# 1999–2000 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season

Blackburn Rovers F.C. were in Division One for the 1999–2000 season, having been relegated from the FA Premier League after seven years. The expected comeback to the top flight did not materialise, in spite of several expensive purchases staying at the club. Brian Kidd was sacked on 3 November 1999 after 11 months in charge, with Rovers 19th in the league despite more than £30 million having been spent on players in that time. Long-serving coach Tony Parkes was placed in temporary charge of the team as the search for a successor began. Former defender Colin Hendry, who had been part of the title winning team in 1995 and who had started his first spell at Ewood Park in the 1980s, was linked with a return to the club as player-manager. Other names linked with the vacancy included Graeme Souness, Colin Todd, Roy Evans and Joe Kinnear.
The appointment of Graeme Souness on 15 March 2000 gave renewed hopes of a resurgence in 2000–01. Blackburn finished 11th in the final table.

## Squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | AUS | John Filan |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Jeff Kenna |
| 3 | DF | SCO | Callum Davidson |
| 4 | MF | IRL | Jason McAteer |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Darren Peacock |
| 6 | MF | IRL | Lee Carsley |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Garry Flitcroft |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Ashley Ward |
| 10 | FW | NOR | Egil Ostenstad |
| 12 | MF | IRL | Damien Duff |
| 13 | GK | IRL | Alan Kelly |
| 14 | FW | WAL | Nathan Blake |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Matt Jansen |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Marlon Broomes |
| 17 | MF | SCO | Billy McKinlay |
| 18 | MF | NIR | Keith Gillespie |
| 19 | MF | NIR | Damien Johnson |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | MF | DEN | Per Frandsen |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Jimmy Corbett |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Ben Burgess |
| 23 | DF | SCO | Christian Dailly |
| 24 | DF | SCO | David McNamee |
| 25 | MF | SCO | Burton O'Brien |
| 26 | FW | WAL | James Thomas |
| 27 | MF | ENG | David Dunn |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Martin Taylor |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Craig Short |
| 30 | GK | WAL | Anthony Williams |
| 31 | DF | ENG | Simon Grayson |
| 32 | DF | IRL | Peter Murphy |
| 33 | DF | ENG | Steve Harkness |
| 35 | GK | ENG | Alan Miller |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Leam Richardson |
| 37 | FW | NIR | Gary Hamilton |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | ENG | Chris Sutton (to Chelsea) |
| — | GK | ENG | Tim Flowers (to Leicester City) |
| 8 | FW | SCO | Kevin Gallacher (to Newcastle United) |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Kevin Davies (to Southampton) |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Jason Wilcox (to Leeds United) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Gary Croft (to Ipswich Town) |
| 22 | GK | NIR | Alan Fettis (to York City) |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Wayne Gill (to Blackpool) |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Keith Brown (to Barnsley) |

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Charlton Athletic (C, P) | 46 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 79 | 45 | +34 | 91 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Manchester City (P) | 46 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 40 | +38 | 89 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Ipswich Town (O, P) | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 71 | 42 | +29 | 87 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 4 | Barnsley | 46 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 88 | 67 | +21 | 82 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 5 | Birmingham City | 46 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 65 | 44 | +21 | 77 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 76 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 64 | 48 | +16 | 74 | |
| 8 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 62 | 49 | +13 | 74 | |
| 9 | Fulham | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 49 | 41 | +8 | 67 | |
| 10 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 62 | 53 | +9 | 66 | |
| 11 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 55 | 51 | +4 | 62 | |
| 12 | Norwich City | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 45 | 50 | −5 | 57 | |
| 13 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 57 | 68 | −11 | 57 | |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 53 | 55 | −2 | 56 | |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 57 | 67 | −10 | 54 | |
| 16 | Sheffield United | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 59 | 71 | −12 | 54 | |
| 17 | Stockport County | 46 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 55 | 67 | −12 | 54 | |
| 18 | Portsmouth | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 55 | 66 | −11 | 51 | |
| 19 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 46 | 67 | −21 | 51 | |
| 20 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 13 | 12 | 21 | 41 | 67 | −26 | 51 | |
| 21 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 43 | 60 | −17 | 49 | |
| 22 | Walsall (R) | 46 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 52 | 77 | −25 | 46 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 23 | Port Vale (R) | 46 | 7 | 15 | 24 | 48 | 69 | −21 | 36 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 24 | Swindon Town (R) | 46 | 8 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 77 | −39 | 36 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Topscorers
### League

* Lee Carsley 10
* Egil Østenstad 8
* Ashley Ward 8
* Matt Jansen 4
* Damien Duff 4