TIM Sherwood would like nothing more than for Blackburn Rovers to mark the 20th anniversary of the club’s Premiership title triumph than by winning promotion back to the top flight.

But the Rovers legend, the captain of the famous team which won English football’s biggest prize in 1995, has warned the current Ewood Park crop of how hard it will be to get up from the Championship.

“It would be fantastic if they could get up to mark the anniversary,” said Sherwood, who scored 32 goals in 300 appearances in a seven-year spell at the club.

“But it will be tough because that’s how the Championship is. I’ve been there and it is very tough to get out of.

“There has been so much transition at the club and there are only a couple of people in the background there now since I was there.

“But everyone who has ever played for the club, particularly from that successful period of time, wishes it well – and I’m certainly one of them.”

Sherwood was a member of the Rovers squad which won promotion from the old Division Two in 1992.

But the midfielder played only a peripheral role following his move from Norwich City in February of that year and it was not until Kenny Dalglish’s side were promoted to the Premiership that he became its inspiration and driving force.

However Sherwood, who left Rovers for Tottenham Hotspur in 1999, was a key figure of the Portsmouth team that stormed to the old First Division title in 2003.

The former England international believes the key to Pompey’s success was the fact they had goalscorers – they netted 97 times in 46 games – and experience.

And he also advises Rovers that a strong start could be key to their hopes of ending their Premier League exile.

“If you’ve got goalscorers like Blackburn have got, it can make life easier,” said Sherwood.

“But you’ve got to make sure you’re nice and solid too and have the right blend.

“When I was at Portsmouth there was me, Paul Merson, Steve Stone, Hayden Foxe and Gianluca Festa, and we knew we had players on the pitch who could pull us through.

“We got off to a really strong start and in the end we steamrollered it as we had that momentum.”

Sherwood, who is looking to get back into management after leaving Tottenham at the end of last season, was speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph about his memories of the unforgettable 1994-95 campaign.

And he firmly believes a club of Rovers’ size will never repeat their incredible feat of winning the top-flight title again.

“I had seven years there and I enjoyed my most successful times there,” said Sherwood, now 45.

“It will never be repeated what we did – not only by Blackburn but by clubs of Blackburn’s stature.

“I don’t think it will ever be done again.”