Roberts insists we stand as one

Rovers striker Jason Roberts has declared the unity of the Rovers players and staff and rubbished claims that the manager is under fire from within.

Roberts has been in and out of the Rovers side this season but insists that all the players are behind Kean trying their best to right the wrongs of the season so far.

Beast of an interview this so sit tight.

Roberts told the Lancashire Telegraph - "Everyone is 100 per cent united in our cause and I think you could see that in our performance against Fulham.

'It was a performance that was never lacking in effort, we were all pulling in the same direction and it would have been a credible point.

"Without a doubt we are all fully behind the manager. Steve Kean has come in and is someone who is respected by every single one of us.

"We are disappointed we couldn`t have got more results for him on the pitch and we have to take responsibility as players. Certainly we see Saturday a real opportunity to put it right."

The players have been widely criticised at times this campaign for a lack of guile and at times the effort levels have been questioned.

But the Grenadan has slammed this as the poppycock that it is but recognises that the Rovers charges could be doing better even if they are only a small distance off the points they were on last season.

J-Rob continued - "I struggle to think of any time when one of our players has not gone out there and given his best. (I'll jog your memory Jason - Benni McCarthy ;))

'We go out there with a personal pride, to play well for ourselves, our family, for our football club, for our manager.

"We certainly don`t want to be in the position we are in and I don`t want it on my record that I was part of the team that got this club into the sort of trouble people are talking about.

"It is an interesting fact that we are two points away from where we were last season. If we win on Saturday we are at the same points as we were at this stage last season.

"That being said, we are where we are and we want to be doing better for the club, the manager, the fans and for ourselves as players.

"We have to take all that into context but at the same time we know we have to be doing better, our professional pride will make sure we go out there and work as hard as we can, like we did at Fulham, and hopefully we will come away with the points."

It is only two seasons ago since Blackburn were in a similar position and emerged away from the relegation places that season and with that experience behind them the chances are that the same can happen.

But Roberts has called on the crowd to get behind the players.

Not short of words, Roberts cracked on - "We have been in this position before as a club and as a group of players and we have come up with some big performances.

'The crowd have always been behind us 100 per cent.

"We hope the crowd will be with us on Saturday and to help us beat Blackpool and to stay with us for the 90 minutes.

'I am sure part of Blackpool`s team talk will be 'keep them quiet for the first 30 minutes and see if we can get the crowd on their back`.

"We as a club want success and the fans want success so it would be great if we could again have their support for 90 minutes to get us to our goal."

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