INFLUENTIAL Blackburn Rovers fans who have helped build the town on the back of the team's Premiership success today vowed the revival would continue despite the drop to first division football.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw, who could not attend the team's last home game in the Premiership last night, said: "I feel very sad for the town and for Jack Walker who has put his heart and cheque book into the club. "When the club was promoted into the top flight seven years ago it was a tremendous boost to the town and played a part in its revival.

"But I don't think relegation will knock the confidence that the town has gained since then and I think the club will come back."

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Malcolm Doherty said: "Hopefully our stay in the first division will be short lived and therefore not have any effect on the profile of the town, but any lengthy stay will have the opposite effect from when we were promoted to the Premier League." Hyndburn MP and government whip Greg Pope said: "I've supported this club since I was five and I was close to tears at the end but at least we went down with a fight and played with some passion, unlike last Saturday."

Former Accrington schoolboy and teacher Jim Bowen, who nows hosts the morning show on BBC Radio Lancashire, said: "Blackburn has wonderful people and a lot of character and this will not change that."

Jim, famous for his role on the TV quizshow Bullseye, who is a Rovers fan, went on: "I'm disappointed just as everyone else is today but what frustrated me was that if we could play like that what happened to the last four weeks? "I feel very sorry for Jack Walker too because he is a genuine Rovers fan who attends the games every week just like those out on the terraces. It's very sad."

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