March 28, 1987 ONE glimpse at the 'Anchor Blues' flag at Wembley made Mark Patterson's Full Members Cup weekend complete.

The Blackburn-born battler had not only helped to clinch the trophy by contributing to the winning goal against Charlton but he also got to wave the cup at the fans from his local.

"It was a great weekend especially as I was a local lad and it was great to see my friends around the stadium," admitted Mark, who was 22 at the time.

"I remember I came on as a substitute. I'd been in and out of the team. Although the manager Don MacKay did well for Blackburn, we had a personality clash and also Scott Sellars was playing really well so I wasn't getting a regular run.

"But I got my chance to come on and it was a cross from Ian Miller, I went in with the keeper and the ball fell for Colin Hendry and that was it, he put it in the net.

"I remember doing the lap of honour and Ian Miller pointed to below the scoreboard at the 'Anchor Blues' flag, which was the biggest in the stadium. Although I couldn't make out the faces, I knew it was my mates, so I waved the cup for them! It was fantastic."

Mark was at Ewood Park from the age of 12 and made his debut against Manchester City at just 18.

"I remember we were losing 5-0 at the time and Bobby Saxton said to me 'The next one who makes a mistake, you're on.' "It was great as I had nothing to lose, there was no pressure. We were already beaten and I went on and it didn't get any worse!"

Other memories include an overhead kick in the latter rounds of the glorious Full Members Cup triumph.

Rovers beat both Chelsea and Ipswich 3-0 in the quarters and semi-finals at Ewood.

"It was a cross from the right, Colin Hendry flicked it on and I hit an overhead kick into the net. I always seemed to score spectacular goals for Blackburn!"

Another one which sticks in Mark's mind was a '30-yard scorcher' against Middlesbrough when Rovers won 1-0.

And the midfielder scored his only league hat-trick for Blackburn against Sheffield United.

"I'd scored two and it was 5-1 and I was back defending. Glen Keeley turned to me and said 'What are you doing back here, get up there and score your hat-trick' and in the next break I charged forward and did! I've still got the ball in my loft -- my one and only league hat-trick."

Another enjoyable spell was his midfield partnership with Simon Barker in the 1985-86 season.

"I started the season with Simon and scored 11 goals from midfield in six games. That was a real run but it was broken when I clashed with goalkeeper Vince O'Keefe. He caught my leg as I was charging back and I was out for five months.

"I shouldn't have messed with him!" Mark left Ewood, still battling with MacKay, and moved onto Preston, Bury, Bolton and Sheffield United -- and then it was almost a move down the road to Burnley.

"I almost signed for Burnley to link up with manager Adrian Heath when I was at Sheffield United.

"It didn't come off because of an Achilles injury but looking back I don't know if it would have been a good move, me being from Blackburn.

"I loved playing for my home town club although there were good and bad points.

"The good points were it was great when you'd had a good game and you were down town and everyone was congratulating you.

"The bad points were you got all the flak as well.

"But the Anchor lads always stood up for me, no matter what!" Mark

Patterson

Factfile Born: Darwen, May 24, 1965

Rovers debut: v Manchester City 1983

Career:

BLACKBURN

May 1983: Turned professional from Trainee

League appearances: 89 (12); Total appearances: 98 (17)

Goals: League goals: 20; Total: 22

PRESTON NORTH END

League appearances: 55

League goals: 19

BURY

League games: 42

League goals: 10

BOLTON

Appearances: 169

Goals: 11

SHEFFIELD UNITED

Appearances: 74

Goals: 4

Loan spells: Southend (twice), Blackpool.