Well, as Tony Mowbray said following the Southend defeat, Blackburn were certainly given something of a rude awakening on Saturday.
Yes, expectation levels are high this season and it’s understandable why Blackburn are a heavily fancied side to win League One – which shouldn’t be written off after a game but at the same time can’t be taken for granted – but it certainly proved a reminder nothing will be handed to Rovers.
Charlie Mulgrew told the Official Website the squad were ‘devastated’ and ‘gutted’ following the Roots Hall defeat but also feels it’ll be something Blackburn learn from and should, all being well, benefit from too.
‘We’re devastated. The lads are gutted in there, we are going to have to learn from it and move on. We were well aware coming into it what it would be like. Maybe we needed a test like that for it to really hit home.’
Adding: ‘If we didn’t realise it before then we realise it now that we are in for a battle this year. The manager has had a go at us and rightly so, he’s told us to step up and be counted and show a bit of character.’
Mowbray made Mulgrew his captain for this season, an honour the Scottish international is delighted to take on and appreciative of but would sooner collective glory than that personally, which he’s sure will come.
He said: ‘It was a proud moment for myself to captain a club like this. I’m thankful for the opportunity. But the most important thing is the team and hopefully the performances will come in the coming weeks.’
