Formed in 1875, Blackburn Rovers FC were approached in 1888 to become one of the 12 founding members of the Football League.

The pinnacle of their early years came in 1912 and 1914, when Rovers were crowned League champions.

A sixth FA Cup triumph, in 1928, was to be Blackburn Rovers final major trophy for 67 years; years in which Rovers flitted between the lower divisions, with the exception of the 1938-39 and 1957-58 campaigns, before reaching the top flight through the play-offs just in time for the first Premier League season.

The creation of the Premier League in 1992 coincided with Blackburn Rovers' return to the top flight of English football for the first time in more than a quarter of a century.

Backed by the personal fortune of owner and local steel magnate Jack Walker, Blackburn Rovers set an English transfer record with the signing of 22-year-old Alan Shearer for £3.5m and his 16 goals in 21 League games helped them finish fourth.

With Shearer's scoring prowess, Walker's spending power and the management of Scottish legend Kenny Dalglish, the Ewood Park side ended their second season in the Premier League as runners-up to Manchester United; Shearer scoring 31 times in the League

The striker was the key man again the following year with 34 League goals as Blackburn Rovers reversed those positions to pip United to the Premier League title on the final day of the season.

Blackburn Rovers FC have since been unable to repeat those performances, however, and they became the first former Premier League champions to be relegated in 1999.

There was a rapid return to the top flight in 2001 and under Graeme Souness and then Mark Hughes, Blackburn Rovers FC qualified for Europe four times in six years.

This modern-day success mirrored Rovers' earliest years, when they dominated the FA Cup; winning it three times in succession in 1884, 1885 and 1886 and twice more in 1890 and 1891.