David Dunn recalls Rovers' Worthington Cup final win over Tottenham Hotspur 16 years on

Whether it was partnering Mark Hughes in the middle of the park, or trying to escape any retribution from boss Graeme Souness after spraying him with champagne, Dunn certainly put in the hard yards.

But he admits he may well have missed out on the Millennium Stadium win, which took place 16 years ago today, were it not for the unavailability of Garry Flitcroft and Tugay.

The central midfield pair, along with Craig Short, were all suspended for the showpiece final which made Rovers underdogs for the game.

Souness’ side were languishing in the relegation zone in their first season back in the top flight, but they ripped up the script in the final as goals from Matt Jansen and Andy Cole handed them victory.

Asked if anyone outside of East Lancashire gave them a chance going into the game, Dunn said: “Not at all.

“I’m glad they were (suspended) because I probably wouldn’t have got a game otherwise.

“If Garry and Tugay had been available you never know, I might have had to play out wide or something.

“They were three really big players for us by the way. Would we have even been underdogs with them involved? Probably.

“I think there was only really ourselves who thought we could win the game.

“I think the whole country thought Tottenham were going to walk away with it.

“For everyone connected with the club it was a really enjoyable day.”

The Rovers team at the time was a mix of youth and experience.

Even without three important players, Souness could call on the likes of Henning Berg and Stig Inge Bjørnebye in defence, Hughes in midfield and Cole in attack, as well as the youth of Dunn, Damien Duff and Jansen.

Hughes played in an unfamiliar role alongside Dunn, then 22, and the current Rovers Under-23 assistant boss  added: “I sacrificed my own game that day, possibly, for the team.

“Mark Hughes, what a legend. Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, to name a few and then he comes to Blackburn and to link up with him was great, particularly that day in the middle of the park.

“He (Hughes) was great though and a really good guy with it.

“In terms of the team spirit and camaraderie with the young players and the senior pros giving us the valuable knowledge that we needed for our careers, everything came at a good time.

“One of the highlights, other than the promotion season, was winning the Worthington Cup.

“It was a fantastic day for everyone.”

While everyone may have been writing Rovers off against a Spurs side who were eighth at the time, Dunn was quietly confident.

He added: “We got the lucky hotel, every team that had stayed in this particular hotel ended up going on and winning and I think that went on for a number of years.

“Once we checked in I think we knew we were going to win.”

Rovers had achieved promotion to the top flight, the season before lifting the League Cup, their first piece of silverware since the Premier League title, the following season.

They won six, and lost just three, of their remaining 12 league games after the League Cup win to achieve a 10th placed finish to go with their spot in Europe.

But the class of 2002 would soon break up. Dunn left for Birmingham City the following summer, while Duff was signed by Chelsea and Jansen suffered a devastating motorcycle injury in the summer of 2002.

And despite a sixth-placed finish in 2002/03, two seasons of struggle followed at Ewood.

Had Rovers been able to keep the squad intact, Dunn felt they could have gone on to bigger and better things.

He said: “I think it would have been certainly possibly to achieve a little bit more.

“Within a couple of years we ended up really close to relegation, just scraped in, and it went a little bit away from what we were used to here.

“Football is a funny game though, it’s about being able to bounce back and I don’t think the club did it, not only then but throughout the years and relegations but the first-team now are doing the same now.

“Hopefully we can finish off the season really well.”