Blackburn and Bolton drop out after dismal year

Two of the three relegated sides from the Premier League last season were Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers.

Both teams struggled to avoid the drop for most of the season and eventually there was no way out although Bolton only lost their status on the final day. They had played in the top flight for 11 successive seasons.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle will retain his job at the Reebok Stadium but his counterpart at Blackburn, Steve Kean, could find himself out as Indian owners Venky could be tempted to appoint another man with a lower salary due to a restricted budget.

Last summer, Blackburn made a good number of signings but failed to live up to expectations and the only one who stood out was striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu.

They also lost a few key players along the way including reliable defenders Chris Samba and Ryan Nelson as Kean, at times, had to rely mostly on young, untested players to stem the tide.

Kean was contested by the Rovers supporters who never seemed to have accepted the club’s new owners.

Blackburn did manage to score goals despite their predicaments but in defence it was a totally different matter as they let in 78 goals (only bottom-placed Wolves conceded more). Clean sheets were a rarity and Blackburn’s first last season came in March.

Coyle had to deal with a series of setbacks on the Bolton bench including the mishap to Fabrice Muamba in an FA Cup tie at Tottenham this year.

Muamba collapsed with a heart ailment but quick intervention on the field of play probably saved his life in the end.

In cup competition, Bolton saw off Aston Villa 2-0 away before they went down to Arsenal 1-2 at the Emirates Stadium in the fourth round of the League Cup.

In the FA Cup, the Trotters reached the quarter-finals, losing 1-3 at White Hart Lane.

Blackburn’s excursion in the League Cup tournament lasted until the quarter-finals where they got eliminated by Cardiff – 2-0 at Ninian Park.

Newcastle United beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in round three of the League Cup.

Premier League 2011-12

Blackburn Rovers

August
Home vs Wolves 1-2 (Formica).
Away vs Aston Villa 1-3 (Pedersen)
Home vs Everton 0-1.
September
Away vs Fulham 1-1 (Rochina).
Home vs Arsenal 4-3 (Yakubu 2, Song og, Koscielny og).
Away vs Newcastle 1-3 (Hoilett).
October
Home vs Manchester City 0-4.
Away vs QPR 1-1 (Samba).
Home vs Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 (Formica).
Away vs Norwich 3-3 (Hoilett, Yakubu, Samba).
November
Home vs Chelsea 0-1.
Away vs Wigan 3-3 (Yakubu 2, 1 pen, Hoilett).
Away vs Stoke 1-3 (Rochina).
December
Home vs Swansea 4-2 (Yakubu 4, 1 pen).
Away vs Sunderland 1-2 (Vuk-cevic).
Home vs West Brom 1-2 (Dunn).
Home vs Bolton 1-2 (Dunn).
Away vs Liverpool 1-1 (Adam og).
Away vs Manchester United 3-2 (Yakubu 2, 1 pen, Hanley).
January
Home vs Stoke 1-2 (Goodwillie).
Home vs Fulham 3-1 (Pedersen, Dunn, Formica).
Away vs Everton 1-1 (Goodwillie).
February
Home vs Newcastle 0-2.
Away vs Arsenal 1-7 (Pedersen).
Home vs QPR 3-2 (Yakubu, Nzonzi, Onouha og).
Away vs Manchester City 0-3.
Home vs Aston Villa 1-1 (Dunn).
March
Away vs Wolves 2-0 (Hoilett 2).
Home vs Sunderland 2-0 (Yakubu, Hoilett).
Away vs Bolton 1-2 (Nzonzi).
April
Home vs Manchester United 0-2.
Away vs West Brom 0-3.
Home vs Liverpool 2-3 (Yakubu 2, 1 pen).
Away vs Swansea 0-3.
Home vs Norwich 2-0 (Formica, Hoilett).
Away vs Tottenham 0-2
May
Home vs Wigan 0-1.
Away vs Chelsea 1-2 (Yakubu).

Bolton Wanderers

August
Away vs QPR 4-0 (Cahill, Gabbidon og, Klasnic, Muamba).
Home vs Manchester City 2-3 (Klasnic, K. Davies).
Away vs Liverpool 1-3 (Klasnic).
September
Home vs Manchester United 0-5.
Home vs Norwich 1-2 (Petrov pen).
Away vs Arsenal 0-3.
October
Home vs Chelsea 1-5 (Boyata).
Away vs Wigan 3-1 (Reo-Coker, Ngog, Eagles).
Home vs Sunderland 0-2.
Away vs Swansea 1-3 (Graham og).
November
Home vs Stoke 5-0 (K. Davies, Eagles 2, Klasnic 2).
Away vs West Bromwich 1-2 (Klasnic pen).
Home vs Everton 0-1.
December
Away vs Tottenham 0-3.
Home vs Aston Villa 1-2 (Klasnic).
Away vs Fulham 0-2.
Away vs Blackburn 2-1 (K. Davies, Reo-Coker).
Home vs Newcastle 0-2.
Home vs Wolves 1-1 (Ricketts).
January
Away vs Everton 2-1 (Ngog, Cahill).
Away vs Manchester United 0-3.
Home vs Liverpool 3-1 (M. Davies, Reo-Coker, Svensson).
February
Home vs Arsenal 0-0.
Away vs Norwich 0-2.
Home vs Wigan 1-2 (K. Davies).
Away vs Chelsea 0-3.
March
Away vs Manchester City 0-2.
Home vs QPR 2-1 (Pratley, Klasnic).
Home vs Blackburn Rovers 2-1 (Wheater 2).
April
Away vs Wolves 3-2 (Petrov pen, Alonso, K. Davies).
Home vs Fulham 0-3.
Away vs Newcastle 0-2.
Home vs Swansea 1-1 (Eagles).
Away vs Aston Villa 2-1 (Petrov pen, Ngog).
Away vs Sunderland 2-2 (K. Davies 2).
May
Home vs Tottenham 1-4 (Reo-Coker).
Home vs West Brom 2-2 (Petrov pen, Jones og).
Away vs Stoke 2-2 (M. Davies, K. Davies).