Meet the opposition | Blackburn Rovers
As Swansea City get set to face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, we take a closer look at the Lancashire club.
What's their story?
Blackburn Rovers were founded in 1875 and became a founding member of The Football League in 1888.
Rovers have spent most of their existence in the top-flight of English football, winning three league titles - the most recent of which came in the 1994-95 season under Sir Kenny Dalglish.
The Lancashire club have also won six FA Cups and one League Cup, with the latter being their most recent major trophy after they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium in 2002.
Rovers were last in the Premier League 12 years ago, and did have a solitary season in League One during the 2017-18 campaign, but returned to the second tier at the first time of asking.
They have been in the Championship ever since.
How's their form?
This season has been a case of feast or famine for Rovers, who have drawn just two league games since October 23.
They have won three of their last eight Championship fixtures, including the last two, and enter the weekend sitting fifth in the Championship table.
Who's the gaffer?
Experienced coach David Lowe is in caretaker charge of Rovers following John Eustace’s departure to Derby.
The 59-year-old made over 550 league appearances during his 17-year playing career. He former winger won two caps for England Under-21s and featured for Wigan Athletic, Ipswich Town, Port Vale, Leicester City, Wrexham and Rushden and Diamonds as he featured in all of the top-four divisions.
Originally joining the Professional Footballers’ Association, Lowe then moved into coaching as he returned to Wigan Athletic in 2002 to work under Paul Jewell, who he then followed to Derby County, where he headed up the academy.
He took charge of the Rams for one game following Jewell’s departure, leading them to victory over Manchester United in the first leg of a League Cup semi-final.
Lowe then went on to work for United, and then joined Rovers as head of youth coaching in 2011.
He was added to the first-team coaching staff in 2017, and has been part of the set-up ever since.
Who's the captain?
Midfielder Lewis Travis took over the club captaincy when Darragh Lenihan departed for Middlesbrough in the summer of 2022, having previously been vice-captain to the Irishman,
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.
He fell out of favour during the middle part of the 2022-23 season, and then spent the second half of last term on loan at Ipswich Town.
But he has returned to the fold at Ewood Park and enjoyed a strong campaign after resuming captaincy duties.
Who are the key men?
Senegal’s Makhtar Gueye has the most goal involvements of any Blackburn player so far this season, having scored six goals and set up five more for the Lancashire club.
The Dakar-born forward started his career in his homeland with US Goree, before moving to Europe as he linked up with St Etienne’s youth system.
He progressed to the first team, and scored on his debut after coming on as a substitute in a draw against Strasbourg.
Following a loan spell with Nancy, he had a productive three-year stint with Belgian club Oostende, which also included a season-long loan at Spanish club Real Zaragoza.
He scored 11 goals in 32 league appearances last season after returning to Belgium with RWD Molenbeek, with his form attracting the interest of Rovers, for whom he signed last summer.
Full-back or wing-back Callum Brittain has been one of the most consistent performers for Blackburn this season, and has three assists to his name.
Bedford-born Brittain came through the MK Dons academy to make over 100 league appearances in a five-year stint at the club.
Brittain then joined Championship side Barnsley where he was part of the team knocked out in the play off semi-finals by the Swans in 2021.
He then joined Rovers in 2022 after the Tykes relegation to League One, since making 105 appearances in all competitions, and Brittain has been back at his best during the 2024-25 campaign.
Defender Dominic Hyam led Rovers through much of last season and is a key figure at the back for the Ewood Park side.
Starting his career in Reading’s academy, Hyam had loan spells at Hemel Hempstead Town, Basingstoke Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Portsmouth and Aldershot before joining Coventry City in 2017.
The Scotsman made 169 league appearances for the Sky Blues, scoring eight times and played a key role in their promotion to the Championship during the 2019-20 season.
Hyam then joined Rovers in 2022, and he has made over 100 league appearances for the Lancashire club.
The defender made his senior international debut in 2023, coming on as a substitute in Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifying match against Norway.