REGULARS at the Knowles Arms, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, began celebrating straight after the final whistle.

Andrew Caton, 34, of Highbank, Blackburn, said: "They played really well and deserved this. It has been a long time coming."

His son Cameron, nine, said: "Brad Friedel was great today. He played really well. My favourite player, David Dunn, had a good game too."

Rosemary Whinfield, 41, of Mill Hill, said: "It was a great game for everyone to watch.

"If they can play like that for the rest of the season we should be OK. The defence needs tightening up though."

Andrea Eddleston, 25, of Bank Hall Lane South, Blackburn, said: "The team have got just what they deserved today.

"I think there will be a lot of celebrating over the next few days!"

Julie Abbott, 32, of Lower Darwen, said: "All the players tried hard throughout the game.

"They were really up for it and tried hard throughout. I hope they can stay up now."

Mark Proctor, 26, of Lower Darwen, was delighted too.

He said: "It was a fantastic way to win. That game had everything.

"We've got a cup, now we just need to stay in the league."

l Blackburn Rovers superfan Takeshi Imanishi led the foreign legion of fans who made it to Cardiff.

Takeshi, 31, a TV director from Sakura City in Japan, flew over just for the game and travelled down with friend Ken Elvin, who runs the Ellerbeck Hotel, in Wellington Street, St John's, Blackburn.

Takeshi fell in love with Rovers after taking a liking to their blue and white strip back in 1994.

lJubilant Rovers fans returning home to East Lancashire from Cardiff last night faced long road delays.

Three hours after the final whistle brought Worthington Cup joy to the blue-and-white supporters, the AA reported traffic jams all the way from the Welsh capital to the Severn crossing.

A spokesperson said there were long queues from junction 32 close to Cardiff to junction 26 near the border at the start of the fans' 270-mile motorway marathon return.