Berg was big part of a great era at Ewood (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Berg was big part of a great era at Ewood

9:03am Thursday 1st November 2012 in Football By Chris Flanagan, Sports reporter

LIFTING the Premiership trophy and the Worthington Cup still remain the biggest moments in Blackburn Rovers’ recent history, and Henning Berg is the only player who can say he was part of both.

The 1994/95 title-winning side had long since disbanded by the time Rovers reached the League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in 2002.

But by then Berg had returned to Ewood Park for a second spell, determined to write his name into Rovers folklore once more.

Berg started his career at Valerenga in his native Norway and moved on to Lillestrom before joining Rovers in January 1993.

Kenny Dalglish swooped to bring him in for only £400,000, in what would prove to be one of Rovers’ best bargain signings of recent times.

Berg made his debut as a substitute against Crystal Palace but featured only six times in his opening few months at the club, in the latter stages of the Rovers’ first season in the Premiership.

He became a regular during the 1993/94 campaign, however, as Rovers finished second.

Berg operated mainly at right back as Dalglish’s side marched to the title the season afterwards, missing only two games that term.

He would remain a fixture in the Rovers side for two more seasons before Manchester United came calling in the summer of 1997. Berg moved to Old Trafford for £5m, then the joint highest fee ever paid by a British club for a defender.

He won Premier League titles with United in 1999 and 2000, and also played his part in their Champions League success.

Berg featured in ties with Inter Milan and Juventus but would miss the final against Bayern Munich, together with the FA Cup final in that treble-winning season, because of injury.

He returned to Rovers on loan in September 2000 before rejoining the club on a permanent basis for £1.75m.

Rovers were then a side trying to get back in the Premier League following relegation but Berg’s experience and influence in the centre of defence helped them to automatic promotion that season.

Then came a remarkable first campaign back in the top flight, as Berg helped Rovers to finish 10th and captained the side to a Worthington Cup final victory over Tottenham.

Berg remained at Rovers for one more season before joining Rangers in 2003.

He finished his international career with 100 caps for Norway, which included appearances at the World Cup in 1994 and 1998, as well as Euro 2000.

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