It's a Leap Year! Here's a look back at what happened on the 29th February in Rovers' history.

MATCHES

2020: Rovers 2–2 Swansea City Sam Gallagher grabbed a first-half goal, Danny Graham missed a penalty and Bradley Johnson fired in an equaliser deep into added time – leaving the Swansea players devastated after their time-wasting antics. This would be the last match supporters would watch at Ewood for 17 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2000: Rovers 1–1 Norwich City The Guardian’s Oliver Kay reported familiar tales from the mediocre 1999/2000 season: “Blackburn threatened to run riot but simply could not make their pressure tell” and “they dominated here but all they had to show at the end was a point from a last-minute goal from a substitute, their Danish midfielder Per Frandsen.” Fresh impetus was urgently needed for Rovers and Graeme Souness took over from caretaker manager Tony Parkes in March.

1992: Rovers 1–1 Oxford United Scott Sellars scored for Rovers in a home draw to second-bottom Oxford, which was perhaps the first sign that Kenny Dalglish’s top-of-the-table side wouldn’t stroll to promotion by winning Division Two. March saw the start of an infamous six-match losing run. 

1964: Bolton Wanderers 0–5 Rovers Championship contenders Rovers had already thrashed Spurs 7-2 and West Ham 8-2 in 1963/64 and recorded another drubbing with goals from Fred Pickering (2), Mike Ferguson, Andy McEvoy and Mike Harrison. Pickering was then sold to Everton in March for £80,000 and “Jack Marshall's Misfits” finished the season in a massively underwhelming seventh position.

1936: Huddersfield Town 1–1 Rovers A relatively decent point away at third-placed Huddersfield, but Rovers dropped to the bottom of Division One by close of play and would end the season there – the first time the club got relegated from the top flight.

1908: Rovers 3–2 Bolton Wanderers In the days of two points for a win, this was a massive ‘four-pointer’ at the bottom of Division One. The victory took Rovers out of the relegation zone and put Wanderers in it – and that’s how the season ended. The escape set up the greatest era in Rovers’ history with two league championship wins recorded before the First World War.

1896: Small Heath 2–1 Rovers Mid-table Rovers lost to bottom-of-the-league Small Heath (aka Birmingham City) with Josh Hargreaves scoring the consolation.

BIRTHDAYS

Niklas Gudmundsson, born 1972 (aged 52). Swedish international forward who came to Ewood from Halmstads in the Ray Harford era but found opportunities limited. He made one start and five sub appearances, all in the Premier League.

Rory Finneran, born 2008 (aged 16). Debuted as a late sub in the FA Cup tie against Cambridge United in January 2024, becoming the youngest player ever to appear for Rovers.