BLACKBURN goal-hero Andy Cole last night said he felt 'over the moon' after scoring the goal which clinched Rovers' first major Cup triumph in 74 years.
Cole wrote his name in Ewood folklore after firing Rovers to a 2-1 win over Spurs in the Worthington Cup Final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
But the England striker was then quick to share the credit amongst his team-mates and even admitted to feeling like he had gatecrashed the party after only joining the club at the semi-final stage.
"I feel very emotional for both the Blackburn fans and the players because they deserve this," said Cole.
"They've all worked so hard to get to this final and I've jumped on the bandwagon in many ways because I only came in at the semi-final stage.
"So I'm over the moon for everyone connected with this club at what we've achieved and, hopefully, this can kick-start us in the Premiership now.
"I thought we played well in terms of creating chances and scoring goals so let's make sure we take that into the Bolton game and then maybe we can create a snowball effect and start winning a few games back to back.
"Then we should be alright."
Cole, who also scored in both legs of Rovers' semi-final victory over Sheffield Wednesday last month, grabbed the all-important winner with a typically opportunist strike in the 69th minute.
But he was modest afterwards when it came to assessing his own part in Rovers' triumph and what it might do for his England chances.
"This wasn't about England, this was about Blackburn Rovers and the supporters and Jack Walker watching from the heavens, willing his team on," said Cole.
"So it's not about my personal crusade to try and get to the World Cup, it's about my team winning the Worthington Cup and getting themselves into Europe next season."
Before yesterday's final, the Worthington Cup was the only major domestic honour Cole had yet to win so Rovers' victory meant even more to the England man on the day.
"This was the only competition I hadn't won so now I can look back and say I've completed the set which isn't bad for a kid who can't play," joked Cole.
"I wasn't thinking about that before the game, though. I was more conscious about us winning the game because a lot of people were saying we were just here to make the numbers up
"But in football, and particularly Cup finals, no-one comes to make the numbers up.
"We felt we were good enough to win the game and that's what we did.
"No disrespect to Spurs but we'd played them twice before this season and they hadn't hammered us in either game.
"So we just went out there, proved we can play some good football and ended up winning the game."
Much had also been made before the game of the reported rift which exists between Cole and his former Manchester United colleague Teddy Sheringham.
However, Rovers' record signing resisted the temptation to gloat at his old partner's expense after coming away with the spoils.
"A lot has been made out of that, which I expected, but I'm not interested in that.
"This is about me playing football for Blackburn Rovers and trying to win things for them.
"Okay, I might be smiling but no doubt if they'd have won, he'd have been smiling too.
"So I'm just delighted it was us who won in the end."
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