Crystal Palace 3 Rovers 0 aet

Selhurst Park, June 4, 1989

THE promotion play-offs final which promised so much went disastrously wrong on an emotional afternoon.

Leading 3-1 from the first leg at Ewood, Rovers were in the driving seat but lost their nerve in front of a full house.

Ian Miller had an early chance to put Rovers in the comfort zone but he missed it and things went downhill from there, referee George Courtney earning the wrath of the visiting fans for a controversial penalty which levelled the aggregate scores.

Rovers 1, Leicester 0

Wembley, May 25, 1992

MIKE Newell's first-half penalty sent the Blackburn half of a 68,000 crowd into ecstasy as they celebrated the long-awaited return to top-flight football. It was a nerve-wracking finale, especially as Rovers failed with a second spot kick towards the end of the game.

But, despite wasting the chance to wrap it up, they held on with some desperate defending and went up to collect the play-offs trophy.

Rovers 1, Newcastle 0

Ewood Park, May 8, 1995

ALAN Shearer's first-half header from Graeme Le Saux's cross set up the championship climax with a nail-biting win over Newcastle.

But Tim Flowers, later to launch into his famous "bottle" speech, was the hero of the hour, making a string of super saves to keep the lead intact.

The roar of triumph, and relief, at the end of 90 incredible minutes on VE Day signalled the fact that the title was heading to Blackburn for the first time in 81 years - but not without a few more twists and turns.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.