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Blackburn Rovers – End of season award winners

Ryan Lee Gregory

Blackburn Rovers Ladies take to the pitch to play London City Lionesses at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium Blackburn Rovers Ladies v London City Lionesses, Women’s Championship football match, Sir Tom Finney Stadium, Preston, UK - 08 Dec 2019 Photo: Jon Super for The FA

It was a mixed season for Blackburn Rovers during their first foray into the FA Women’s Championship.

The club finished in a very reasonable mid-table position once the campaign was brought to a close while they were unable to get beyond the first hurdle in the Women’s FA Cup and only recorded a point in the group stages of the FA Women’s Continental League Cup.

For a team that was playing National League football last year, the step up was always going to be tricky so Rovers can be extremely pleased to finish top of the cluster of clubs at the bottom fighting for survival. There were many things for the Lancashire club to celebrate across the season and they were recognised as the club announced their end of season award winners earlier this week.

Goal of the Season – ALEX TAYLOR v Aston Villa

Aston Villa had just gone 2-0 up at Villa Park and with 35 minutes remaining, Blackburn Rovers needed a quick response if they were to stay in the game. So, up stepped Alex Taylor. The ball is played to the back from the kick-off and a long ball forward gets in behind the Villa defence. Taylor latches onto the ball and lobs the keeper first time from 20 yards out to half the deficit. The match finished 2-1 but is fondly remembered in the Rovers camp for that Taylor goal.

 

 

Manager’s Player of the Year – CHELSEY JUKES

Jukes joined Rovers in 2017 from Everton and the right-back already has three seasons with the club under her belt at just 22 years of age. The youngster racked up over 700 minutes of action across nine appearances in the famous blue and white this season and her performances and work rate have not gone unnoticed by manager Gemma Donnelly.

 

 

Club Person of the Year – SAFFRON JORDAN

Former Manchester United academy player Jordan was recognised by Blackburn Rovers as Club Person Of The Year for her ‘commitment to player appearances’. Jordan represented Rovers 16 times last campaign, adding to her 126 outings that she had already accumulated for the club before the start of the season.

 

 

Young Player of the Year – FRAN STENSON

The on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper clearly made a big impression with the Lancashire club during her stint in the FA Women’s Championship. It’s never easy for a young goalkeeper learning their trade between the sticks, particularly during a side’s first season in the FA Women’s Championship but manager Donnelly clearly had faith in the 19-year-old shot stopper. Stellar performances from Stenson against the likes of promotion challengers Durham earned Blackburn Rovers crucial points in the league and meant they finished a very respectable seventh in their first year in the FA Women’s Championship.

 

 

Supporters’ Player of the Year – SAFFRON JORDAN

It was a good evening for Saffron Jordan as she scooped her second award of the night when she was named the Supporters’ Player of the Year. The Blackburn Rovers number nine scored four goals across the league season in what was quite a low-scoring campaign for the team so her contribution was even more crucial when others were struggling to find the net. That impact was clearly appreciated by the Rovers faithful and Saffron was rewarded accordingly.

 

 

Top Goalscorer – NATASHA FLINT

Former Manchester City player Flint finished top of the goalscoring ladder for Blackburn Rovers with six goals across the campaign. Amongst them were some truly incredible strikes. Since leaving the Cityzens, for whom she made over 20 appearances before her 20th birthday, the forward has been a perfect fit her new club following her arrival in 2017. Goalscoring is a clear area for improvement at Blackburn Rovers and the loss of Flint this summer leaves manager Donnelly with huge boots to fill.

 

 

Players’ Player of the Year – NATASHA FENTON

Featuring in every match for Blackburn Rovers this season, Fenton is one of Donnelly’s most trusted and reliable players despite only being 21 years of age. It is evident that the sentiment is shared amongst her peers as well, as her teammates gifted her the Players’ Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year. Without recording a single goal from midfield during the 2019/2020 campaign, her efforts could very easily have gone unrecognised but those who know her best clearly weren’t going to allow that to happen.

 

 

Blackburn Rovers achieved their seventh place finish by collecting 10 points from 12 games in the FA Women’s Championship.

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