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The new Championship campaign is upon us, and fans of Blackburn Rovers can now return to watch their club do battle once again.
This 2025/26 Championship campaign could be considered more special for some clubs in the EFL, with both Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City celebrating their 150th anniversaries this season.
Blackburn will be hopeful that they can make a return to the Premier League in this campaign, to bring an end to a 14-season run outside the English top flight.
Fans of the club will hope Valerien Ismael can inspire his squad and find a style of play that allows them to finally break into the play-off positions.
It won’t be easy, as the club have bid farewell to talents like Callum Brittain, who departed for Middlesbrough, and Tyrhys Dolan, who left to join Espanyol.
However, fans may be inspired by the latest message from club legend Alan Shearer, who once helped guide them to Premier League glory in 1995.
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Alan Shearer shares a heartfelt message to Blackburn Rovers fans
Ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign, Blackburn media filmed a video relaying the history of the club with the words of Alan Shearer, posting the message to social media.
In the video shared by Rovers, it reminds people that Blackburn were one of the founding members of the Football League and are hoping they can continue to inspire the next generation of player and fan.
He said: “By skill and hard work we will prosper.
“Our journey began 150 years ago, but our future is still being written.
“We’re a club of history, we’re a club of heritage, we’re a club of the people.
We are Blackburn Rovers.
“Together let’s write the next chapter of our story.”
Valerien Ismael’s expectations for the upcoming campaign
Valerien Ismael sat down with Rovers TV to discuss how he has felt pre-season and how the club’s business in the transfer market has gone ahead of the campaign, with the club bringing in six players ahead of the West Brom game.
The Blackburn boss discussed how he thought the club would fare this campaign in an incredibly competitive league, if you look at their rivals’ squads on paper.
He said: “This season especially, anyway, the team was coming down from the Premier League due to the recruitment they made one year before.
“So, they are always the fit. But this season what’s different is the promoted teams invest a lot of money in the transfer market.
“I think we have our chance, and I know that in the Championship every year you still have one or two surprising teams.
“It’s all about us being focused on ourselves, the hard work we want to put into the game, and the way we want to play.
“To be unpleasant for the opponent, just to be focused on ourselves, on our strength, on our mentality and on our togetherness, and then this will drive us throughout the season.”