The 2013–14 season was Blackburn Rovers' 126th season as a professional football club and its second playing in the Football League Championship since the club's relegation during the 2011–12 Barclays Premier League season.
Caretaker manager for the final few games of the previous season, Gary Bowyer, was given the job permanently.
Grzegorz Sandomierski, Cameron Stewart, David Bentley, David Jones, Todd Kane and Colin Kazim-Richards, all of which were on loan at Rovers during the 12–13 season did not secure permanent contracts, though Todd Kane returned to Rovers for a third loan spell. Mauro Formica and Diogo Rosado, who were both loaned out for the final half of the 12–13 season left the club during the summer transfer window, the former being sold and the latter having his contract terminated. Rubén Rochina and Bruno Ribeiro who were also loaned out towards the end of the 12–13 season returned to the club.
David Dunn's talks over a new contract resulted in a one-year contract extension. Grant Hanley and Lee Williamson also gained contract extensions.
The club tried to move on higher earning players to lighten the wage-bill in preparation for the new rules which were to be introduced in the 2014–15 season.
Preseason On 24 May 2013, Rovers owners Venkys rewarded Gary Bowyer's performance as 'Caretaker manager' with a 12-month contract as the club's manager.
Bowyer wasted no time in adding to his team making a triple Free transfer signing of midfielder Chris Taylor (Millwall), midfielder Alan Judge (Notts County) and goalkeeper Simon Eastwood (Portsmouth), all of whom are joining the club after their contracts ran out with their clubs. He further indictated that funds had been made available to him by the club's owners, and he would be making changes both incoming and outgoing before the start of the new season.
On 4 June 2013, it was announced that the club had decided to release Micah Evans, Osayamen Osawe, Christopher Dilo, Jamie Maclaren, Reece Hands, Peter Wylie, Ryan Humphreys and Danny Laverty at the ends of their contracts (30 June 2013).
The club also confirmed that young players John O'Sullivan, Raheem Hanley, Hugo Fernandez, Will Beesley, Curtis Haley, Kellen Daly and Darragh Lenihan had all been offered new deals. All were due to be out of contract on 30 June 2013. Young goalkeeper Matthew Urwin and 1st team defender Grant Hanley also signed new contracts at the club.
On 7 June 2013 Operations Director Paul Agnew was fired by the club owners Venkys.
On 10 June 2013, Blackburn Rovers installed Terry McPhillips as assistant manager and Tony Grant as first-team coach, while Carlisle United youth team coach Eric Kinder re-joins Rovers as head of the youth team.
On 21 June 2013, Blackburn Rovers welcome back former player Craig Short who joins Gary Bowyer's backroom staff as first team coach.
On 3 July, Blackburn Rovers announced their new shirt sponsor as RFS (Regulatory Finance Solutions Ltd), a management consultancy business.
Pre-season friendlies
Championship Blackburn's game against Derby County was a fixture released early to mark the special 125th anniversary of the Football League. Gary Bowyer's first game as manager would ironically be against a club he coached at previously before joining Rovers in 2005.
BBC Football
Team statistics
League table
Result by round
Overall summary
Summary
Games played 49 (46 Championship, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games won 18 (18 Championship, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games drawn 18 (16 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games lost 13 (12 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Goals scored 75 (41 Championship, 1 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Goals conceded 72 (63 Championship, 6 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Goal difference +3 (+8 Championship, -5 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Clean sheets 15 (15 Championship, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Yellow cards 80 (76* Championship, 1 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Red cards 5 (4 Championship, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Most yellows 8 Lowe Most reds 2 Hanley Best result 5–2 vs BarnsleyWorst result 5–0 vs Man CityMost appearances 49 RhodesTop scorer 25 Rhodes Points 70 Leon Best gained a booking from the bench. Most yellows & reds
Cup Competitions
League Cup Rovers started their League Cup campaign earlier than usual against League One outfit Carlisle United, it was the first time Rovers appeared in the first round since 2000.
FA Cup
Club
Technical staff
Medical staff
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Players out on loan:
|colspan="14"|Players who have not played:
|colspan="14"|Players that played for Blackburn Rovers this season that have left the club:
Assists
RankNo.Pos.NameChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal132MF Craig Conway110011245MF Tom Cairney701837MF Joshua King401538MF David Dunn5005511FW Jordan Rhodes400466MF Jason Lowe300365DF Grant Hanley3003639FW Rudy Gestede3003616DF Scott Dann3003102DF Todd Kane20021012MF Ben Marshall2002103DF Tommy Spurr20021319MF Chris Taylor1001134DF Matthew Kilgallon1001139FW Leon Best1001Total520254
Transfers
Summer
In DatePos.NameFromFeeSource 1 July 2013 MF Chris Taylor Millwall Free transfer 1 July 2013 MF Alan Judge Notts County Free transfer 1 July 2013 GK Simon Eastwood Portsmouth Free transfer 2 July 2013 FW Devarn Green Burton Albion Undisclosed 4 July 2013 FW DJ Campbell Q.P.R. Free transfer 8 July 2013 DF Matthew Kilgallon Sunderland Free transfer 9 July 2013 MF Alex Marrow Crystal Palace Undisclosed 1 August 2013 DF Tommy Spurr Doncaster Rovers Free transfer 2 August 2013 MF Corry Evans Hull City Undisclosed (est ~ £600,000) 5 August 2013 DF Yann Songo'o Free transfer 18 August 2013 DF Aaron Tumwa Watford Free transfer 28 August 2013 MF Ben Marshall Leicester City Undisclosed (est ~ £1,000,000) 13 December 2013 MF Connor Mahoney Accrington Stanley Undisclosed Total spent ~ Undisclosed (~ £1,600,000+)
Out DatePos.NameToFeeSource 4 June 2013 FW Micah Evans Burnley Released 4 June 2013 FW Osayamen Osawe Southport Released 4 June 2013 GK Christopher Dilo St Mirren Released 4 June 2013 DF Peter Wylie Free agent Released 4 June 2013 FW Jamie Maclaren Perth Glory Released 4 June 2013 MF Reece Hands Morton Released 4 June 2013 FW Ryan Humphreys Free agent Released 4 June 2013 MF Danny Laverty Free agent Released 28 June 2013 FW Nuno Gomes Free agent Mutual Consent 1 July 2013 MF Danny Murphy Retired Mutual Consent 10 July 2013 DF Martin Olsson Norwich City Undisclosed (est ~ £3,000,000) 8 August 2013 GK Sebastian Usai AFC United Mutual Consent 16 August 2013 MF Mauro Formica Cruz Azul Undisclosed (est ~ £600,000). 23 August 2013 FW Diogo Rosado Vitória Mutual Consent 29 August 2013 MF Morten Gamst Pedersen Karabükspor Free Transfer 30 August 2013 DF Gaël Givet Arles-Avignon Free Transfer Total sold ~ Undisclosed (~ £3,600,000)
Loan in DatePos.NameFromLoan lengthSource 25 June 2013 DF Todd Kane Chelsea Season-long loan 1 August 2013 MF Tom Cairney Hull City 6 Month loan 26 November 2013 FW Rudy Gestede Cardiff City 1 Month loan
Loan out DatePos.NameToLoan lengthSource 1 July 2013 DF Nuno Henrique Arouca Season-long loan 2 July 2013 FW David Goodwillie Dundee United 6 Month loan 18 July 2013 FW Anton Forrester Bury 6 Month loan (extended) 22 July 2013 DF Jack O'Connell Rochdale 6 Month loan (extended) 23 July 2013 DF Ryan Edwards Chesterfield 1 Month loan (extended) 17 August 2013 FW Edinho Junior Whitehawk 1 Month loan 2 September 2013 DF Bradley Orr Blackpool 5 Month loan 1 October 2013 DF Anthony O'Connor Torquay United 1 Month loan (extended) 28 November 2013 DF Josh Morris Carlisle United 1 Month loan 28 November 2013 DF Ryan Edwards Tranmere Rovers 1 Month loan
Youth Loan out DatePos.NameToLoan lengthSource 13 August 2013 GK Matthew Urwin Stalybridge Celtic 3 Month loan 23 August 2013 FW Curtis Haley Bamber Bridge 1 Month loan
Winter
In DatePos.NameFromFeeSource 2 January 2014 MF Tom Cairney Hull City undisclosed (est ~ £600,000) 2 January 2014 FW Rudy Gestede Cardiff City undisclosed (est ~ £200,000) 31 January 2014 MF Craig Conway Cardiff City undisclosed (est ~ £100,000) Total spent ~ undisclosed (est ~ £900,000)
Out DatePos.NameToFeeSource 2 January 2014 DF Bruno Ribeiro Linense Free Transfer 24 January 2014 MF Fábio Nunes Latina Free Transfer 24 January 2014 FW Edinho Júnior Harrisburg City Free Transfer 24 January 2014 FW Curtis Haley Free agent Mutual Consent 28 January 2014 MF Raheem Hanley Swansea City Mutual Consent 31 January 2014 DF Scott Dann Crystal Palace Undisclosed (est ~ £1,500,000+) 28 February 2014 DF Nuno Henrique Jagiellonia Białystok Free Transfer 15 April 2014 MF Hugo Fernández Free agent Mutual Consent Total sold ~ undisclosed (est ~ £1,500,000+)
Loan in DatePos.NameFromLoan lengthSource 28 January 2014 MF Bryan Dabo Montpellier Season-Long loan 8 February 2014 FW Luke Varney Leeds United 3-month loan 7 March 2014 DF Michael Keane Manchester United Season-Long loan 8 March 2014 MF Liam Feeney Millwall Season-Long loan
Loan out DatePos.NameToLoan lengthSource 1 January 2014 FW Jordan Slew Ross County Season-Long loan 8 January 2014 MF Alan Judge Brentford Season-Long loan 9 January 2014 MF John O'Sullivan Southport 1 Month loan (extended) 9 January 2014 DF Kellen Daly Southport 1 Month loan (extended) 13 January 2014 MF Alex Marrow Fleetwood Town Season-Long loan 18 January 2014 DF Yann Songo'o Ross County Season-Long loan 20 January 2014 FW Rubén Rochina Rayo Vallecano Season-Long loan 20 January 2014 FW DJ Campbell Millwall Season-Long loan (cut short) 24 January 2014 FW David Goodwillie Blackpool Season-Long loan 24 January 2014 DF Bradley Orr Toronto Season-Long loan 14 February 2014 FW Leon Best Sheffield Wednesday 1 Month loan (extended) 25 February 2014 DF Josh Morris Fleetwood Town 1 Month loan (extended) 7 March 2014 FW Jordan Preston Clitheroe 1 Month loan 21 March 2014 DF Ryan Edwards Morecambe 1 Month loan (extended)
References
External links Blackburn Rovers F.C. official website