The Premier League was three years old when Blackburn Rovers snapped an 81-year title drought by seeing off Manchester United and being crowned champions of England.
Owner Jack Walker had bankrolled Rovers’ run to the 1994/95 title, which came three seasons after they had been promoted back to the top flight, with the club unable to maintain their domestic supremacy, as Manchester United and Arsenal went on to take a stranglehold on the division, winning the next nine titles between them.
Kenny Dalglish’s side were able to triumph with a spine of homegrown stars, with 24-year-old English midfielder Tim Sherwood captaining the side.
Sherwood on leading Blackburn to Premier League glory
Rovers headed to Anfield on the final day of the season knowing that a win against Liverpool would seal the title, while Manchester United knew they had to beat West Ham to have any chance of making it three Premier League titles on the bounce.
Sherwood, who would go on to play 300 times for Rovers before leaving for Tottenham in 1998, has recalled the final day drama of the ’94/95 season to FourFourTwo, speaking in association with Foot Italia.
Alan Shearer put Rovers ahead when he struck his record-equaling 34th goal of the campaign only for John Barnes to level the score before Jamie Redknapp scored a stoppage-time free-kick to condemn their former boss Dalglish’s side to defeat.
Meanwhile, Manchester United could only draw with the Hammers, meaning the title headed to Ewood Park.
“Winning the Premier League on the last day of the season was special,” Sherwood tells FourFourTwo.
“It was in our hands, we’d had a big lead that season, but there was a Manchester United juggernaut coming up behind us – for it to have been ripped away was unthinkable.
“We lost the game but it didn’t matter – when we knew United had drawn at West Ham, it was just relief. We deserved it.
“It still gives me goosebumps talking about lifting the trophy, though my barnet was a regret! When I work as a pundit now and see ‘Premier League champion’ below my name, nobody can take that away.”
