In a remarkable final afternoon of football, Blackburn Rovers never fell into the bottom 3. In fact they were 3-0 up by half time and all but safe despite some other amazing results.
It looked like Blackpool could stay up when they went 2-1 up at Old Trafford. Wigan managed also managed to avoid the drop while Birmingham City lost at Spurs to join Blackpool and West Ham in the Championship next season. For Rovers the first half was dreamland - first Jason Roberts scored from a Michel Selgado cross - then Brett Emerton made it two in two - before 'Junior' Hoilett put the visitors 3-0 up with a first half injury time goal. Emerton's voted the best of the bunch - and Steve Kean's team talk should have been easy. But Wolves knew that they had fallen into the danger zone - and they were determined to do something about it. THeir goal difference alone meant they MUST score a couple of goals. Mick McCarthy set his men the task and despite Rovers first period of total domination - the second 45 gave Wolves a chance, with O'Hara and Hunt pulling back the deficit to 2-3. As the season ended they didn't need the goals - but both sets of fans celebrated at the final whistle as Wigan Wolves and Blackburn could all count on another season in the top flight. For Rovers there's never been a final day like it since they won the title! The owners were also in Wolverhampton to watch the performance and the celebrations.

Steve Kean told rovers.co.uk "The stuff that we played in the first half in particular was exceptional. I'm delighted for the owners who were here and for the three thousand fans that travelled here today. We've sent them away happy.To score three goals away from home on the last day of the season when there is so much at stake shows that we have a team that sticks together through thick and thin, there was a real determination to get the job done. Once they got the second goal and it became apparent that that goal was going to be enough to keep them in it then the game played out like the last ten minutes of last week against Manchester United. It has been a bumpy ride for the last six months, but really in the last nine games we've shown a togetherness with the squad, and have ended the last four games unbeaten."

The Sunday afternoon fixtures didn't help Rovers hopes of staying in the Premier League - the key game at Wigan saw the home side come from 2 down to win 3-2 in extra time. That relegated West Ham - but sees Wigan now on 39 points and just like Blackpool - just 1 point behind Blackburn. Birmingham city lost 2-0 at home to Fulham - so they stay below Rovers on goal difference. So it'll all go to the final fixtures next Sunday afternoon. If Rovers don't win, and Wigan and Blackpool do - they go down. Blackburn and Wolves are level on points and that game could be a MUST WIN for both sides. Birmingham play away at Spurs, Wigan are at Stoke and Blackpool are of course at Old Trafford to face the newly crowned champions. All games kick off at 16:00 BST. There's full match commentary via rovers.co.uk (subscription).
What a way to finish any season at any level! (15th May 2011)

Manchester United came to Ewood Park needing just one point - and that's exactly what they got. They were crowned as 2010-11 champions and Rovers hope that the 40 points they now have will be enough to guarantee Premier League football again next season. But the game also had a bizarre conclusion and a controversial penalty! Blackburn absorbed the full might of United attack for the fist quarter of an hour. That included Nani hitting the cross bar in the first 3 minutes. But then after just short of 20 - Brett Emerton met a Martin Olsson cross to put the home side ahead. And from that moment on - much of the play stayed with Rovers. Paul Robinson had little to do & neither did the Reds stand in keeper Thomas Kuszczak. In fact it took until the 73rd minute for Paul Robinson to concede a penalty when he appeared to foul Javier Hernandez. But the ball was long gone before the United man fell to the ground - and ref Phil Dowd needed to consult his assistant before pointing to the spot. He was surrounded by Rovers players- even Robinson went over to protest - but Wayne Rooney placed the ball on the spot - and scored. United knew that they had their point and a 12th Barclays Premier League title. Martin Olsson managed to find the woodwork - and from that point on to the conclusion the visitors accepted they had their draw decided to play out the 90 minutes playing 'keep ball'. For 10 minutes they passed it around the final quarter and Blackburn seemed content to let them. So the game ended with wild celebrations at the Darwen End as the United fans congratulated their team - while on the other three sides Rovers walked round to applaud their fans.
Manager Steve Kean told RADIO ROVERS that he was"both disappointed and delighted ... It was a fantastic effort from all the players. United came for a point, they sat back and didn't come at us, it didn't suit us really. We've got toughness and togetherness and they stuck to the plan very well, we just had to get that second goal, it is disappointing we couldn't get it. I think the way the last ten minutes played out was a little bit frustrating because obviously Manchester United were doing what they had to do.That meant we were left with a little bit of a dilemma, if we had gone and pressed they had left four players up top, if they smash it up to the front four and they go and score then it would have been bitter pill to swallow. So United kept the ball at the back and ran the clock down which was frustrating for our fans. But probably everybody would have taken a point, it takes us a point closer, our goal difference stays intact too. It is just disappointing that we got our noses in front and couldn't stay there."
Manchester United crowned champions - Manchester City beat Stoke City to take the FA Cup - and Blackburn hit the 40 point mark. But over at Blackpool the tangerines beat Bolton 4-3 and up at Sunderland Wolves won 1-3 - so the relegation battle goes to the final day at Wolves - with both sides possibly happy for a point.
A season of change at Ewood Park. New owners, Manager and expectations. Will it be in the top flight? We'll find out next weekend. (14th May 2011)

Blackburn Rovers have made the first new appointment since the departure of John Williams. The club's official website says that PAUL HUNT is to take up the roll of deputy chief executive with a seat on the board. He'll join from from Leicester City, where he is currently commercial director - but he's a Lancashire lad from just down the road in Bury. With his background it looks like he will help the new owners with commercial developments at the club.
Mr Hunt is quoted as saying: "As a founding member of the Football League and one of only four teams to have won the Premier League in the modern era, the club has demonstrated innovation and has had great success. We must honour those traditions whilst looking forward to the future as we progress together with unity both on and off the field. I thank the owners for having the faith in me which I intend to repay with diligence and success." (4th May 2011)