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Day: 24/30

Season: 2000/01

Fixture: Rovers 5-0 Burnley (1/4/01)

Highlights

Why Chosen

The 2000/01 season started with great sorrow. Owner and dream maker Jack Walker passed away at the age of 71, after a battle with cancer, on 17th August 2000. Testimonials from across the football and non-footballing communities showed the reverence that Walker had. He would be (and still is) sorely missed.

The season would be dedicated to Jack. Rovers knew that promotion back to the big time was the perfect tribute and boy did it become a season to remember.

Early season inconsistencies (4 defeats in 5 during September and October) gave way to a 7 wins in 8 as the clocks went back. The youthful exuberance of David Dunn, Damien Duff and Matt Jansen blended perfectly with the experience and know how of seasoned professionals like Brad Friedel, Mark Hughes, Craig Short and Henning Berg. By the time Rovers hit the festive period they were on a roll. Burnley dispatched at Turf Moor (2-0 thanks to Jason McAteer and Marcus Bent) just before Christmas 2000 as Rovers red hot form continued into the new year, winning 10 of 14 League fixtures between the derbies.

By the time Burnley travelled to Ewood on 1st April 2001, Rovers were an express train that wouldn’t be stopped. Cue the performance that followed. Rovers ahead after 13 minutes as Craig Short deflected David Dunn’s shot past the Burnley keeper. On 27 minutes Rovers doubled their advantage, Short’s marauding run to the touchline saw his cross deflect off Burnley skipper Steve Davis and squirm into the Darwen End goal. The onslaught continued in the second half. Marcus Bent’s teasing cross allowed Jansen to make it three, before the pacy striker added his second and Rovers’ 4th after a through ball from Alan Mahon. Craig Hignett completed the rout with a low drive to make it 5-0 Rovers.

Aftermath 

Rovers would go onto clinch promotion at Preston a month and a day later (Rovers played 9 games in April 2001) thanks to a Matt Jansen header in a 1-0 victory. The promotion campaign remains a favourite for many who remember the attacking style, the quality of the three matchwinners (see above), the addition of the magical Eyal Berkovic as the season reached its climax.

A real squad effort with unsung heroes like (ever present) John Curtis at right back and match winning moments from unlikely sources. Egil Østenstad away at Huddersfield (1-0 win) and ‘Tiny’ Taylor with the winner at Selhurst Park (3-2 over Crystal Palace). 

As captain Garry Flitcroft’s t-shirt said during the celebrations at Deepdale. “Jack this is 4 U”. Rovers had got back to the Premier League at the second attempt. The Walker Trust would take custody of the club and did so for the next decade until they sold it to Venkys. 

The season, set against the soundtrack of Daft Punk’s album ‘Discovery’ was one I’d love to relive. One More Time!

Honourable Mentions 

Rovers 3-2 Norwich City (26/8/00) – An emotionally charged Ewood in the first home game after the death of Jack Walker. It was one the great man would have loved. Rovers victorious in a rain-soaked East Lancashire as a David Dunn penalty and a Nathan Blake header gave Rovers a 2-0 lead. Norwich pulled a goal back before a magnificent strike from Matt Jansen made it 3-1. Norwich would setup a grandstand finish when Giallanza made it 3-2, but Rovers held on for the three points and a fitting tribute to Jack.

Burnley 0-2 Rovers (17/12/00) – The first East Lancashire derby in 17 years. Off field headlines included a heavy police presence (this was the first use of the police escorted coaches) and a post-match ‘lock in’ as Burnley fans decided to take out their frustrations on their own town centre! On the pitch it was a tale of two headers that gave Rovers the points, the first from Jason McAteer just on half time, the second, the clinching moment as Marcus Bent nodded home after Alan Mahon’s drive had been parried by Michopoulos.

Bolton Wanderers 1-4 Rovers (23/2/01) – A statement victory. Bolton (also promoted that year via the playoffs) had become Rovers’ main challengers for the second automatic spot (Fulham had raced away at the top) and the two local rivals would meet four times during that season. Twice in the league, but also twice in the FA Cup 5th Round. A 1-1 draw in the first game at The Reebok Stadium led to a replay at Ewood, but before the two could meet in the cup the league match at Horwich was to be played. A Friday night fixture on Sky Sports pitted the two Premiership hopefuls and by the final whistle Rovers had landed both a points and a psychological blow to Wanderers. Bent, Dunn, Jansen and Hignett the goal scorers as Rovers oozed class on a famous night in red and black. Rovers wouldn’t relinquish any ground to The Trotters from that point onwards, also winning the replay at Ewood 3-0 (Flitcroft, Hignett 2 (1 pen)) before falling away to Arsenal by the same scoreline in the 6th Round.