ASK any Blackburn Rovers fan at Ewood Park on Monday night whether they expect to beat Sunderland at home and the answer from the overwhelming majority would be a resounding ‘yes’.

At first glance, so it should be as well. After all, Rovers are now in their 17th season as a Premier League club compared to Sunderland’s 10th and remain one of only four clubs to have won the title.

The fortunes of the clubs in recent history would also suggest Rovers should hold the upper hand, with the Black Cats still to finish above the East Lancashire outfit in the Premier League.

All things considered then and anything but victory would be a major disappointment at Ewood on Monday night.

Look at the basic facts and it would be hard to class Sunderland as anything but Rovers’ poorer Premier League relations.

A closer look at the financial picture though suddenly blurs what looks an open and shut case.

Do Rovers really have the right to expect victory on Monday night?

The sad facts of the matter now are logic suggests not.

Boasting the likes of Darren Bent, Asamoah Gyan and Craig Gordon, Sunderland’s current squad cost them £70million to assemble.

A figure that dwarfs the £30m Sam Allardyce’s squad comes in at.

Delving back further into Premier League history and the case against Rovers grows even stronger.

Even taking the halcyon days of Jack Walker, Kenny Dalglish and Alan Shearer into account, they are struggling to compete financially with Sunderland.

While Sunderland have only spent approximately £9million more than Rovers since the inception of the Premier League, the net spend of the two clubs tells an incredible tale.

Taking money received from sales into account, Sunderland have spent a net total of more than £110m, while Rovers have merely spent £6.5m.

Rovers have spent on average a net £362,611 a season in that time, Sunderland have splashed more than £6m every campaign.

These figures may be simplistic but what they do show is Rovers have rarely had the luxury of allowing their outgoings be significantly greater than their incomings when it comes to transfer dealings – the real glory days of course excepted.

Call it shrewd business sense, tightness or simply limited spending power, what they have done is continued to compete with clubs, like Sunderland, who are now and have been for a while in a different financial planet.

Rovers’ board, past and present, deserve huge credit for the way the team have stayed competitive on the field even if their bank balance hasn’t matched their rivals.

The Ewood faithful can thank their lucky stars they have had managers, in the main, with the ability to spot a bargain.

Compare Roy Keane’s wasted millions during his Stadium of Light spell with Rovers’ capture of the likes of Chris Samba, Ryan Nelsen and Steven Nzonzi.

The former Manchester United hard man should hang his head in shame.

Imagine though what Sam Allardyce’s squad could achieve with a Bent leading their attack?

It wasn’t through the want of trying either but those dreaded economics meant the thought of the England striker in a Rovers shirt was only ever a pipe dream.

Sunderland’s financial power were able to make Steve Bruce’s dream a reality.

It is very easy to take for granted what Rovers have achieved in recent years.

After all, as former Premier League champions, surely it is their right? Not true.

Sunderland fans would jump at six top 10 finishes, six semi finals and two quarter finals in the past decade.

Their sole top 10 finish in Premier League history, coming in 2001, hardly stacks up with their finances.

This is a club as well who average more than 40,000 in attendances - only topped by the so-called big four, plus Manchester City and Newcastle United.

But can Rovers’ Premier League success story continue with the Walker Trust still in control at Ewood Park?

The absence of any investment, compared to the millions being ploughed into clubs elsewhere suggest perhaps not.

The search for new owners does appear to grow in importance with each transfer window but, with an exciting crop of youngsters bursting on the Ewood scene, don’t rule out Rovers continuing to buck the trend.

So back to the initial question. Do I expect Rovers to beat Sunderland on Monday night?

Yes, I do – an answer that says everything about Rovers’ modern day success story.

Sunderland’s current squad cost: £70million
Rovers’ current squad cost: £30million

Sunderland’s total transfer spend since 1992: £193,265,000
Rovers’ total transfer spend since 1992: £182,662,000

Sunderland’s money raised from sales since 1992: £82, 230,000
Rovers’ money raised from sales since 1992: £176,135,000

Sunderland’s net spend since 1992: £111,035,000
Rovers’ net spend since 1992: £6,527,000

Sunderland’s net average spend per season: £6,168,611
Rovers’ net average spend per season: £362,611