Following years of struggles both on and off the pitch, Rovers seek to address their slide with a successful campaign in League One. With Mowbray agreeing to stay on as manager, and some exciting new signings, the mood around Ewood Park is optimistic for the first time in a number of years.

Rovers unexpectedly appoint ex-Burnley manager Owen Coyle as manager who leads the club to an awful start to the season. Devoid of resources to invest in the squad, and despite the best efforts of Tony Mowbray, who was appointed following the sacking of Coyle, Rovers succumb to a second relegation in five years, slipping down to League One.

After failing to return to the Premier League in quick order, the financial reality of the Championship begins to bite as the parachute payments run out and the club finds itself in selling mode, ultimately falling victim to a transfer embargo. Simon and Paul discuss the impact the embargo had on the club in the context of Paul Lambert’s spell as manager.

Gary Bowyer was appointed manager to steady the ship and was seen as a trusted pair of hands who had established a good reputation at the club. He also oversaw the best performing team of this period in the Championship, which was littered with future Premier League players. Simon and Paul discuss the success and failure of Bowyer’s stint, and whether ultimately the team underachieved given the talent at its disposal.

In the summer of 2012 Venky’s appointed Shebby Singh as a Global Advisor to the club. With no experience of English football, Shebby was never far from the headlines and was at the centre of bitter rows over control of the club during the first season in the Championship. Simon and Paul remember the wildest Shebby moments along with the remaining managerial stints that season.

Steve Kean steered the club to relegation and was rewarded with continued support from the Venky’s to assemble a squad capable of an immediate return, which quickly evaporated and led to the appointment of Henning Berg as manager. Simon and Paul discuss the increasing concerns on display over the running of the club, with the club even describing itself as ‘out of control’ in a court case.

We are BACK for season two of the Rovers Returned podcast! Picking up immediately where we left things at the end of season one, Simon and Paul reflect on the 2012-17 era for Blackburn Rovers, charting what happened next after the club suffered relegation from the Premier League. In this episode Simon and Paul look at the period as a whole and try to put it into context. And of course, they discuss each of their main memories from this time.

In this bonus episode we go through questions from our listeners about the series and answer questions as wide ranging as who would make a Blackburn Rovers best XI from the 2001-12 period to which player would win a Royal Rumble style wrestling contest? 

Venky's, the new owners of Blackburn, take swift action in firing Allardyce and appointing Steve Kean as interim then full-time manager. With promises of attracting world class talent and opening up the vast Indian market, Venky's have big ambitions, but do they have what it takes to transfer their business knowledge to the world of the Premier League?

With Ince lasting less than half a season in charge as manager, Blackburn turn to a man with a reputation of guaranteeing Premier League survival, Sam Allardyce. Meanwhile, off the pitch the club struggles with the increased financial pressures of competing in the league, leading to a foreign takeover and end to the Walker era.