So, having had to suffer Darwen progressing in the FA Cup and without a Lancashire Cup yet to their name, Blackburn Rovers began the 1882 season with a desire to right the wrongs they had suffered and become the number one team in the area. An FA Cup run would be nice too, although they would be unlikely to have dreamt just how far that run was to take them.

The 1881/82 season was to be a landmark period in the history of Blackburn Rovers. In short, it was the year when Rovers put their name firmly on the football map. Not only would they win their first Lancashire Cup to establish a certain amount of local dominance but, more importantly, they would challenge the best in the land with their first great FA Cup run. For a more detailed report on their 1882 cup run, look in the FA Cup section on the Major Competitions menu.

The Lancashire Cup campaign ended in a winning final played at…Turf Moor! Not that they played Burnley though, rather it was the closer neighbours of Accrington. Before the final they had strolled their way through the competitions, handing out humiliations in every round. Double figures were reached in the first two rounds against first Kirkham (14-0) and then Clitheroe (10-1). Further victories over Accrington Wanderers (7-0) and Church (6-0) set up a semi-final clash against Blackburn Olympic, which they promptly won 6-1. They weren’t to find the final quite so easy, although they still ran out 3-1 winners over Accrington, the previous winners of the competition. The ease with which Rovers reached the final suggested that they should be aiming higher than just being the best team in Lancashire and they proved themselves capable of adapting to higher levels by reaching the 1882 FA Cup Final.

Rovers were the first non-southern team to reach the final and got there by defeating Blackburn Park Road (9-1), Bolton Wanderers (6-2), Darwen (a no doubt immensely satisfying 5-1), and Wednesbury Old Athletic by 3-1 in the quarter finals. Sheffield Wednesday took Rovers to a replay and after a 0-0 draw at Huddersfield; Rovers beat Wednesday in the replay 5-1 at Manchester.