HARRY Redknapp and Roy Hodgson will rightly get most of the Premier League managerial plaudits this season but Sam Allardyce can't be far behind them in terms of achievement.

Just a few months ago some were claiming Rovers' boss 'Big Sam' was set to be sacked after a dismal mid season slump - the critics should be hiding in shame this morning.

Yesterday's Villa Park victory earned Rovers a 10th place finish in the Premier League and, when you consider what they have battled against, it is a remarkable feat.

Consider where Rovers were when Allardyce took over from Paul Ince about 18 months ago. Heading straight for the Championship that is where.

Sam did what he needed to last season to pull of the great escape and now he has taken them back into the Premier League top 10, despite having to sell key men Roque Santa Cruz and Stephen Warnock in the summer.

In the process of turning things around at Ewood, on a shoestring budget, he has also started to build for the future.

Rovers will never be able to compete financially with the majority in the Premier League but the emergence of Rovers' young guns suggests they will continue to buck the trend on the field.

Has Rovers' end to the season changed your mind about Sam Allardyce? Are you excited about what is being built at Ewood Park