Meet the opposition | Blackburn Rovers

As Swansea City get set to host Blackburn Rovers in the first Championship home game of the season, we take a look at the club from Lancashire.

What's their story?

Established in 1875, Blackburn Rovers are three-time English champions and six-time FA Cup winners. Their most recent success came in the 1994-1995 season where under manager Kenny Daglish they won the Premier League, ending a 67-year wait for a major trophy.

After spending 19 years in the Premier League, they did drop to League One but established themselves in the Championship over recent years under the management of Tony Mowbray. After a promising start to the season last time out, Rovers just missed out on the play-off places, finishing in eighth place in the league, and will look to build towards a promotion push in the new campaign.

How's their form?

Rovers opened their Championship campaign with a 1-0 victory against Queens Park Rangers last weekend. A spectacular Lewis Travis strike from 25 yards the difference between the two sides to get Tomasson’s reign off to the perfect start.

Pre-season saw Rovers unbeaten in their opening games, using youthful line-ups in the 2-1 win at Accrington Stanley and 1-1 draw with Dundee. An encouraging 2-2 draw with Celtic at Celtic Park saw many of the first team return, with Ben Brereton Diaz's 20-yard free-kick the highlight in an entertaining match.

Who's the gaffer?

Ex-Newcastle striker Jon Dahl Tomasson came in as head coach for the new season, replacing Tony Mowbray who departed after six years in charge.

As a player, Tomasson made 450 league appearances, scoring 180 goals, for some of Europe's top clubs in Germany, Holland, Italy and Spain, including Feyenoord and AC Milan. He scored 52 goals in 112 caps for Denmark, featuring in three major tournaments.

Tomasson was assistant coach for the national team's Euro 2020 campaign, and most recently enjoyed success with Malmo, who he led to back-to-back Allsvenskan titles.

Who's the captain?

Long-serving captain Darragh Lenihan departed for Championship rivals Middlesbrough over the summer. He has been replaced by midfielder Lewis Travis, who took the armband when the Irishman was absent last term.

A Liverpool and Rovers academy product, Travis has been a mainstay in the midfield since being promoted to the senior side by Tony Mowbray in 2017, and started the season in fine fashion with a stunning winner against QPR.

Who are the key men?

Blackburn hitman Ben Brereton Diaz was in sensational form last season, scoring 22 league goals and attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs. Rovers will be keen to keep hold of such a key figure over the remainder of the transfer window.

A product of the Gillingham academy, Rovers will be hoping Bradley Dack can put nearly three years of injury frustration behind him and rediscover the sort of form that marked him out as a reliable creator and scorer of goals at Championship level.

At the back, veteran Daniel Ayala provides valuable nous and experience in a defence that has lost Darragh Lenihan and Jan Paul van Hecke over the summer.