PAUL Lambert named Ewood Park as one of the factors behind his decision to snub offers from elsewhere and take over Blackburn Rovers – and 20 years ago today marks the official opening of the ground Jack Walker rebuilt into one of the best in the country.

On Saturday, November 18, 1995, Rovers produced a performance befitting of the occasion as they thrashed Nottingham Forest to the delight of their beloved benefactor who received rapturous on-pitch receptions before and after the 7-0 demolition job.

Rovers boss Ray Harford, for whom it would prove to be the high point of his reign, put it best when he said: “On a special day for Jack, the lads put on a special performance.”

But it was a performance that came out of the blue.

Rovers had started the defence of their Premiership title by winning only four of their opening 13 matches. Forest, in contrast, were flying high in third, and arrived in East Lancashire on the back of a 25-game unbeaten league run that stretched back to February.

But they were simply blown away on a memorable afternoon which started with Walker performing the opening ceremony and ended with him clapping the players off the field.

The 27,660 supporters packed into the stadium had to wait until the 20th minute for the first goal, Stuart Ripley creating space before whipping the ball into the box for Mike Newell, who headed it down for his strike-partner Alan Shearer to drag an angled shot past Mark Crossley.

One became two nine minutes later when former Forest midfielder Lars Bohinen put a sublime finishing touch to a wonderfully incisive move.

The visitors – whose travelling support booed Bohinen mercilessly throughout – had their moments in the first half.

Lancashire Telegraph:

But free-flowing Rovers ran riot after the break with Shearer extending the advantage in the 58th minute with a towering header following a corner from Ripley, who ran Stuart Pearce ragged throughout.

And nine minutes later Shearer completed his second hat-trick of the season with a powerfully struck free kick after Steve Chettle was sent off for bringing him down.

Another free kick led to the majestic Bohinen lashing in his second in the 76th minute before Newell got the goal he deserved six minutes later when he turned in a cross from Shearer.

It was left up to Graeme Le Saux to round off proceedings in spectacular fashion in injury-time as he blasted a stunning 35-yard drive in off the bar.