BLACKBURN ROVERS bounced back to the Championship at the first time of asking – sealed by a dramatic late win at Doncaster Rovers last night.

Skipper Charlie Mulgrew scored the only goal of the game to send the thousands of travelling Rovers fans into raptures – and many thousands more back home in East Lancashire.

Boss Tony Mowbray said: “I’m delighted for this club because it was spiralling in the wrong direction with a lot of negativity, people unhappy with what was happening.

“But this group of players have managed to galvanise themselves and turn this negativity into a positive.”

Rovers’ League One player of the season Bradley Dack said: “No words can describe this feeling. It’s a night I won’t forget for the rest of my life.”

The promotion has restored the feelgood factor at Ewood Park and high-profile Rovers fans believe the club’s future is again bright.

Rovers legend David Dunn tweeted: “Well done to all the first team players and staff led by the gaffer who’s turned the club into such a positive place! Fantastic season! Special mention to all the supporters that continue to support a fantastic club.”

Title-winning hero of 1994/5 Alan Shearer tweeted: “Congratulations and well done to all.”

Former Blackburn MP Jack Straw is hoping for more of the same next year after their return to the Championship.

He said: “We are very close to something big for sure. Most important of all I think this season we’ve hopefully been able to put the past difficult years behind us – not least the unfortunate feeling between fans and club. That’s gone in my opinion.

“Let’s hope for an equally positive season next year. We ought to be up there – with the Clarets!”

Mr Straw insists canny Mowbray and work going on behind the scenes have been behind the speedy return to the second tier of English football.

He said: “Tony Mowbray’s determined leadership, serious commitment by the owners, new CEO in Steve Waggott - plus of course ace players like Bradley Dack and others.”

Mark Fish, chairman of the Blackburn Rovers Action Group, said there was lots of optimism at the club and more good times could be around the corner.

He said: “It has been very positive and lots of good things have been going on behind the scenes.

“It is a long time since we have seen a good team.

“We were relegated from the Championship and wondered if the manager would stay and whether we could go back up.

“Tony has done a great job keeping the squad together and made some good additions.

“He has changed things from top to bottom and it shows he will be here for the long-term.

“We have got some good young players coming through too and that all bodes well for the future.

“I have no doubt something big is happening and Tony is the man to take us back to the Premier League.”

Councillor Phil Riley, a season ticket for Rovers and also executive member for regeneration, said: “It’s fantastic for the club and town. Blackburn Rovers are one of the biggest brands in the town and when they are doing well it makes the area feel better.

“It will bring people to the economy as there are bigger crowds in the Championship and they may want to stay in our hotels and enjoy Blackburn.”

Kate Hollern, Blackburn MP, said: “The team have shown true spirit and dedication and deserve promotion.”

But fashion designer and Rovers fan Wayne Hemingway believes things have to be kept in perspective.

He said: “It feels like we have a cohesive team and the manager should be congratulated for that. Anything that creates a feelgood factor is important.

“I doubt we are onto something big though not with this ownership. Where are the signs that things have fundamentally changed? Remember this is League One they are coming out of.”