JACK Walker was "absolutely elated" as Chris Sutton's sensational late strike blasted Blackburn Rovers back into Europe at an ecstatic Ewood last night.
And Rovers boss Roy Hodgson said that seeing the pleasure that clinching a UEFA Cup spot had brought to the fans was all the reward he wanted.
Mr Walker, who re-affirmed his intentions to build Rovers into one of the top names in European football, couldn't hide his feelings after a dramatic finale to the Premiership season.
He felt it gave them the reward they deserved.
"When Sutty put that ball in the net at last, I felt that justice had been done for both Chris Sutton and Blackburn Rovers," said Mr Walker.
"I would have been very hurt if we had not qualified."
Before the game, the Rovers owner told the fans that he believed Sutton should be playing for England and he asked again for their support to encourage him to build the new stand on the Riverside.
He also spoke to the players before the game and he told them that because of what Blackburn had done for him, he was determined to bring success back to the club.
"I will not be satisfied until we are recognised as a European force," he said.
Hodgson was also clearly overjoyed at hitting his target of European qualification in his first season with the club - and he paid a remarkable tribute to the club's support. "We are never far away from our capacity which I find astonishing in a town of 100,000 people. Pro rata we must be one of the best-supported clubs in the world," he said.
"It doesn't mean as much to me personally as it does to the people at the club. I am delighted for Jack Walker, in particular, because he's a man who cares so deeply for this club and has done so much for it.
"He was so happy in the first part of the year when we looked like taking the League by storm."
Sutton had put one free kick into the wall earlier but had no qualms about taking the crucial one: "I fancied it really. I aimed it at the keeper and just smashed it as hard as I could.
"On a personal level you always want to score goals, they give you confidence," he said.
"But they have never been the be-all and end-all of my game. Ever since I began at Norwich I have always been a target-man style of player.
"I've been fortunate to score goals as well but I have an important role in the team."
And does he regret his England B decsiion?
"I don't have any regrets about the decision. The only obvious regret is that I know I will have to wait until Glenn Hoddle goes before I get another chance and that might be a long time," he added.
Ian Miller is returning to Ewood to join the expanding youth set-up under Bobby Downes. The former Rovers winger, a popular player during the 1980s, is leaving Manchester City where he is currently working in a similar capacity.
Miller is well known to Downes, who appointed him to the youth staff at Port Vale when he had finished playing. He also worked for him at Wolves, running the reserve side.
"I know all about Ian's conncections with the club but, even more important, I know he can do the job," said Downes today.
Miller, who moved back to the Blackburn area a few months ago, said: "I'm delighted to be coming back to the club."
Keith Brown and Craig Woodfield both miss tonight's Lancashire FA Youth Cup final against Tranmere at Ewood (7.30pm kick-off) through injury. "It would be nice to finish what has been a magnificent season for the boys with another trophy. They deserve it," said youth boss Bobby Downes.
Rovers' squad is: Stewart, Bingham, R Dunning, Taylor, Murphy, Richardson, McAvoy, Baldacchino, Dunn, Scates, Ryan, Hamilton, Topley, Connolly, Hawe, Richards.
Admission tonight is £3 with the Jack Walker Stand open.
Rovers' B team rounded off their title-winning season with two wins at the weekend. Steven Hawe scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Tranmere and there were two apiece for Steve Foster, Paddy Connolly and Rob Derbyshire in a 6-0 victory over Carlisle.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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