Blackburn Rovers legend Simon Garner insisted Steve Kean “had to go” after the Scot sensationally quit as Ewood boss tonight.

Former striker Garner joined fellow Rovers supporters in welcoming the news, after insisting his position had become untenable.

He said: “It got to the stage where he had to go. He’s been in this position for 12 to 18 months. He was never going to win the fans over.

“I think it’s the way it had to go.

“It seems very strange that he’s done it on a Friday, the day before a game, especially when he held a press conference in the morning.”

Former striker Kevin Gallacher said: “It was a bit of a shock. He said he’s been forced out but the people of Blackburn have been waiting for this.

“A lot of people in the town will be celebrating tonight.

“There were a lot of fans that said they would never come back to Ewood while he was there and the club lost a lot of sponsors.

“For the last 18 months the club has been in a downward spiral. The owners were partly to blame because they came in and didn’t understand football.

“Now he has gone, hopefully the owners have learnt their lesson, and something about football, and can look at the future of the club.”

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: “This was a wise and overdue move by the club – hopefully we can put this behind us now and move forward.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “I am delighted for the supporters who can, probably for the first time in a long time, start to look forward.

“In terms of the manager it has been a dreadful period – his record is the worst of any Rovers manager in history and I think the decision speaks for itself.

“I wouldn’t want to see Alan Shearer or Alan Curbishley in there – Tim Sherwood has been mentioned and at least if he got the job, with his emotional ties, he could fill the ground.”

Blackburn with Darwen council leader Coun Kate Hollern said: “I am glad that the Venky’s have finally seen sense and this will be great news for the club.

“The community can now get behind the club and get us back to where we belong – the Premier League.”

Mark Fish, secretary of the Blackburn Rovers Action Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted – we have been through this for nigh-on two years and have been actively trying to get rid of the manager for the last 12 months.

“It has taken 10,000 people making the painful decision to turn their backs on the club to make this happen.

“It would be great now if we could get 20,000 a game at Ewood and get Rovers back into the Premier League.”

Former Bullseye host Jim Bowen said: “I think it was on the cards. He had to step down.

“He’s done well to retain his dignity this far.

“He has been subjected to some battering.

“I’m not happy about any of the regime at Blackburn at the moment.

“I don’t think they know anything about football.”