feet of Federico Cossato, who sliced wide of the empty net from six yards.
Match Stats :
Scorers : Thompson (86)
Rovers : Friedel, Neill, Gresko, Amoruso, Taylor, Emerton, Tugay, Flitcroft, Thompson, Yorke (Grabbi 61), Jansen (Gallagher 78).
Subs: Kelly, McEveley, Johansson, Ostenstad, Todd.
Updated by Jeffrey on 14 August 2003 at 1705.
Bray Wanderers 2 Blackburn 3
Rovers narrowly beat Bray Wanderers on Wednesday at the Carlisle grounds in the 'Andy McEvoy Challenge Match' as a trubute to the former Wanderers player who went on to become a Rovers player of the 1960’s. Wanderers took the lead through Irish Under-20 international Eamonn Zayed, who struck the ball goal bound past former Irish shot-stopper Alan Kelly.
Steven Reid received a bang on an ankle but Souness withdrew Reid as a precaution, although Rovers have not clarified the severity of Reid's injury if any.
Dwight Yorke levelled the tie with his second before half time. David Thompson added Rovers’ third goal in the second half from just inside the box. Bray drew another back, after Flood reacted quickest to Kelly’s block from Zayed, with the final score 3-2 to the visiting Premiership side.
Match Stats :
Scorers : Zayed (11), Yorke (21, 44), Thompson (52), Flood (65)
Rovers : Kelly, Neill, Johansson, Tugay, Todd, Flitcroft (C), Emerton, Thompson, Yorke, Jansen, Reid(Gallagher 18)(McEveley 45)
Subs : Ostenstad, Yeldell, Taylor
Ref : Paul McKeown
Updated by Jeffrey on 08 August 2003 at 1548.
Pre Season Friendly - Wigan 1 Blackburn 0
Wigan warmed up in style for next week's Nationwide League opener with a 1-0 win over Blackburn. Latics striker Lee McCulloch thundered home a volley from the edge of the area seven minutes after the interval that flew in off Brad Friedel's far post. Both managers fielded their strongest possible line-ups with high profile signings Lorenzo Amoruso, Brett Emerton and Steven Reid all starring for Rovers.
Match Stats :
Scorers : Lee McCulloch
Rovers Team : Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Taylor, McEveley, Emerton, Flitcroft (sub Tugay 45 mins), Thompson (sub Johansson 70 mins), Reid, Yorke (sub Jansen 45 mins), Cole (sub Gallagher 45 mins).
Substitutes Not Used : Kelly, Todd.
Attendance : 4539
Curtis to join Foxes?
Defender John Curtis is set to join his former team-mates Gillespie and Hignett at Leicester according to reports in the Sunday People. The newspaper claims that the Foxes have agreed to a £350,000 fee for the former Manchester United right-back and that the player will sign a two-year deal this week.
Thompson Twins
CELTIC star Alan Thompson is a target for Rovers. Graeme Souness admires the midfielder who was a standout for the Hoops in last season's UEFA Cup campaign. Souness is rebuilding his side for the new season and will tempt Celtic with a £2.5million offer for Thommo, who was left out of the team for yesterday's glamour friendly with Arsenal.
Parkhead gaffer Martin O'Neill would be reluctant to lose the former Aston Villa star who chipped in 12 goals from 39 starts. O'Neill signed the Englishman from Villa three years ago for £2.5m.
Danns and Douglas loaned to Blackpool
Rovers young duo Neil Danns and Jonathan Douglas are set to join Blackpool on loan deals. Danns will sign a one-month contract loan while Douglas will sign a three-month deal.
Updated by Jeffrey on 03 August 2003 at 1950.
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