Blackburn Rovers’ highest-paid player in each of the previous ten Championship seasons (List) examines the estimated highest-paid players in Blackburn’s recent history, as determined by Capology
HIGHLIGHTS
Blackburn Rovers have fallen significantly since their Premier League-winning season in 1995, and they now want to make the Championship playoffs.
The club has investigated a variety of tactics to develop their team, including paying high prices for players and exploiting both overseas markets and their academy.
Dickson Etuhu, Jordan Rhodes, Marvin Emnes, Kase Palmer, Greg Cunningham, Sam Gallagher, Daniel Ayala, George Hirst, and Dominic Hyam have been among Blackburn Rovers’ highest-paid players during the last ten seasons.
Ewood Park has seen its fair share of talent at Blackburn Rovers over the years.
Rovers have gone from relegation to the third tier to flirting with the Championship play-offs in the previous ten seasons, a far cry from their spectacular Premier League-winning season in 1995.
After hovering on the brink of the top six for the past two seasons, missing out on a play-off position to Sunderland on the final day due to goal difference last season, the reality today is an optimistic pursuit for a play-off spot.
The team has spent enormous amounts of money in the pursuit of a coveted return to the promised land, with different degrees of success.
Such an approach has subsequently been modified, with Jon Dahl Tomasson utilizing both overseas markets and the academy’s resources to give his side an advantage heading into another highly contested Championship.
With that in mind, FLW examines the estimated highest paid player from each of the previous ten seasons, as determined by Capology.
Following a successful career in England with Manchester City, Preston North End, and Fulham, Etuhu joined the club following its relegation from the Premier League in 2012.
The former Nigerian international made 20 appearances in his debut season, scoring once, before his game time decreased dramatically the following season, with three cameos as he moved on to Swedish club AIK.
Rhodes, a Championship hot property, joined the club in 2012 and continues to impress in his third season in Lancashire.
That season, the Scottish international scored 21 goals and provided four assists as Rovers finished ninth in the second division. Another 20-goal season propelled the former Huddersfield Town star above the 70-goal mark at Ewood Park, demonstrating his worth.
A rumored huge wage hike, Blackburn would only have to pay anything close to this amount for the first six months of the season before moving on to Middlesbrough in the winter window.
The move did not prevent Rhodes from leaving a lasting impression, scoring 10 goals in 25 appearances as his successful period in Lancashire came to an end, before adding another six on Teesside as Boro gained promotion to the Premier League.
The Dutch forward joined on loan from Swansea City for the season, although Blackburn were relegated to the third tier for the first time since the 1970s.
The former Middlesbrough man scored eight goals in 35 appearances for the club and did not return for the promotion drive the following year, instead finishing his career in Turkey, the United States, and Italy.
After two loan spells with Huddersfield Town and Derby County, Blackburn Rovers signed Kasey Palmer for his fourth loan from Chelsea.
Palmer’s tenure at Blackburn was cut short after only 14 games and one goal, as he moved on to Bristol City for the remainder of the season in January.
The 26-year-old has since found a permanent home away from Stamford Bridge, now playing for Coventry City under Mark Robins.
Cunningham was an accomplished player at this level with Preston before joining Cardiff City in the Premier League the previous year. However, his game time was severely limited, with only seven top-flight games as his side was relegated, and he was then loaned out to Blackburn the next season.
The left-back appeared in eight games from the start, but his season was cut short due to a cruciate knee injury in October, and he returned to his parent club in January.
