Blackburn Rovers: Andy Neild's analysis of the season

2:01pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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SO the dream is over for another year after a season that promised so much ended in bitter disappointment at St Andrew's on Sunday.

Having started the day believing Rovers were heading back into Europe again, manager Mark Hughes cut a dejected figure as he emerged from the visiting dressing room at tea-time on Sunday, his face betraying his emotions as he struggled to come to terms with the implications of his side's shock 4-1 defeat.

If you hadn't known better, you could have been forgiven for thinking it was Hughes, rather than his Birmingham counterpart Alex McLeish, who had just watched his team suffer the ignominy of relegation to the Championship.

By his own admission, Hughes is a terrible loser, and he took the defeat at St Andrew's particularly badly because, in his eyes, it meant Rovers finished the season with nothing tangible to show for their efforts.

But once the dust settles, and Hughes has had time to reflect on the events of the last nine months, he will surely come to the conclusion that Rovers have once again performed admirably in the most demanding league in the world.

If you don't agree then try putting yourself in the shoes of those Birmingham fans who aimed an angry protest at their own board on Sunday.

Over the last three years, the Blues have spent millions in the transfer market, and regularly attracted gates of 28,000, yet they have just been relegated from the Premier League for the second time in three seasons.

On top of that, the Blues are also a shambles off the pitch too, with more bitching going on behind the scenes than you see in an average episode of Eastenders.

The fans are at loggerheads with the club's owners; the plc chairman David Sullivan has turned on his own players; and a bungled takeover bid by the Hong Kong-based millionaire, Carson Yeung, has been blamed for destabilising the whole football club at a crucial point in the season.

Rovers, in contrast, are enjoying the benefits that stability brings, with Hughes leading his team to a third successive top 10 finish.

Although it's a great shame Rovers missed out on an Intertoto place by a whisker (if only Matt Derbyshire had scored that penalty against Aston Villa in January), their overall performance this season deserves to be lauded when it is put into proper perspective.

In a league increasingly dominated by the big city clubs, Rovers continue to fly the flag for the underdog.

Over the last 12 months, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Manchester City and West Ham have all spent vast amounts of money in the transfer market, believing they could finish in the top six, and maybe even break the top four's dominance, yet Rovers managed to finish above them all, having invested just £4 million on two new signings.

And Hughes' side didn't end up in seventh position by some fluke either - they got there on merit.

After beating Middlesbrough on the opening day of the season, they never dropped out of the top half of the table - a phenomenal achievement by anyone's standards.

Yet there is still a feeling amongst some - Hughes included - that Rovers have underachieved, and not fully lived up to their true potential.

There was a point in late October, just after Chris Samba had scored a dramatic last-minute winner against Tottenham, which catapulted Rovers up to fifth in the table, when some fans started to believe a push for the top four was possible.

Even Hughes and the players began to buy into that dream, with David Bentley remarking at one stage, If we don't finish in the top four now we'll be disappointed'.

However, a sudden slump in form prior to Christmas, and the absence of a takeover, which would have provided fresh financial impetus going into the January window, meant that Hughes and company had to readjust their sights.

In the end, another dip in form, which saw Rovers pick up just two wins in eight games, between the middle of January and early March, ultimately cost them a place in the top six.

Nevertheless, Rovers can still be proud of their efforts overall, having taken the fight for Europe to the final day.

Of course, there will be room for improvement next term, and top of Hughes' wish-list will be an improved showing in the cup competitions, after Rovers meekly exited both the UEFA and FA Cups in gut-wrenching fashion this term.

But overall the future remains bright, particularly if Hughes can keep hold of his leading lights this summer and maybe add one or two others in the transfer market.

As Robbie Savage observed recently: "For me, Blackburn is the best run club outside of the top four. I think every aspiring club should be looking to follow the Blackburn model because when you look at what they spend, they are the best performing team in the Premier League."