Allardyce gives swine flu update

Sam Allardyce has confirmed that swine flu has hit the Blackburn camp but has refused to name the players names.

It is already common knowledge that Dave Dunn and Chris Samba are two sufferers but it is now apparent one more player has contracted as well as some backroom staff.

Allardyce, speaking to Sky Sports said - 'It's definitely swine flu - you've speculated on the names and I'll leave it at that.

'We have had one more case this morning, one more player and there are a couple of staff.

'Other than that, the others that we left behind are recovering well but not available for tomorrow.'

Allardyce said Blackburn had to play the game against Chelsea because of Premier League rules and that several of the first team have been carrying the symptoms which may explain a lot of players tailing off and playing poorly in Saturdays game.

Allardyce continued - 'The Premier League has tried to sit on the fence by saying that we didn't request to have the game called off,'

'We knew we couldn't get the game called off because we were told way back in February or March when we took some guidelines that unless there was some government legislation, everybody had to do whatever they had to do.

'If there was a swine flu outbreak, you couldn't call a game off, no matter what.

'We fulfilled our total, 100 percent, responsibility by confirming two cases of swine flu and suggesting that it looks like one or two other players and members of staff had similar symptoms, and we made the same phone call to Chelsea.'

'It's a highly contagious strain as everybody knows but I can't comment any further than that.'

I hope this doesnt mean that both more Rovers' players and Chelsea players are in danger now as well?!

What a nightmare!

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.