Blackburn Rovers fans will no doubt remember Tom Cairney with a fair amount of affection.
The attacking midfielder’s spark and personality made him a popular figure on and off the pitch during his time at Ewood Park.
Initially, Cairney joined the club on loan from Hull City in the summer of 2013. That move was then made permanent in January 2014.
He would remain a Blackburn Rovers player until the summer of 2015. At that point, he was sold to Fulham for a reported £3million.
While Cairney enjoyed a successful personal spell at Ewood Park – even winning a Player of the Year award – it now seems he did not achieve everything he wanted to in Lancashire.
Tom Cairney wanted a Blackburn Rovers promotion
Since moving to Fulham, Cairney has won promotion to the Premier League on three occasions. He has now also helped the club to firmly establish themselves in the top-flight of English football.
However, it seems the midfielder feels he could, and should, have been able to help Blackburn Rovers do the same.
Indeed, Cairney believes that opportunity should have come during the 2014/15 season. That campaign saw strikers Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede both score over 20 Championship goals for the club.
Despite that, Blackburn Rovers could still only finish 9th in the table that season, 11 points adrift of the play-offs. That it seems, is something that has stuck with Cairney to this day.
Speaking to BBC 5 Live about that particular season, the now 33-year-old said:
“It’s a disgrace that we didn’t get top six. Honestly, it still angers me now. My old manager of that season, Gary Bowyer, rang me. We spoke about it, which I had said it still angers me now because, to have two strikers with over 20 goals in the Championship season, and not get in the top six is outrageous.
“And not only that, but we had like Josh King, from Bournemouth, we had Grant Hanley, Scott Dann, we had good, good players. Ben Marshall, he was such a talent at the time. The fact we didn’t make the play-offs with that team.
“I remember we got to an FA Cup quarter-final replay against Liverpool, but that was as high as it got really. It kind of disappoints me and upsets me because I feel like, do you know what, that could have been the chance for Blackburn to get back in the Premier League with that team.”
Fans will appreciate Tom Cairney comments
This statement from Cairney will surely go down well with those of a Blackburn Rovers persuasion.
The midfielder was a popular player during his time with the club. Indeed, he too was a key figure in the first-team during his time at Ewood Park.
Judging by these comments, it seems as though Blackburn Rovers are a club he still has an affection for, and who he would like to have delivered success for.
Indeed, with the quality and goals there was in that side, it does feel as though they should have got closer to promotion at the very least.
Given how well liked he was around Ewood, and the opportunity he got at Fulham on the back of it, the fact he still has such emotion for Blackburn Rovers, ought to be appreciated by those who will share his frustrations at how that particular campaign went.
It is because of these shows of passion like these, that many Blackburn Rovers will no doubt take a keen interest in the fortunes of Cairney at Fulham even now.