View from the Opposition – Blackburn Rovers

A bit about you:

Name: Andy Dawson

Current home town:  Blackburn

Birthplace: Blackburn

How long have you supported your team? 35 years

Overview of your club:

Favourite thing about your home ground: Close to my house … and it remains in a prominent position in the town, not some out of town estate.

Favourite match played by your team & why: As tempted as I am to say the Speedie play-off final against Leicester, I’m opting for our 1st leg semi-final before that against Derby, 2-0 down and the rest is history.

Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Alan Shearer / David Speedie / Colin Hendry / Damien Duff

About our forthcoming match against you:

Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Dom Hyam – he looks like he enjoys defending and can play a bit too.

Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Szmodics – always looking to attack.

Player in our squad you most fear and why? None – we fear nobody – but Vardy is always likely to repay the opposition for the stick he gets.

Up and coming prospect in your squad? Our academy system is paying dividends currently. Adam Wharton is probably the one we think is destined for greater things.

Where do you think you’ll finish this season? Play-offs

How do you think you’ll do against us? Looking for a repeat of last season’s FA Cup game. Likely to be an open affair. Fingers crossed for a win.

Any other comments? I am involved in junior and grass roots football and the Sunday midday kick-off of this match is tone deaf to the disruption that this can cause to Sunday morning local fixtures.

Andy is the former goalkeeping coach of Blackburn Rovers Ladies, and now co-runs Her Football Coaching Hub for school-aged female players in the Blackburn area.