POLL: The Ultimate 150 Rovers List - Part 9/9: Part Nine: The Venky's and EFL Era - 2012 - 2025 (10th December - 17th December)

[rog of the rovers]

The Ultimate 150 Rovers List

 

Part Nine: The Venky's and EFL Era - 2012 - 2025 (10th December - 17th December)

Poll runs from - 10th to 17th December 2025

 

Some additional notes - Though any personal feedback is greatly appreciated

Dates determined by when the player or manager left the club.

 

Venkys - Venkys London Ltd, a subsidiary of Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group, have owned the club from November 2010 to present day. The company is headed by the Rao family of B. Balaji Rao, B. Venkatesh Rao & Mrs Anuradha Desai.

Suhail Pasha - "Venkys man on the ground" a conduit between the family and the club. Managed to evade the spotlight and major criticism for a decade or so, but firmly in the cross hairs of supporters anger in the post COVID era.

Sam Allardyce - "Big Sam" saved Rovers from Premier League relegation in 2008/09 before stabilising the club the season after. Unfortunately for the fans and Allardyce, his final days, shrouded in turmoil and Machiavellian tactics from others, taint his legacy at the club.

Steven N'Zonzi - The midfielder signed from Amiens in the French second tier was a revelation in his debut Premier League campaign winning the clubs Player of the Year award in 2009/10. N'Zonzi would leave for Stoke City after the chaotic 2011/12 season going on to lift the Europa League title with Sevilla in 2016 and was part of the 2018 World Champion French squad alongside Kylian Mbappe. A rare Rovers link in the World Cup Final as he played the final 35 minutes against Croatia.

Yakubu - A shining star in a season full of such disappointment. The Nigerian striker scored 17 goals in 30 games for arguably Rovers' worst ever Premier League side. His goal at Stamford Bridge 12/5/12 remains the last goal Rovers scored in the English top flight.

Steve Kean - The one time coach of Allardyce, Kean would go on to take Rovers down into the Championship against a backdrop of fan protests, dwindling attendance numbers, libelous court cases and a playing squad made of questionable assets. Still an emotive figure over a decade on.

Shebby Singh - The one time sports broadcaster was parachuted into Ewood by owners Venkys in the summer of 2012. Fresh on the back of relegation to the Championship. The Independent Newspaper described his time as "presiding over the farcical decline of the club".

Katie Anderton - Rovers Ladies (now Women) All time top scorer, Anderton enjoyed three successful spells at the club and would have had more impact for England, but chose not to play international football. 

Gary Bowyer - Long time coach Bowyer was thrust into the managerial hot seat in the crazy season of 2012/13 where he was one of five managers in one season! Bowyer steadied the ship before ushering Rovers up the Championship table. Cup victories over Swansea and Stoke the highlights of his reign.

Rudy Gestede - Scorer of a hat-trick of headers, Rudy became a favourite for his aerial ability and deadly partnership with Jordan Rhodes. Sold for a nice profit to Aston Villa in 2015. The Benin international is back at the club as a football administrator, or whatever title he has this week. Its hard to imagine in 2025, but he once was much loved by the fans.

Jordan Rhodes - Rovers' record transfer spend at £8m. Rhodes' prolific goal scoring record made him a firm fans favourite, scoring over 20 goals in each of his three full seasons in Blue n White. Back at the club as 'Loans Manager'.

Rovers Lionesses - Walsh, Stanway and Toone cut their teeth at Rovers and would all go on to become household sporting names in 2021 as England Women won the European Championships at Wembley. After defeat in the World Cup final to Spain the Lionesses gained revenge by retaining their European crown in 2025 with victory over La Roja on penalties.

Danny Graham - Signed as Rhodes' successor, it was in the League One promotion campaign where Graham enjoyed himself. 14 goals in the league, plus a burgeoning partnership with Dack helped Rovers back into the second tier at the first time of asking. Popular within the club and in the stands.

Charlie Mulgrew - The skipper during the League One promotion campaign, scoring a whopping 14 goals from centre back! A dead ball specialist his crosses and free kicks live long in the memory.

Elliott Bennett - 'Agent Benno' a popular figure among Rovers fans thanks to his industrious, heart on sleeve playing style. Credited with helping the backroom staff at Ewood/Brockhall receive their full wages during the COVID pandemic of 2020. A leader and highly respected by those in the club at that time.

Tony Mowbray - Successfully guided Rovers back into the Championship at the first time of asking, before re-establishing the club in the second tier. A character and genuine personality, gentleman.

Saffron Jordan - A permanent fixture of the Ladies team for nearly a decade. The prolific striker combined her talents scoring goals with a career in the NHS. 

Bradley Dack -  'Dacky' wrote his name into Rovers folklore as the star player in the League One promotion season (15 league goals) and followed it up with a fine debut campaign at Championship level. His time at Rovers and career cruelly cut short by ACL injuries in both knees.

Ben Brereton Diaz - A more unique Rovers career you're unlikely to find. A big money youth signing from Nottingham Forest £7m the striker looked short on confidence and talent until a breakout campaign in the 2020/21 COVID season. What followed was a remarkable call up for Chile, a 'bookie bashing' 22 league goal season and cult hero status.

Gemma Donnelly - Started with the School of Excellence helping to produce the talented Lionesses. Interim manager from 2013 to becoming permanent boss in 2014. Donnelly oversaw huge successes for the Ladies team including three Northern Division titles, 2 x Premier League Cups, 5 x Lancashire Cups and a Championship Play Off victory.

Sammie Szmodics - The Szmodics era began slowly before announcing himself in the Cup tie at Leicester City with a man of the match performance and goal. 2023/24 will forever be 'The Szmodics Season' with 33 goals in 48 apps. Sammie almost single handedly kept Rovers in the second tier.

Adam Wharton - 'The Wilpshire Pirlo', Blackburn born and bred, the clubs record sale at £22m to Crystal Palace. Adam holds a place in the hearts of Rovers fans young and old who will watch his career with interest. We can but hope that he'll be back in Blue n White again at some point in the future.

Lewis Travis - Long time captain of the club and in the exclusive club of over 250 appearances for Rovers. Loved the dark arts and wore his heart on his sleeve in every Rovers performance. 

 

Others - Craig Conway, Adam Armstrong, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Tyrhys Dolan, John Buckley, Scott Wharton, Michael Appleton, Owen Coyle, Darragh Lenihan, Sam Gallagher, Corry Evans, Natasha Fenton, Jason Lowe, Ryan Nyambe, Grant Hanley, Jerome Anderson.

Edited December 9, 2025 by rog of the rovers

[Mike E]

My others:

JDT, A. Wharton, Finneran, and Phillips - collectively ’what could’ve been?’

JDT specifically for being the man to publicly ‘out’ Suhail. It feels like a significant turning point against these owners.

Also every group that has done something individually or collectively to try and make this shitty situation with this shitty ownership better.

On that note (semi-serious):

Glen Mullan - the main man to put his head above the parapet in the face of these absolute bastards AND the reason we bought my favourite player of this era: Jordan Rhodes.

 

[Upside Down]

Glen Mullan needs to be on that list.

Calling Steve Kean a manager is an insult to football.

Also need to be on the list:

Jerome Anderson 

SEM

Kentaro 

The story of this era cannot be told without the inclusion of these parasites on humanity.

Edited December 10, 2025 by Upside Down

[rog of the rovers]

This was the toughest category to narrow down.

Recency bias and not wanting to make it too much about Venky's and that initial 2/3 years of catastrophe. 

I ultimately want to try and focus more on the positives of the list, but you can't have the yin without the yang. I did think about Jerome Anderson/SEM/Kentaro as a vote candidate, but decided amongst Venkys/Suhail/Kean there was enough scope to gauge the mood.

Intrigued to see how the vote plays out.

 

Edited December 10, 2025 by rog of the rovers

[GHD]

9 hours ago, rog of the rovers said:

This was the toughest category to narrow down.

Recency bias and not wanting to make it too much about Venky's and that initial 2/3 years of catastrophe. 

I ultimately want to try and focus more on the positives of the list, but you can't have the yin without the yang. I did think about Jerome Anderson/SEM/Kentaro as a vote candidate, but decided amongst Venkys/Suhail/Kean there was enough scope to gauge the mood.

Intrigued to see how the vote plays out.

 

I think it’s the easiest category. There are only a handful of names on there who have made a positive impact

[Hasta]

2 minutes ago, GHD said:

I think it’s the easiest category. There are only a handful of names on there who have made a positive impact

Remember it’s about defining the history / telling the story. Not  making a positive impact

[GHD]

16 minutes ago, Hasta said:

Remember it’s about defining the history / telling the story. Not  making a positive impact

I take your point but it’s also about the present and future. If some of the names on there are around for much longer, there won’t be a future for Blackburn Rovers

[Upside Down]

14 hours ago, rog of the rovers said:

This was the toughest category to narrow down.

Recency bias and not wanting to make it too much about Venky's and that initial 2/3 years of catastrophe. 

I ultimately want to try and focus more on the positives of the list, but you can't have the yin without the yang. I did think about Jerome Anderson/SEM/Kentaro as a vote candidate, but decided amongst Venkys/Suhail/Kean there was enough scope to gauge the mood.

Intrigued to see how the vote plays out.

 

There has been nothing positive about the last 15 years.

[Mattyblue]

The Ultimate List should just end in November 2010 with a black page.

[rog of the rovers]

No love for the Yak!

He was a breath of fresh air that season, you could see his quality a mile off!

 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Apart from a few what a horrific list to pick from.

Venkys,Kean etc all there for the wrong reasons.

 

Edited December 11, 2025 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Salgados Hair]

Voted for Adam Wharton and left it at that.. 

[JPTSwindon]

2 votes for me...

Venky's - all leads back to them, the good and err... everything else!

Adam Wharton - best player of the era, who literally kept the lights on midst Venky's tax affairs.

What an empty cupboard!

[rog of the rovers]

Our polls close at midnight.

Thank you to all who have voted, look out for more on this list going into 2026, either in print in a future edition of the fanzine and/or some projects on here.