During the 2000–01 English football season, Blackburn Rovers F.C. competed in the Football League First Division (known as the Nationwide Division One for sponsorship reasons).

Season summary Rovers returned to the top flight of English football, thanks to a second-place finish in Division One which came two seasons after relegation. Rovers looked intent on returning to the top flight in style fulfilling the wishes of late owner Jack Walker who died shortly after the season began. Striker Matt Jansen, signed during the relegation campaign, was the club's top scorer with 23 Division One goals. Rovers also re-signed Henning Berg just after the start of the season, three years after they sold him to Manchester United. Berg was one of the club's last remaining links with the 1995 title winning side.

Final league table

Results Blackburn Rovers' score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 12 August 2000 Crystal PalaceH2–018,733Blake, Jansen 19 August 2000 Crewe AlexandraA0–07,500 26 August 2000 Norwich CityH3–219,542Dunn (pen), Blake, Jansen 28 August 2000 Sheffield WednesdayA1–115,646Taylor 9 September 2000 Nottingham ForestH3–018,471Jansen, Dunn (pen), Blake 12 September 2000 WatfordH3–417,258Dunn, Blake (2) 15 September 2000 Sheffield UnitedA0–210,816 23 September 2000 Bolton WanderersH1–123,660Thomas 30 September 2000 West Bromwich AlbionA0–116,794 15 October 2000 FulhamA1–215,247Jansen 18 October 2000 WimbledonA2–06,019Willmott (own goal), Flitcroft 21 October 2000 Grimsby TownH2–016,397Flitcroft, Jansen 25 October 2000 Tranmere RoversH3–217,010Hughes (2), Østenstad 28 October 2000 Huddersfield TownA1–012,287Østenstad 4 November 2000 Stockport CountyH2–117,404Hughes, Hignett 8 November 2000 BarnsleyA2–113,622Jansen, Dunn 11 November 2000 PortsmouthA2–214,141Bjørnebye, Jansen 18 November 2000 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–020,380Dunn (pen) 25 November 2000 GillinghamH1–218,061Hughes 2 December 2000 Tranmere RoversA1–110,063Dunn 9 December 2000 Queens Park RangersH0–016,886 17 December 2000 BurnleyA2–021,369McAteer, Bent 22 December 2000 Crystal PalaceA3–215,010Dunn (2, 1 pen), Taylor 26 December 2000 Birmingham CityH2–124,899Jansen (2) 30 December 2000 Crewe AlexandraH1–018,554Jansen 1 January 2001 Norwich CityA1–116,695Bent 10 January 2001 Preston North EndH3–223,983Jansen (2), Hughes 13 January 2001 Sheffield WednesdayH2–019,308Bent, Taylor 3 February 2001 BarnsleyH0–018,573 10 February 2001 Nottingham ForestA1–222,455Jansen 20 February 2001 WatfordA1–015,970Bent 23 February 2001 Bolton WanderersA4–120,017Bent, Dunn, Jansen, Hignett 3 March 2001 West Bromwich AlbionH1–023,926Bent 14 March 2001 Birmingham CityA2–029,150Bent, Duff 17 March 2001 WimbledonH1–119,000Jansen 1 April 2001 BurnleyH5–023,442Short, Davis (own goal), Jansen (2), Hignett 4 April 2001 Sheffield UnitedH1–126,276Berg 7 April 2001 Queens Park RangersA3–112,449Dunn, Jansen, Berkovic 11 April 2001 FulhamH1–221,578Jansen 14 April 2001 Stockport CountyA0–09,705 16 April 2001 Huddersfield TownH2–029,426Flitcroft, Jansen 21 April 2001 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–020,018 24 April 2001 Grimsby TownA4–16,507Dunn, Berkovic, Jansen (2) 29 April 2001 PortsmouthH3–124,257Hiley (own goal), Dunn, Bent 2 May 2001 Preston North EndA1–016,975Jansen 6 May 2001 GillinghamA1–110,319Blake

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR36 January 2001 Chester CityH2–015,223Taylor, BentR427 January 2001 Derby CountyH0–018,858R4R7 February 2001 Derby CountyA5–215,203Flitcroft, Bent (2), Dunn (pen), JansenR517 February 2001 Bolton WanderersA1–122,048DunnR5R7 March 2001 Bolton WanderersH3–020,318Flitcroft, Hignett (2, 1 pen)QF10 March 2001 ArsenalA0–336,304

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg22 August 2000 RochdaleA1–14,873BlakeR1 2nd Leg6 September 2000 RochdaleH6–1 (won 7–2 on agg)12,977Duff (2), Dunn (3 pens), DiawaraR2 1st Leg19 September 2000 PortsmouthH4–010,360Carsley, Thomas (2), ØstenstadR2 2nd Leg26 September 2000 PortsmouthA1–1 (won 5–1 on agg)2,731DunnR331 October 2000 West Ham UnitedA0–221,863

First-team squad Squad at end of season

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Top scorers

First Division Matt Jansen 23 David Dunn 12 Marcus Bent 8 Nathan Blake 6 Mark Hughes 5

References