Blackburn Rovers spent 18 seasons in the Premier League across two spells, from the competition's formation in 1992 until relegation in 2012. In that time they were champions, runners-up, League Cup winners and twice relegated, a two-decade arc that took in Jack Walker's millions, the SAS, Champions League football and the turbulence of the Venky's era.
Rovers were founder members of the Premier League in 1992, one of only three clubs to have also been founder members of the Football League in 1888. This page sets out their complete record: every season, every finishing position and every top scorer.
Blackburn Rovers Premier League Record: Every Season
| Season | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | Top League Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 68 | 46 | 71 | 4th | Alan Shearer (16) |
| 1993-94 | 42 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 63 | 36 | 84 | 2nd | Alan Shearer (31) |
| 1994-95 | 42 | 27 | 8 | 7 | 80 | 39 | 89 | 1st | Alan Shearer (34) |
| 1995-96 | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 61 | 47 | 61 | 7th | Alan Shearer (31) |
| 1996-97 | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 42 | 43 | 42 | 13th | Chris Sutton (11) |
| 1997-98 | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 57 | 52 | 58 | 6th | Chris Sutton (18) |
| 1998-99 | 38 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 38 | 52 | 35 | 19th (R) | Kevin Gallacher, Ashley Ward (5) |
| 2001-02 | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 55 | 51 | 46 | 10th | Matt Jansen (10) |
| 2002-03 | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 52 | 43 | 60 | 6th | Damien Duff (9) |
| 2003-04 | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 51 | 59 | 44 | 15th | Andy Cole (11) |
| 2004-05 | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 32 | 43 | 42 | 15th | Paul Dickov (9) |
| 2005-06 | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 51 | 42 | 63 | 6th | Craig Bellamy (13) |
| 2006-07 | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 52 | 54 | 52 | 10th | Benni McCarthy (18) |
| 2007-08 | 38 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 50 | 48 | 58 | 7th | Roque Santa Cruz (19) |
| 2008-09 | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 40 | 60 | 41 | 15th | Benni McCarthy (10) |
| 2009-10 | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 41 | 55 | 50 | 10th | David Dunn (9) |
| 2010-11 | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 46 | 59 | 43 | 15th | Hoilett, Kalinić, Roberts (5) |
| 2011-12 | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 48 | 78 | 31 | 19th (R) | Yakubu (18) |
| Total | 696 | 262 | 184 | 250 | 927 | 907 | 970 | 18 seasons |
(R) denotes relegation. Statistics cover Premier League matches only.
Two Spells, Two Very Different Stories
1992 to 1999: The Walker Years
Blackburn's first spell was extraordinary by any measure. Backed by Jack Walker and managed by Kenny Dalglish, Rovers finished 4th, 2nd and 1st in their opening three Premier League seasons, the title arriving in 1994-95 on the back of Alan Shearer's 34 goals. The decline was almost as rapid. Shearer left in 1996, the club churned through managers, and in 1998-99, just four years after being champions, Blackburn went down with 35 points under Brian Kidd. No other Premier League champion has been relegated so soon after winning the title.
2001 to 2012: The Second Spell
Promoted under Graeme Souness in 2001, Blackburn established themselves as a durable top-flight club for eleven straight seasons. The 2001-02 campaign brought the club's first League Cup, a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in Cardiff, and three 6th-place finishes (2002-03, 2005-06 and a 7th in 2007-08) delivered regular UEFA Cup football under Souness, Mark Hughes and Sam Allardyce. The end came after the Venky's takeover of 2010. Sam Allardyce was sacked, Steve Kean appointed, and in 2011-12 Rovers were relegated with 31 points, their lowest Premier League total.
Blackburn's Premier League Records
Across 18 seasons, Blackburn won 262 of 696 Premier League matches, scoring 927 goals. Their best points total is the 89 of the title season, their worst the 31 of 2011-12. Alan Shearer's 34 goals in 1994-95 remains the club's best individual scoring season, part of a haul covered in Alan Shearer's Blackburn Rovers record, while Benni McCarthy's 18 in 2006-07 is the best of the second spell alongside Yakubu's 18 in the relegation season of 2011-12.
Blackburn Rovers Premier League FAQs
Here are answers to the most common questions about Blackburn's Premier League history.
How many seasons did Blackburn Rovers spend in the Premier League?
18 seasons across two spells: 1992-93 to 1998-99, and 2001-02 to 2011-12.
What is Blackburn's highest Premier League finish?
Champions in 1994-95 with 89 points. They also finished 2nd in 1993-94 and 4th in the inaugural 1992-93 season.
When were Blackburn Rovers relegated from the Premier League?
Twice: in 1998-99 with 35 points, four years after winning the title, and in 2011-12 with 31 points, ending eleven consecutive top-flight seasons.
Have Blackburn won any other major trophies in the Premier League era?
Yes, the League Cup in 2001-02, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Who has scored the most Premier League goals for Blackburn?
Alan Shearer, with 112 Premier League goals in 138 appearances between 1992 and 1996. He was the club's top league scorer in each of his four seasons.
Explore individual campaigns in the Premier League seasons archive, see where the 1994-95 triumph sits among every champion on our Premier League winners by year page, or return to the Blackburn Rovers hub.