4 PAGE 42 DAILY MIRROR, Monday, May 15, 1995 SL Mirror Sport on the crowning glory +Mirror Sport on the crowning glory

BLACKBURN'S crowning glory as skipper lifts the Premier­ ship trophy, flanked by team-mates Henning Berg and Colin Hendry. CHAMPION FEELING Picture: ALBERT COOPER SL DAILY MIRROR, Monday, May 15, 1995 PAGE

Mirror Sport on thed crowmng glory +Mirror Sport on the crowzllng glory

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HE NEW Kop stood as one to salute King T Kenny and his Black- burn champions. He may be ruler of a new dynasty but to every Scouser in red-and-white he's a legend, who has now won nine championships as a super player and a super boss. Dalglish applauded them in turn to cement the touching relationship with the fans who still idolise him four years since STRIKE ONE! Shearer blasts Blackburn ahead he left Anfield a drained and jaded man. Now he was beaming as the screams of "Champions, cham- pions" came from the Liverpool faithful. The atmosphere was unbeliev- able. The Kop could hardly have made more noise if their own side had won the most precious prize in soccer. Liver~ool2Blackburn 1 And they couldn't have been happier after the title had cruelly eluded their bitter rivals that they would lie down and die. winger Stuart Ripley into play and Manchester United. But when they won the game with then streaked into space for the a Jamie Redknapp free kick the return ball which he walloped into Tear Liverpool midfielder looked down the bottom corner. hacked down Robbie Fowler in the they feared a late United winner a~ologeticall~for what could have ~twas his 34th Premiership goal box and held up his hands for what at West Ham would rob them of It was all too much emotion for spoiled Blackburn's big day. Rovers' owner Jack Walker, whose of the season - equalling Andy looked like a certain penalty. their biggest day of glory. f60million investment has made Seconds later, however, the thou- Cole's record set last vear. But referee David Elleray waved And you could see Dalglish and sands of radios pinned to ear-holes The Kop stood and applauded - the dream possible. crackled with the news that Man- play on with Batty and his his backroom staff visibly slump He shed a tear in the VIP box as another rare sight on an away Blackburn buddies taking anoth- into their seats when in injury time chester United had drawn 1-1 and ground for the England hit-man. skipper Tim Sherwood lifted the that Blackburn were champions. er huge breath of relief. Liverpool stunned even their own Premiershlf, trophy draped in blue Those cheers were only super- And Rovers' hopes were raised fans with a dramatic winner. and white rosettes. The whole of Anfield erupted. ceded in the 31st minute when news when Phi1 Babb boobed just outside Rovers hadn't performed at their Redknapp took a free kick just Then on the pitch the Blackburn filtered through about West Ham's his own area. outside the area and curled the ball fairytale was complete as Walker best despite generous encourage- opener atUpton Park and Walker's Shearer cashed in and his ment from a Liverpool side who face lit up the whole of Anfield. intothetopcornerthatpassedthe finally got his hands on the deflected shot spun to outstretched arm of . silverware 20 minutes after the went throuah the motions and - -- who rolled the ball tamely towards final whistle. looked sheepish about putting Script the empty net, allowing John Redknapp didn't raise an arm in Blackburn in any kind of danger. celebration and instead trooped off The 64-year-old mega-millionaire It was just a matter of time it Scales to complete a desperate John Barnes epitomised the mood seemed before this game, which chase to hook the ball away. with the expression: "Oops, what danced with goal scorer Alan when he suddenly found himself in the hell have I done!" Shearer, and Dalglish -anyone who the clear. He harmlessly scooped resembled a pre-season friendly, As the game grew in passion would trip the light fantastic. would result in the good news for Blackburn looked for the first He didn't have long to wonder as over and you were left with a feel- 7,. -1- Every Blackburn player joined ing that the home side weren't U""n' time as though they were going to the whole of Anfield rose to the party, singing along with both about to break sweat to make their But in the 64th minute John finish like the champions they are. acknowledge United's result and sets of fans in a rousing chorus of: old boss suffer. Barnes rewrote the script. Mark Sutton's deflected shot wrong- cheer on King Kenny. "Are you watching Manchester." Dalglish needed to relax as he Kennedy whipped over a ball and footed keeper David James but The celebrations were sponta- Rovers had lost the game but won stood stony-faced watching the the England star tucked it into the bobbled agonisingly inches wide. neous with the Kop pinching the the ultimate prize. Liverpool had ~roceedinas.He aot that wish in Then Shearer, with the goal at his Old Trafford theme song with a conquered the newly-crowned the 20th dnute %hen Blackburn Then the gods were with Dalglish mercy, blazed over. The nerves rendering of "Always look On The champs to blow oqt'kuggestions blasted ahead. Shearer brought in the 76th minute as showed on the Blackburn bench as Bright Side of Life."