2007–08 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season

Blackburn Rovers
	2007–08 season
Manager	Mark Hughes
Premier League	7th
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Fifth round
Top goalscorer	League: Roque Santa Cruz (19); All: Roque Santa Cruz (22)
Highest home attendance	30,316 (vs. Manchester United, 19 April)
Lowest home attendance	19,316 (vs. Birmingham City, 7 October)
Average home league attendance	23,916
← 2006–07	2008–09 →

Blackburn Rovers F.C. finished in the top half of the Premier League for the third successive season, this time ending up in 7th place, ultimately not enough for European qualification. Manager Mark Hughes departed for Manchester City at the end of the season, while successful winger David Bentley was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for a club record fee. Striker Roque Santa Cruz, a summer signing from Bayern Munich, had the season of his life, scoring 19 league goals, making up for Benni McCarthy's loss of form. Despite interest for richer clubs, Santa Cruz stayed on for another season.

First-team squad

Squad at end of season^[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Brad Friedel
2	DF	André Ooijer
3	DF	Stephen Warnock
4	DF	Christopher Samba^[4]
5	MF	Tugay Kerimoğlu
6	DF	Ryan Nelsen (captain)
7	MF	Brett Emerton
8	MF	Johann Vogel
9	FW	Roque Santa Cruz
10	FW	Benni McCarthy
11	FW	David Bentley

No.	Position	Player
12	MF	Morten Gamst Pedersen
13	DF	Zurab Khizanishvili
14	MF	Steven Reid^[5]
15	MF	Aaron Mokoena
17	FW	Maceo Rigters
19	MF	David Dunn
20	DF	Bruno Berner
22	MF	Keith Treacy
27	FW	Matt Derbyshire
29	DF	Martin Olsson
30	FW	Jason Roberts^[6]

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.		Position	Player
8		MF	Robbie Savage (to Derby County)

No.		Position	Player
25		DF	Andy Taylor (to Tranmere Rovers)

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Position	Player
16	DF	Stéphane Henchoz
18	FW	Paul Gallagher
21	MF	Sergio Peter
26	DF	Eddie Nolan
28	DF	Tony Kane^[7]
31	GK	Peter Enckelman
32	GK	Jason Brown^[8]
33	GK	Frank Fielding

No.	Position	Player
34	GK	Gunnar Nielsen
35	DF	Dean Winnard
36	MF	Josh O'Keefe^[9]
37	MF	Rostyn Griffiths^[10]
38	FW	Jamie Clarke
44	FW	Raffaele De Vita
45	MF	Bryan Hodge

Statistics

Top scorers

Nat	Name	Goals
	Roque Santa Cruz	19
	Benni McCarthy	8
	David Bentley	5
	Morten Gamst Pedersen	4

Results

Premier League

Round 1	Middlesbrough		1 – 2		Blackburn	Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough	11 August 2007, 15:00
Downing 31'					Santa Cruz 63' Derbyshire 79'

Round 2	Blackburn		1 – 1		Arsenal	Ewood Park, Blackburn	19 August 2007, 15:00
Dunn 72'					van Persie 18'

Round 3	Everton		1 – 1		Blackburn	Goodison Park, Liverpool	25 August 2007, 17:15
McFadden 74'					Santa Cruz 15'

Round 4	Blackburn		1 – 0		Manchester City	Ewood Park, Blackburn	2 September 2007, 15:00
McCarthy 16'

Round 5	Chelsea		0 – 0		Blackburn	Stamford Bridge, London	15 September 2007, 17:15
J.Cole 74' Belletti 75'					Warnock 82' Savage 84'

Round 6	Blackburn		0 – 1		Portsmouth	Ewood Park, Blackburn	23 September 2007, 15:00
					Kanu 25'

Round 7	Sunderland		1 – 2		Blackburn	Stadium of Light, Sunderland	29 September 2007, 15:00
Leadbitter 90'					Bentley 53' Santa Cruz 55'

Round 8	Blackburn		2 – 1		Birmingham	Ewood Park, Blackburn	7 October 2007, 15:00
Bentley 15' McCarthy 56' (pen.)					Jerome 68'

Round 9	Blackburn		4 – 2		Reading	Ewood Park, Blackburn	20 October 2007, 15:00
McCarthy 18', 82' (pen.) Santa Cruz 22' Tugay 32'					Doyle 80' 90'

Round 10	Tottenham		1 – 2		Blackburn	White Hart Lane, London	28 October 2007, 15:00
Keane 49' (pen.)					McCarthy 60' Samba 90'

Round 11	Blackburn		0 – 0		Liverpool	Ewood Park, Blackburn	3 November 2007, 17:15

Round 12	Manchester United		2 – 0		Blackburn	Old Trafford, Manchester	11 November 2007, 15:00
Ronaldo 34', 35'

Round 13	Fulham		2 – 2		Blackburn	Craven Cottage, London	25 November 2007, 16:00
Murphy 51' (pen.) Kamara 63'					Emerton 57' Warnock 79'

Round 14	Blackburn		0 – 4		Aston Villa	Ewood Park, Blackburn	28 November 2007 20:00
					Carew 29' Barry 53' (pen.) Young 81' Harewood 89'

Round 15	Blackburn		3 – 1		Newcastle	Ewood Park, Blackburn	1 December 2007, 15:00
Bentley 54', 67' Tugay 90'					Martins 47'

Round 16	Blackburn		0 – 1		West Ham	Ewood Park, Blackburn	9 December 2007, 16:00
					Ashton 52'

Round 17	Wigan		5 – 3		Blackburn	DW Stadium, Wigan	15 December 2007, 15:00
Landzaat 10' Bent 12', 66', 81' Scharner 37'					Santa Cruz 45', 50', 61'

Round 18	Blackburn		0 – 1		Chelsea	Ewood Park, Blackburn	23 December 2007, 16:10
					J. Cole 22'

Round 19	Manchester City		2 – 2		Blackburn	Etihad Stadium, Manchester	27 December 2007, 19:45
Vassell 27' Ryan Nelsen 30' (o.g.)					Santa Cruz 28', 84'

Round 20	Derby County		1 – 2		Blackburn	Pride Park Stadium, Derby	30 December 2007, 13:30
Oakley 27' Lewis 38'					Nelson 32' Santa Cruz 39' Bentley 42' Mokoena 51' Warnock 62'	Attendance: 30,048 Referee: Peter Walton

Round 21	Blackburn		1 – 0		Sunderland	Ewood Park, Blackburn	2 January 2008, 20:00
McCarthy 57' (pen.)

Round 22	Bolton		1 – 2		Blackburn	Reebok Stadium, Horwich	13 January 2008, 16:00
Nolan 43'					Samba 53' Roberts 90'

Round 23	Blackburn		1 – 1		Middlesbrough	Ewood Park, Blackburn	19 January 2008, 15:00
Derbyshire 75'					Wheater 13'

Round 24	Aston Villa		1 – 1		Blackburn	Villa Park, Birmingham	26 January 2008, 15:00
Young 73'					Santa Cruz 68'

Round 25	Blackburn		0 – 0		Everton	Ewood Park, Blackburn	2 February 2008, 15:00

Round 26	Arsenal		2 – 0		Blackburn	Emirates Stadium, London	11 February 2008, 20:00
Senderos 4' Adebayor 90'

Round 27	Blackburn		4 – 1		Bolton	Ewood Park, Blackburn	24 February 2008, 15:00
McCarthy 25' (pen.), 67' (pen.) Bentley 71' Pedersen 90'					Davies 50'

Round 28	Newcastle		0 – 1		Blackburn	St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne	1 March 2008, 15:00
					Derbyshire 90'

Round 29	Blackburn		1 – 1		Fulham	Ewood Park, Blackburn	8 March 2008, 15:00
Pedersen 59'					Bullard 89'

Round 30	West Ham		2 – 1		Blackburn	Upton Park, London	15 March 2008, 15:00
Ashton 39' Sears 81'					Santa Cruz 19'

Round 31	Blackburn		3 – 1		Wigan	Ewood Park, Blackburn	22 March 2008, 15:00
Santa Cruz 12', 63' Roberts 45'					King 17' (pen.)

Round 32	Reading		0 – 0		Blackburn	Madejski Stadium, Reading	29 March 2008, 15:00

Round 33	Blackburn		1 – 1		Tottenham	Ewood Park, Blackburn	5 April 2008, 15:00
Pedersen 30'					Berbatov 7'

Round 34	Liverpool		3 – 1		Blackburn	Anfield, Liverpool	13 April 2008, 13:30
Gerrard 62' Torres 80' Voronin 90'					Santa Cruz 90'

Round 35	Blackburn		1 – 1		Manchester United	Ewood Park, Blackburn	19 April 2008, 17:15
Santa Cruz 21'					Tevez 88'

Round 36	Portsmouth		0 – 1		Blackburn	Fratton Park, Portsmouth	27 April 2008, 13:30
					Santa Cruz 74'

Round 37	Blackburn		3 – 1		Derby County	Ewood Park, Blackburn	3 May 2008, 15:00
Santa Cruz 45', 77' Roberts 47'					Miller 19'

Round 38	Birmingham		4 – 1		Blackburn	St Andrew's, Birmingham	11 May 2008, 15:00
Murphy 31' Jerome 73', 89' Muamba 90'					Pedersen 49'

League Cup

Round 3	Blackburn		3 – 0		Birmingham	Ewood Park, Blackburn	26 September 2007, 20:00
Bentley 66' Derbyshire 82' (pen.) Santa Cruz 90'						Attendance: 9,205

Round 4	Blackburn		1 – 2		Blackburn	Fratton Park, Portsmouth	31 October 2007, 19:45
Kanu 90'					McCarthy 11' Pedersen 77'	Attendance: 11,788

Round 5	Blackburn		2 – 3 (a.e.t.)		Arsenal	Ewood Park, Blackburn	18 December 2007, 20:00
Diaby 6' Eduardo 29', 104'					Santa Cruz 42', 60'	Attendance: 16,207

FA Cup

Round 3	Blackburn		1 – 4		Coventry	Ewood Park, Blackburn	5 January 2008, 15:00
Bentley 85'					Mifsud 34', 90' Ward 64' (pen.) Adebloa 83'	Attendance: 14,421

UEFA Intertoto Cup

Round 3, Leg 1	FK Vetra		0 – 2		Blackburn	Vetra Stadium, Vilnius, Lithuania	22 July 2007, 19:00
					McCarthy 29' Derbyshire 80'	Attendance: 5,200

Round 3, Leg 2	Blackburn		4 – 0		FK Vetra	Ewood Park, Blackburn	28 July 2007, 15:00
Pedersen 25' Roberts 48' McCarthy 54' Samba 55'						Attendance: 11,854

UEFA Cup

Qualifying Round 2, Leg 1	MyPa-47		0 – 1		Blackburn	Kymenlaakson Sähkö, Kouvola, Finland	16 August 2007, 19:45
					Santa Cruz 6'	Attendance: 4,000

Qualifying Round 2, Leg 2	Blackburn		2 – 0		MyPa-47	Ewood Park, Blackburn	30 August 2007, 20:05
Bentley 48' Roberts 90'						Attendance: 13,490

Round 1, Leg 1	Larissa		2 – 0		Blackburn	Alcazar Stadium, Larissa, Greece	20 September 2007, 17:00
Bakayoko 33' Cleyton 35'						Attendance: 8,126

Round 1, Leg 2	Blackburn		2 – 1		Larissa	Ewood Park, Blackburn	4 October 2007, 20:00
Derbyshire 45' (pen.) Warnock 51'					Cleyton 17'	Attendance: 20,741

References

↑ http://origin-www.rovers.co.uk/page/Goalscorers/0,,10303~200710303,00.html
↑ http://origin-www.rovers.co.uk/page/Attendance/0,,10303~200710303,00.html
↑ http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2007-2008/faprem/blackbrn.htm
↑ Samba was born in Créteil, France, but also qualified to represent the Republic of the Congo internationally and made his international debut for the Congo in 2004.
↑ Reid was born in Kingston upon Thames, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his father, and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2001.
↑ Roberts was born in Park Royal, London, England, but also qualified to represent Grenada internationally through his father, and made his international debut for Grenada in 1999.
↑ Kane was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has represented Northern Ireland at youth level, but later chose to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally at level. He would however later switch allegiances back and was called up to the Northern Ireland squad in November 2007.
↑ Brown was born in Southwark, London, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally, and made his full international debut for Wales in May 2006.
↑ O'Keefe was born in Whalley, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally, and would represent them at level.
↑ Griffiths was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, but also qualified to represent Australia internationally, and has represented them at youth level.

[1] ttp://origin-www.rovers.co.uk/page/Goalscorers/0,,10303~200710303,00.html

[2] ttp://origin-www.rovers.co.uk/page/Attendance/0,,10303~200710303,00.html

[3] ttp://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2007-2008/faprem/blackbrn.htm

[4] Samba was born in Créteil, France, but also qualified to represent the Republic of the Congo internationally and made his international debut for the Congo in 2004.

[5] Reid was born in Kingston upon Thames, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally through his father, and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2001.

[6] Roberts was born in Park Royal, London, England, but also qualified to represent Grenada internationally through his father, and made his international debut for Grenada in 1999.

[7] Kane was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has represented Northern Ireland at youth level, but later chose to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally at level. He would however later switch allegiances back and was called up to the Northern Ireland squad in November 2007.

[8] Brown was born in Southwark, London, England, but also qualified to represent Wales internationally, and made his full international debut for Wales in May 2006.

[9] O'Keefe was born in Whalley, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally, and would represent them at level.

[10] Griffiths was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, but also qualified to represent Australia internationally, and has represented them at youth level.

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2007–08 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season

Contents

First-team squad

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Statistics

Top scorers

Results

Premier League

League Cup

FA Cup

UEFA Intertoto Cup

UEFA Cup

References

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