BUSINESS leaders today claimed Rovers' magnificent triumph in the Worthington Cup would help to put Blackburn back on the international map.

With victory at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium guaranteeing a place in European football next season, they said that bosses of international firms would once again see Blackburn's name listed alongside teams from the continent's big cities.

And Mike Murray, chairman of Business Link in East Lancashire, said the win would help boost productivity in factories and offices in the town.

"I have always said that anything that improves the morale of people in Blackburn has to be good for business," he said.

"A happy worker is always going to be more productive and efficient."

The town has received boosts from the football club twice in the last seven years, with the Premiership title and promotion last season having a positive effect.

Mr Murray said that he had direct experience of how Rovers' involvement in previous European campaigns had been good news for business.

"Taking part in a European football competition makes an instant talking point and helps to break down barriers," he explained.

"When I used to go to Germany, the people I was meeting knew I came from Blackburn and were always ready to talk about football."

Mike Damms, chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said Rovers had made their big breakthrough for the town when they won the Premiership.

"It is a pretty good thing to keep on reinforcing that message with success in cup competitions," he said.

"I believe there is a link between the ambition of an area and the ambition of its football team."

Mr Damms said it was likely there would be some increase in absenteeism today, but he thought many would have planned to take an extra day's holiday to recover from the arduous return journey from South Wales.

"Modern working practices give people more flexibility to manage their lives around both their work and leisure time, but it is predictable that there will be a slight rise in absenteeism."

Celebrity TV chef Nigel Haworth of the Northcote Manor at Langho said: "It's fabulous - for the club and for the town."

Nigel, who last year signed a five-year deal to provide catering at Ewood Park, added: "I'm so pleased for the players and Graeme Souness. They've put in so much hard work."

Now, though, they had to get down to the job of staying in the Premiership.

"They are too good a side to be relegated so let's hope this will give them the lift they need. It would be tragic if they went down," he said.