Who Truly Began England's Era of Money-Driven Football?
Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't Chelsea in the 2000s who first ignited England's wealth-fueled football revolution — it was Blackburn Rovers!
Blackburn's rise marked a turning point in the trajectory of English football. A club with little historical pedigree suddenly transformed into a championship contender, all thanks to the deep pockets and hometown pride of steel magnate Jack Walker.
Walker returned to Blackburn and invested a staggering £30 million — an astronomical figure at the time. To put it into context, while £30 million might barely buy a top-tier player a decade later, in the early '90s, it was enough to revamp an entire club from top to bottom.
Blackburn had been a club so cash-strapped they once struggled to afford train fares for away games. But with Walker at the helm, they went from financial instability to title challengers almost overnight.
