As the curtain was drawn on a wonderfully uplifting season for Rovers, with promotion sealed, I provide my season review and analysis on 5 pivotal moments critical to our successes this term.

Having been to the majority of our games home and away this season (including a first season ticket for my 5-year-old), as much as there are plenty who don’t buy the “relegation can do some good” theory, I genuinely believe it has.

The atmosphere in the ground, the away attendances, the social media team at Rovers and the general feel-good factor has reversed after seven years of torment for us fans. I haven’t felt this close to the club and team in a long time and it feels like we have been brought back to life.

There’s no escaping the state of our finances or the current ownership of the club. However, every other aspect has seen a significant improvement which has rippled through the club (well done to the Ladies and Under 23s too!). For me, we have to thank Tony Mowbray for that, ensuring the club lives up to “Arte et Labore”.

When we were relegated on that final day, I was genuinely fearful after hearing his post-match interview. There was doubt in his voice and I really was unsure whether he would remain. But Tony had a plan (and of course a dream!) and, since receiving those assurances from Venkys last summer, he has not looked back and executed his plan in full.

After an uninspiring start to life in League One, going unbeaten in 17 and then extending to one defeat in 33 (two defeats in 34 is still not bad) is a monumental achievement in any division.

I think it’s especially remarkable for Rovers who were going nowhere fast after the home draw to Fleetwood in October, and Mowbray deserves all the plaudits. He remained calm, enforced his style and has been vindicated in his confidence that his “soldiers and artists” would eventually pay dividends.

Also key is the role that the whole squad has played this season – a squad that Mowbray has convinced to stay and added to with some real quality. The players have all mentioned the togetherness and team spirit being the best some of them have ever experienced. Bradley Dack, Charlie Mulgrew, Danny Graham, Richie Smallwood and David Raya will rightly take all the plaudits this season.

However, it’s easy to forget that the out of form Dominic Samuel actually provided three crucial winners (6 points more) away to Bradford (see below) and then home to Gillingham and Bristol Rovers early on in the season, well before the team was in any of its two unbeaten runs.

Marcus Antonsson, at one point, looked like he was going to be the top goalscorer with some hard working and effective performances before his injury in December.

Paul Downing – bought as a 4th choice and cover on loan! – stepped in and covered the absences of Lenihan, Mulgrew, and Ward admirably – his debut away to Rochdale an exceptional performance under those circumstances and with the pressure of playing for Rovers at this level.

Later on, in the season, a bigger contribution from utility man Elliott Bennett, the return of Darragh Lenihan and the goals from Adam Armstrong (effectively replacing Antonsson) allowed the Rovers to finish the job and seal our promotion on that wonderful night in Doncaster.

But, what were the pivotal games in Rovers’ season?

#1 Bradford 0 Rovers 1, 19th August 2017

Click here to read our review of this game.

Rovers started the season miserably and as a fan, I haven’t felt much lower than after Doncaster at home the game before. With those two defeats before this, the prospect of playing Bradford away filled me with genuine dread that we would start life in League One with three defeats on the spin.

At the time, Bradford had gone 18 months without a home defeat and was among the early season favorites for promotion – a tall order to register a point, let alone a victory.

Samuel’s second-half winner avoided a psychologically damaging defeat and kick-started the promotion push in earnest.

#2 Rovers 3 Shrewsbury 1, 13th January 2018

Click here to read our review of this game.

Rovers came into this came right in the middle of a long unbeaten run which included six wins in a row before Christmas, and we had done everything in our power to erase the lukewarm start and make up the gap on Shrewsbury and Wigan which once stood at eleven points.

Rovers went into the game five points behind Shrewsbury, and seven behind Wigan after three draws over Christmas – the draws at Northampton (a missed penalty and open goal miss) and Rotherham (a stoppage-time equaliser from nowhere) were particularly galling.

Losing this would’ve potentially taken us eight points behind Shrewsbury and ten points behind Wigan and unravel the mammoth efforts since that Oldham defeat in October. By winning this game, Rovers clawed Shrewsbury into reach for the first time and it was the first time I left Ewood Park believing we would get the job of promotion done.

#3 Fleetwood 1 Rovers 2, 20th January 2018

Click here to read our review of this game.

Although only a week later, the manner of this victory was a huge psychological step for the team as we broke into the top 2 for the first time all season.

What is better than a late winner, from outside of the box, from the season’s cult hero in front of a packed terrace end?

Just wonderful and this most certainly galvanized the team, the fans, the social media team and the manager as Rovers finally got serious about automatic promotion.

#4 Portsmouth 1 Rovers 2, 13th February 2018

Click here to read our review of this game.

Rovers were now fully embroiled in a three-horse race for the top two spots.

Prior to this game, however, Rovers’ long unbeaten run had come to an end away at Plymouth, followed by a second-half comeback to draw 2-2 at home to Oldham. After a Portsmouth equaliser and with Shrewsbury winning again, Rovers were at risk of dropping points and losing ground on the top two again (also Shrewsbury had played one less, and Wigan two less at this point).

This was always a slight risk for Rovers; after working so hard to make up the gap after a slow start, and the law of averages suggested we may have a slight wobble again, as it proved at the start of February. I have to say, the away support at Fratton Park that night was magnificent and when Armstrong pounced to strike late on, it was one of the season’s special moments.

Like how we had experienced Wigan and Shrewsbury seemingly winning every week, this one told them Rovers were not going away. This game also saw the return of Darragh Lenihan which (with the utmost respect to Paul Downing) improved us no end defensively for the remainder of the season.

#5 Rovers 3 Peterborough 1, 19th April 2018

Click here to read our review of this game.

Now it isn’t the Blackburn Rovers way unless they put the fans through the ringer, is it?

A shaky second half away at MK Dons, a flattering 1-0 victory at home to Southend, a sickening equaliser for Bristol Rovers and the season’s bore draw midweek away at Gillingham all suggested that Rovers may be showing signs of wobbling.

Critically for us, however, so were Shrewsbury, and by the time we entertained Peterborough, destiny was still in our own hands – we had perhaps used up the majority of our leeway, however.

Deservedly going in one down at half-time and missing the opportunity to put pressure on Shrewsbury, the battled hardened pessimists and worriers (at times me!) were all thinking, surely we aren’t going to mess this up?! From the moment Steven Taylor slipped in the box allowing Bradley Dack to capitalise, and any ridiculous thoughts were evaporated on a magnificent second half at Ewood in front of the Sky cameras.

Shrewsbury knew it, Mowbray knew it (although he wouldn’t say it) and finally, the majority of fans all knew it – we had landed the knockout blow and it was a matter of when not if. The only surprise for me was that it came so soon in the next game at Doncaster after a little favour from Bury!

I would like to finish this review and applaud Shrewsbury Town for their efforts this season.

At times I have cursed them, at times I have wished they would just go away, but they have been more than worthy opponents. Unfortunately for them, for Rovers “it was just business” as our cause was very great – bouncing back was crucial.

Their manager (unlike their goalkeeper and another rival manager) has acted with class and dignity all season and I really do hope they make it through the playoffs. You can look at a number of teams in the playoffs who at times have been woeful. Apart from this business end of the season, Shrewsbury have been largely consistent all season and deserve to cap a remarkable season.

As we enjoyed so much in the Premier League, I always like to see the smaller clubs upset the monopoly of the big boys so here is hoping that their points tally is rewarded with promotion at Wembley. I certainly know how I would feel (and genuinely feared at one point) coming third with those points and not going up.

Thank you for reading, TMBWA!

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