# 2004–05 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season

During the 2004–05 English football season, Blackburn Rovers competed in the FA Premier League.

## Season summary

The authoritative methods of manager Graeme Souness had caused Blackburn to struggle the previous season and alienated several key players, including the strike partnership of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, who left Blackburn during the summer for Fulham and Birmingham City respectively. Eventually Souness departed Blackburn to become manager at Newcastle United, with Blackburn struggling in the relegation zone. Wales manager and former Rovers player Mark Hughes came in as his replacement; Hughes' lack of experience in club management showed and the club were bottom of the Premiership after 14 games played, but he soon rallied the team to finish comfortably clear of relegation in 15th – as close to a relegation spot as they were to a UEFA Cup place, in terms of points. The club also enjoyed a good run in the FA Cup, reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual cup winners Arsenal.
During the close season, Hughes signed striker Craig Bellamy, who had played for Hughes with Wales, from Newcastle, in the hope that the Tyneside club's out-of-favour striker could fire Rovers to a higher place next season.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 13 | Fulham | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 52 | 60 | −8 | 44 | |
| 14 | Newcastle United | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 47 | 57 | −10 | 44 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup third round |
| 15 | Blackburn Rovers | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 32 | 43 | −11 | 42 | |
| 16 | Portsmouth | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 43 | 59 | −16 | 39 | |
| 17 | West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 36 | 61 | −25 | 34 | |

## Players
### First-team 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 | USA | Brad Friedel |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Lucas Neill |
| 4 | DF | ITA | Lorenzo Amoruso |
| 5 | MF | ENG | Garry Flitcroft |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Craig Short |
| 7 | MF | AUS | Brett Emerton |
| 8 | MF | TUR | Tugay Kerimoğlu |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Jon Stead |
| 10 | FW | SCO | Paul Dickov |
| 12 | MF | NOR | Morten Gamst Pedersen |
| 13 | GK | FIN | Peter Enckelman |
| 14 | DF | SWE | Nils-Eric Johansson |
| 15 | MF | RSA | Aaron Mokoena |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Matt Jansen |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | IRL | Steven Reid |
| 19 | FW | SCO | Paul Gallagher |
| 20 | MF | ENG | David Thompson |
| 21 | MF | IRL | Jonathan Douglas |
| 22 | DF | SCO | Dominic Matteo |
| 23 | DF | SVK | Vratislav Greško |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Andy Todd |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Jay McEveley |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Jay Bothroyd (on loan from Perugia) |
| 28 | FW | USA | Jemal Johnson |
| 29 | DF | NZL | Ryan Nelsen |
| 30 | FW | ENG | Matt Derbyshire |
| 31 | MF | WAL | Robbie Savage |
| 33 | DF | ENG | Michael Gray |

### 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 |
| 11 | MF | ESP | Javier de Pedro (released) |
| 15 | FW | TRI | Dwight Yorke (to Birmingham City) |
| 15 | FW | FRA | Youri Djorkaeff (to NY/NJ Metrostars) |
| 16 | MF | SCO | Barry Ferguson (to Rangers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Neil Danns (to Colchester United) |
| — | DF | ENG | Alex Bruce (to Birmingham City) |
| — | MF | ENG | Ciaran Donnelly (to Blackpool) |

## Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 26 | GK | GER | David Yelldell |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Andy Taylor |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | SCO | Craig Barr |

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | USA | Brad Friedel | 45 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | FIN | Peter Enckelman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | AUS | Lucas Neill | 44 | 1 | 34+2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ITA | Lorenzo Amoruso | 7 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Craig Short | 14 | 1 | 13+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | SWE | Nils-Eric Johansson | 28 | 0 | 18+4 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | SCO | Dominic Matteo | 32 | 1 | 25+3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | SVK | Vratislav Greško | 4 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Andy Todd | 32 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Jay McEveley | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | NZL | Ryan Nelsen | 20 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | ENG | Michael Gray | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 5 | MF | ENG | Garry Flitcroft | 23 | 0 | 17+2 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | AUS | Brett Emerton | 44 | 5 | 33+4 | 4 | 4+2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | TUR | Tugay Kerimoğlu | 26 | 1 | 13+8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | NOR | Morten Gamst Pedersen | 27 | 8 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 0+1 | 1 |
| 15 | MF | RSA | Aaron Mokoena | 22 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | IRL | Steven Reid | 34 | 2 | 23+5 | 2 | 2+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | ENG | David Thompson | 30 | 2 | 11+13 | 0 | 5+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | IRL | Jonathan Douglas | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | WAL | Robbie Savage | 13 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | ENG | Jon Stead | 34 | 2 | 19+10 | 2 | 1+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | SCO | Paul Dickov | 35 | 10 | 27+2 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Matt Jansen | 8 | 2 | 3+4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | SCO | Paul Gallagher | 21 | 3 | 5+11 | 2 | 3+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 1 |
| 22 | FW | USA | Jemal Johnson | 6 | 1 | 0+3 | 0 | 1+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Jay Bothroyd | 13 | 1 | 6+5 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | ENG | Matt Derbyshire | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players transferred out during the season ||||||||||||
| 11 | MF | ESP | Javier de Pedro | 3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | TRI | Dwight Yorke | 4 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | FRA | Youri Djorkaeff | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | SCO | Barry Ferguson | 22 | 2 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last updated: 31 May 2005 Source: Competitions

## Results
### Premier League
#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | L | L | D | L | W | L | D | L | L | D | D | D | D | W | L | D | D | D | W | L | W | W | L | L | L | W | D | W | L | D | W | D | D | D | L | L | D |
| Position | 8 | 13 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 |