Let’s all Laugh at Blackburn

I saw one of those crap videos today. You might have seen it. You know, the one where a rival fan rings up the club shop with a seemingly honest enquiry, only to reveal at the end that they don't have an enquiry at all, and just laugh down the phone at a member of admin staff? That sort of top quality humour football fans are blessed with. It got me thinking - I should really savour this relegation, but I can't bring myself to enjoy it.

I don't like Blackburn Rovers very much. In fact, I'd go as far to say I don't like them whatsoever. I didn't like Brett Emerton. Didn't care much for Mark Hughes. I thought Robbie Savage was a bit of a tosser. I nearly brought myself to hate Big Sam when he went there.

I hate losing to Rovers, almost as much as I love beating them. I can't stand the fact that they have a more successful history than us, that they've got a larger fan base, and that they've won a Premier League title in my lifetime.

Their fans walk around with an arrogance, living in the glory days of 1995. I mean, it's nice to know that they're the only team to win the Premier League and then be relegated (twice, but who's counting), but I'm finding it really hard to take pleasure from their relegation into League One.

The Venky group takeover was funny when they promised Ronaldinho and delivered Ruben Rochina. It was funny when Sam Allardyce was sacked and replaced with Steve Kean. It isn't funny anymore. They sold £12m worth of talent this season, spending nothing on transfer fees in return. Last season, just shy of £20m was recouped from player sales: again, not a penny was spent in return. Like Wanderers fans before them, followers of Blackburn want to know where all the money has gone.

I found myself wanting Blackburn Rovers to stay up this weekend. They didn't, despite beating a decent Brentford team 3-1 away from home. I'll be honest, I soon got over the whole ordeal, but I'd much rather they'd have avoided relegation.

Our club has been through the ringer. I don't want to see any club suffer the same. Not even a rival like Rovers. Even if they laughed at us in the same situation last year, I can't bring myself to enjoy their misery. We're very lucky in that we managed to bounce back from League One at the first time of asking. I don't expect Rovers to do the same. Their fate may be more Blackpool than Bolton.

I'll miss the derbies - particularly the game at The Macron, a guaranteed three points in recent years. The away game is usually a good day out, the away fans' pub bristling with atmosphere.

The only North West derby game next season will be Preston North End, which doesn't inspire me whatsoever. I won't be looking out for our trip to Deepdale when the fixtures are announced. Preston away from home don't excite me - Rovers away would.

Wigan is a different kettle of fish - I could laugh for days at their plight, and I have. When it comes to Blackburn, I can't even force a chuckle.

The sooner these two proud Lancashire clubs are back to their best, the better. That's us and Blackburn. Not Wigan. Obviously.

At least Zach's lot stayed up, eh. There's always a positive.