The 2016–17 season is Blackburn Rovers' 129th season as a professional football club and its fifth playing in the Championship.[3] Along with competing in the Championship, the club will also participate in the FA Cup and League Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. Rovers were relegated to League One on 7 May 2017, in spite of their 3–1 away win against Brentford, with results elsewhere going against them.[4]
Summer Activity
May
On 12 May Rovers announced a five-year deal with kit supplier Umbro.[5]
On 1 June Rovers announced that Owen Coyle has been appointed as new manager on a 2-year deal.[7]
On 17 June Rovers announced the signing of Anthony Stokes on a 3-year deal, following his release from Celtic.[8]
On 18 June it was confirmed that Goalkeeping Coach Laurence Batty had left the club and that new Rovers manager Owen Coyle was in the process of firming up a new coach who would be in place before the players started training.[9]
On 27 June Preston North End announced the signing of Tommy Spurr, who was offered a new contract by Rovers, on a 3-year deal following his contract expiry.[14]
On 29 June Rovers announced that Alan Irvine has mutually agreed to leave the club with immediate effect.[15]
On 21 September Rovers announced the signing of Wes Brown on a free transfer following his release from Sunderland in the summer, he will also help coach the u23s team.[35]
On 15 February Rovers announced Matthew Platt and Connor Thompson have joined Barrow on loan.[47]
On 21 February Rovers announced that manager Owen Coyle has left the club by mutual consent, assistant manager Sandy Stewart, first team coach John Henry and goalkeeping coach Phil Hughes have also left the club.[48]
On 22 February Rovers announced the appointment of Tony Mowbray as the club's new head coach, with Head of Academy coach David Lowe stepping up to become Assistant Manager and David Dunn stepping up to become 1st Team Coach.[49]
March
On 2 March Rovers announced goalkeeper David Raya has signed a new deal till 2019.[50]
On 23 May 2016, Blackburn Rovers announced five pre-season friendlies, with a sixth friendly expected to be confirmed at a later date. The games are during, and follow a six-day training camp in Austria from July 4–10 which included a friendly against Austrian Bundesliga side SV Ried.
Upon returning to England following the training camp, Rovers had three hour long friendlies in the shape of a tournament against Morecambe and Bury at Morecambe's Globe Arena. The following week Rovers will travel to Rochdale for a friendly at Spotland Stadium and Blackpool four days later at Bloomfield Road.[51]
Rovers only friendly at Ewood Park was finally announced on 22 June against second tier Spanish team Girona.
Source: English Football League, Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Points in head-to-head matches; 5) Goal difference in head-to-head matches; 6) Goals scored in head-to-head matches; 7) Play-off. (R) Relegated
Result by round
Round
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
Ground
H
A
A
H
H
A
A
H
A
H
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
A
H
A
H
H
A
A
H
A
H
H
H
A
A
A
H
H
H
A
A
H
A
A
H
A
H
A
H
A
Result
L
L
L
D
L
D
L
W
W
L
L
D
W
L
D
L
W
W
D
L
L
L
L
D
W
L
D
L
W
D
L
D
W
W
D
D
D
D
L
L
L
W
D
D
W
W
Position
23
24
24
24
24
24
24
23
20
22
22
23
21
22
23
23
22
20
21
21
22
22
22
22
22
22
23
23
22
22
23
23
22
20
20
22
21
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
Updated to match(es) played on 7 May 2017. Source: Statto.com A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Includes estimated 15% sell on fee (£1,250,000) following Ruben Rochina's transfer from Granada to Rubin Kazan on 20 July 2016 for €10,000,000.[68]
Includes estimated 25% sell on fee (~£67,500) following Jack O'Connell's transfer from Brentford to Sheffield United on 10 July 2016 (assumed here to be £250,000, though the fee was undisclosed).[69]
Includes estimated 15% profit sell on fee (£150,000) following Martin Olsson's transfer from Norwich City to Swansea City on 17 January 2017 for an undisclosed fee that is estimated to be £4,000,000, having originally been sold to Norwich City for £3,000,000.[75]
