Blackburn 1 Newcastle 0

[AlanK]

This game does not need much introduction.

The last few weeks had been mental torture, especially after the home defeat to City.

If Coventry had avoided defeat against Utd a few days earlier we could have picked up the title at this game but it wasn`t to be.

I was in the Blackburn End, about 20 rows up, level with Le Saux when he dinked that ball on to Shearer`s head for him to power the ball and anything in his way in to the net.

The rest is a blur of Tim Flowers stealing the show.

Every time Ruel Fox got the ball was a bloody nightmare. He destroyed us. That game and that game alone signifies what it means to be a football fan at the cutting edge.

When that whistle went all hell broke loose. What a night.

[snatchymcsnatch]

This game does not need much introduction.

The last few weeks had been mental torture, especially after the home defeat to City.

If Coventry had avoided defeat against Utd a few days earlier we could have picked up the title at this game but it wasn`t to be.

I was in the Blackburn End, about 20 rows up, level with Le Saux when he dinked that ball on to Shearer`s head for him to power the ball and anything in his way in to the net.

The rest is a blur of Tim Flowers stealing the show.

Every time Ruel Fox got the ball was a bloody nightmare. He destroyed us. That game and that game alone signifies what it means to be a football fan at the cutting edge.

When that whistle went all hell broke loose. What a night.

391460[/snapback]

I remember that one well - My brother in Laws son was born that night - my sister and brother in law were at the infirmary down the road so couldn't go to the game. After the little sprog popped out my bro went out for some air (it was all a bit stressful). As he came out to the entrance a deafening roar swept over him - Shearer has just scored. My nephews name? Jack, of course. What a moment.

Funnily enough I was watching that game at a pub in Newcastle watching some Geordies scream the c word at the big screen every time Flowers pulled off a blinding save. What a night.

[Ricky]

An interesting interview I managed to find on a Leicester site

FOX: Something that was featured again in Match of the Nineties a few weeks ago was your famous 'Bottle' interview. What was going on there?

FLOWERS: We played Newcastle on the Tuesday night and United were playing Southampton at Old Trafford on the Wednesday. On Tuesday morning in the papers was a massive headline:

YOU'VE BOTTLED IT - FERGIE

where Ferguson had reportedly said that Blackburn had bottled it and United were coming through to win the title. We pinned the article up in our dressing room. We agreed that whoever had a chance in the post-match interviews to ram it down his throat should do so if we won it. So I did, when they pulled me afterwards for an interview. I think I mentioned the word 'bottle' about five hundred times in that interview. I was hyped up as well after a massive win, although to be honest we hadn't played very well. Then we said let's see how they get on tommorrow night. They didn't play too well either but won 2-1, which took it to the last day.

[cletus]

Glorious memories of standing (yes standing) on the Blackburn End!

I`ve never witnessed an atnosphere like it in my life.

When the final whistle went, the whole place erupted with joy & relief.....the championship was on!!

Some-one unfurled a large blue & white BRFC flag around near us & everyone seemed to stay well after the final whistle & just sang their hearts out.

Sang all the way up Livesey after the game aswell!

A truly great night!!

[OJRovers]

That was an awesome game - I was dead level with the cross from Le Saux for Shearer.

Ruel Fox did rip us apart that night - we shouldve signed him that summer...

[Ozz]

I had given up smoking a week before this game, only for the Jawdee onslaught to cause me to start again.

Silk Cut mind, but a fags a fag!

[roversWASmylife]

One of those games.

I remember getting the day off from School. Then going Ewood, remember it still. Nice evening it was.

Decent first half and hanging on at the end. That second half seemed to go on for ages, Shearer missed infront of the Geordies, hit it wide.

Then Flowers was outstanding.

VICTORY AT EWOOD DAY

[bellamy11]

Was just having a quick browse through the forum and came across this. It's possibly the game I remember fondest since I've been watching Rovers. I don't think I've ever felt so nervous - not even watching us at Anfield a few days later!

If anybody has this on tape I can buy a copy of or knows of anywhere to download etc then I'd love you forever.

[CornwallRover]

Was just having a quick browse through the forum and came across this. It's possibly the game I remember fondest since I've been watching Rovers. I don't think I've ever felt so nervous - not even watching us at Anfield a few days later!

If anybody has this on tape I can buy a copy of or knows of anywhere to download etc then I'd love you forever.

Mark, have a chat with me next time you see me on MSN, I might be able to sort you something out dude.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I watched my recording of this last night (NTSC I'm afraid Bellamy11)

Several things struck me about the game:

i) I had forgotten just how much we dominated the first half - could easily have gone in 4-1 up.

ii) Tim Flowers save from Beardsley was the best save I have ever seen given the circumstances. How this man didn't get voted into our all-time team I'll never know.

iii) Most of all, the game was a rude awakening as to how much I despise the modern game. Not one instance of a player diving, faking injury, gobbing off at the ref. Offsides was offside. Plenty of players I actually knew something about. A ref who didn't hog the limelight (Philip Don) And of course a raucous crowd sans drummers. Today's game is crap by comparison.

iv) I thought only the Admiral of today's squad would get into our team that night - just imagine him and Hendry together. I thought about Savage for Batty (who was pants that night), but his disappearing act after a booking would have killed us.

Edited November 11, 2006 by Exiled in Toronto

[LeftWinger]

Mark, have a chat with me next time you see me on MSN, I might be able to sort you something out dude.

I want a copy!

[grizfoot]

I was only young when I was at this game. But I still remember Flowers having a brilliant match.

Anybody got that picture of him jumping in the air after the match?

That picture always sticks in my mind.

[Billinge End Blue]

There was plenty of bottle around that match ( and draught and shorts ) - never known a home game before or since where so many Rovers fans had been so heartily 'numbing the prematch tension' !

Hence the incredible volume of vocal support from all sides of Ewood Park (give the Geordies their due).

Set things up nicely for that amazing afternoon at Anfield.

[rog of the rovers]

All I remember is Flowers being SUPERB and then shouting BOTTLE at the camera

[Nuttall is lost]

I was 13.  Was in the Darwen End for this lower tier halfway between the corner flag and posts on the Jack Walker  Stand side.   I had come over from Ireland for it and had made a big banner for the game which took me ages.  We were picked up at Blackburn train station by a local man who offered us a lift.  He was born in Ireland I think but had grown up in Blackburn. I remember he had a prosthetic arm wile he was driving.

He brought us to the hotel and we checked in but then said he would wait for us and bring us to the ground. So we literally just dropped out bags and left immediately again.  On the way tot he ground I realised I had forgotten my banner and remember being gutted by that. All the hard work for nothing!  It wasn;t too long to kick off and couldn;t take the piss out of the guys generosity by asking him to return to the hotel so just let it be. 

Was a nice evening and we had McDonalds sitting outside.  I had a Big Mac meal and coke and we headed down to the ground.  In we went to the club shop which was then in the Blackburn End inside the stand.

Bought 'The Best' VHS and the red goalkeeper jersey.  It turned out that Flowers was wearing it that night.   Wasn't allowed in with my can of coke I was now drinking as I entered the turnstile and so had to drink it up outside before entering. 

Upon entry I was expecting to see the baked mud pitch but was surprised to see a nice covering of grass on the surface which had sprouted up quickly in the previous couple of weeks in early May.

I remember a minutes silence. Cant remember what for.  Maybe VE Day. 

I remember the goal. It was down the far end from us and the view wasnt great but saw LeSaux and Shearer just about.  In them days everyone was sitting down.  There was no standing like now and I remember Flowers made a great save before half time.

2nd half I remember being on edge and Flowers pulling off great saves and we looked nervous and we were hanging on by a thread.

Its then a bit of a blur but then remember we were all singing ''There's only one Alan Shearer'' One Alan Shearer. Walking along, singing a song, walkignina  Shearer wonderland' as we walked back intot he town.  A man in his 40s hugged me and said ''we did the business tonight son!''

 

Then into McDonalds int he town centre and back to the hotel.  The next day all we talked about was the bif game on the Sunday and how it will be a nail biter.

 

 

[K-Hod]

My 11th birthday. Even though I was young, I just knew this game was pivotal. I’ll never forget that night tbh.

[Nuttall is lost]

Watched the full game back on youtube last night.   Played quite well in it.   Blackburn were the dominant ream int he 1st half apart from a  short spell and a Beardsley shot that Flowers made a great save from.

2nd half Blackburn played well.  The commitment and energy put in by the lads was fantastic.  Shearer missed 2-3 sitters in counter attacks.

Newcastle were not as dominant as I remembered.  The great saves that Flowers made were not from an onslaught on our goal as such.  The game I thought was 50/50 and then Newcastle had these chances.  Ruel Fox and Gillespie were dangerous but overall Newcastle looked nowhere near the side they would become when they got Ferdinand and Ginola.   Blackburn just looked slightly nervous although they played well.  Flowers was top class. 

Newcastle were denied a stone wall penalty in the last minute.  How the ref didnt give it!  Hendry had too much of a rash streak in him and loved jumping into diving tackles and he took down Gillespie.  How he got away with it I dont know.

[oldjamfan1]

There were two separate minutes' silence. One for VE Day and one for Noel Brotherston, who had tragically died a few days earlier. You could hear a pin drop during both of them, which when you consider the cauldron the atmosphere was that night, was incredible, and a testament to the 30,000 in attendance. I've always respected the Geordies since that night. 

[Hasta]

On 05/02/2022 at 17:21, Nuttall is lost said:

Newcastle were denied a stone wall penalty in the last minute.  How the ref didnt give it!  Hendry had too much of a rash streak in him and loved jumping into diving tackles and he took down Gillespie.  How he got away with it I dont know.

I remember Kevin Keegan said in the interview after the game that Gillespie himself said it wasn’t a penalty and that he ‘anticipated’ the contact and went down.

I think that was Keegan doing Kenny a favour and taking any controversy out of it. I remember at the time thinking Penalty  but watching it again it’s a rash challenge but he dives in mid air.

It’s about 1hr 42 in on here.

Edited February 12, 2022 by Hasta

[Nuttall is lost]

4 hours ago, Hasta said:

I remember Kevin Keegan said in the interview after the game that Gillespie himself said it wasn’t a penalty and that he ‘anticipated’ the contact and went down.

I think that was Keegan doing Kenny a favour and taking any controversy out of it. I remember at the time thinking Penalty  but watching it again it’s a rash challenge but he dives in mid air.

It’s about 1hr 42 in on here.

Looked at it again there. It was certainly brainless what Hendry did but you may be right. Not sure how much connection there is.  Gillespie didnt protest too much.  Hendry looked a bit guilty though.

Loved them old stanchions and nets from 1994/5.  Hate the modern box netting they introduced from 1995 onwards  The 92-94 Ewood stanchions were a thing of beauty as well!