Marka Ragnos Posted March 6, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted March 6, 2023 (edited) Been wondering a bit about our own worst showings ever ... One ancient, often subterranean enemy who left an eternal wound on Villa history (and so many other club histories) is ... Blackburn Rovers. For us, it was a 1-8 loss at the old Leamington Road before 12,000 stunned spectators in an 1889 FA cup match. Only Chelsea in 2012 inflicted a worse pummeling of Villa, as far as I know. And as much as Liverpool shattered Man United yesterday, the Pool only tied Blackburn's own 7-0 drubbing of Manchester United in April 1926. This club has a way of logging historic defeats on others. Overall, we're winning, but not by loads: Games won: 76 Games drawn: 36 Games lost: 62Don't tell me Blackburn is old and "before your time." Football is old. These achievements may not resonate in the minds of some people, but it takes little imagination to appreciate the real catastrophe of a 0-7 loss and how it echoes down decades like a broken clanging bell. There is something wrong and haunted about this club. A touch of pain. They seem to have a real chance of coming back to the Premier League, and, well, they bring with them a history of Doom, I tell you. Edited March 6, 2023 by Marka Ragnos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogso Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 When I was at school my friends used to call them 'Blackbum Rovers'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 (edited) In the typical nostalgic way of things, I'd be happy to see them back in the top flight. When Shearer was setting records for them and they were winning the league over united, it felt like a breath of fresh air. ABU. My general hatred of United came in around that time, mainly around Cantona. The fact Blackburn went back to nothingness afterwards meant they didn't get the hatred that perennial success eventually brings. United went on to win it more times than I care to think about. Shearer became a far less likeable character at Newcastle... more fouling, more elbows, "their number 9"... eurgh. If Blackburn replaced Everton or West ham, I'd be a fairly happy chappy. Edited March 7, 2023 by MrBlack 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogso Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 4 hours ago, hogso said: When I was at school my friends used to call them 'Blackbum Rovers'. Then we realised you could say their motto as 'fart et labore'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Just a very hard team to care about. As above I wanted them to win in the mid 90s because I hated United. I was a small boy, I doubt it was carefully considered, but that's what felt right. I have essentially no thoughts or even associations with them since then. I like their badge. Some of their fans seem pretty stupid. Venky's seemed like embarrassing owners. Bradley Dack was good in the Championship, then he wasn't. Dunno really 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Actually, one thing I will say: This is obviously based on watching 0 minutes of them play this season and going purely by the two excellent metrics of 1) have I heard of their players? and 2) what are their Whoscored scores like?, but apart from Brereton Diaz & Sam Gallagher I really haven't heard of many of their players, and they seem to have pretty mediocre numbers and to win a lot of games 1-0, so I'm thinking they could be in for an especially hard time if they end up coming up. As I say, that's based on complete puff all really, so people who've watched them play please feel free to tell me they're better than I'm imagining. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icouldtelltheworld Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Complete non-entity of a club tbh. Wasn't our recent record against them pretty good before they went down? Seem to remember us smashing them at VP quite a few times early-2000s. Just missed out on them winning the PL against United, so I don't even have that to be nostalgic over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 They always used to dick us in the 90s but later on in their Premier League days we’d usually get the better of them. That includes between 2008/2011 where we played them about 600 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 My friend who's not really into football from my old job adopted them as her team because.... and I quote "I like their uniforms". Another lass I knew back in the early 00's was a Villa supporter because she fancied.... Julian Joachim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 15 hours ago, MrBlack said: In the typical nostalgic way of things, I'd be happy to see them back in the top flight. When Shearer was setting records for them and they were winning the league over united, it felt like a breath of fresh air. ABU. My general hatred of United came in around that time, mainly around Cantona. The fact Blackburn went back to nothingness afterwards meant they didn't get the hatred that perennial success eventually brings. United went on to win it more times than I care to think about. Shearer became a far less likeable character at Newcastle... more fouling, more elbows, "their number 9"... eurgh. If Blackburn replaced Everton or West ham, I'd be a fairly happy chappy. Ah the first club to win the league title with a sugar daddy. A local self-made man, seems laughably quaint nowadays. They always used to give a good away allocation as they never used to sell out. I still remember the 6-4 league cup game, which was probably the most nuts game I have ever attended. That will soon be a thing of the past if they scrap the 2 legged semi finals in the league cup as would have just gone through winning 1-0. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2023 I was at Ewood Park for the horrific 5-0 drubbing (Savo spitting incident). Still have nightmares about it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 14 minutes ago, mjmooney said: I was at Ewood Park for the horrific 5-0 drubbing (Savo spitting incident). Still have nightmares about it. My birthday 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 A few years ago the top flight was full of shite north west clubs- Blackburn, Burnley, Bolton, Wigan, all long spells. Now seems to be more southern clubs- following the money? North clubs better for a away trip as lighter on the wallet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted March 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2023 Still remember the penalty that wasn’t given against Colin Hendry for his handball at Villa Park in 1995. That extra two points made all the difference for them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted March 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2023 17 hours ago, MrBlack said: In the typical nostalgic way of things, I'd be happy to see them back in the top flight. When Shearer was setting records for them and they were winning the league over united, it felt like a breath of fresh air. ABU. My general hatred of United came in around that time, mainly around Cantona. The fact Blackburn went back to nothingness afterwards meant they didn't get the hatred that perennial success eventually brings. United went on to win it more times than I care to think about. Shearer became a far less likeable character at Newcastle... more fouling, more elbows, "their number 9"... eurgh. If Blackburn replaced Everton or West ham, I'd be a fairly happy chappy. Strange, they were effectively the Manchester City of their time. Totally purchased the title. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted March 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted March 8, 2023 33 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said: A few years ago the top flight was full of shite north west clubs- Blackburn, Burnley, Bolton, Wigan, all long spells. Now seems to be more southern clubs- following the money? North clubs better for a away trip as lighter on the wallet. Yes, I was going to a fair few away games in those days. Those Northern clubs are dead easy, especially if someone is willing to drive. Blackburn was always a brilliant away day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 34 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said: A few years ago the top flight was full of shite north west clubs- Blackburn, Burnley, Bolton, Wigan, all long spells. Now seems to be more southern clubs- following the money? North clubs better for a away trip as lighter on the wallet. Forgot Man City 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 43 minutes ago, sidcow said: Strange, they were effectively the Manchester City of their time. Totally purchased the title. Yeah, but they went away after winning it. They didn't create a perennial unachievable target for every other team for years on end. And they stopped the United juggernaut that was forming, if only for a season. Yeah, it was hardly a Leicester defeat the odds kind of achievement, but was still a bit different at the time. I was a kid though, so my nostalgic view probably isn't the most well formed one going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuwabatake Sanjuro Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 24 minutes ago, sidcow said: Strange, they were effectively the Manchester City of their time. Totally purchased the title. Except Jack Walker wasn't a murderous dictatorship. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
It's Your Round Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 They’re another formerly relevant team that I’d forgotten about. They had some good players in the mid 90’s, the SAS, Ripley, Le Saux, Berg, Flowers etc.. And their title winning cheeky captain was always destined to be an amazing coach 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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