Phil Jones progressed through Rovers' youth ranks _(Image: PA)_
Phil Jones has opened up about his Rovers exit to join Manchester United and the role former manager Sam Allardyce played.
Jones completed a big money move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2011 following a promising start to his career at Ewood Park.
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The Academy graduate would spent over a decade at United, working under Sir Alex Ferguson and becoming a Premier League winner among other accolades.
“Big Sam definitely played a part in my move to Man United, or at least putting me on Sir Alex Ferguson’s radar,” he recalled.
“I was in and around Blackburn’s first team but not really playing much at the time. I was travelling as the spare man, if you like, which was a great experience for me.
“Then I was playing in the FA Youth Cup, against Man United at Ewood Park, and obviously Big Sam was quite close to Sir Alex.
“He told him he needed to come down and watch this lad, meaning me, and we absolutely kicked seven bells out of United that night!
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“We absolutely battered them. We won 3-0 and, even at that level, that is a massive thing to beat United.”
Josh King, who started out at Old Trafford and later made the move to East Lancashire, was in the United line-up that night.
Josh King would later join Rovers _(Image: PA)_ “Me and Grant Hanley were playing against Josh King for United – who has obviously gone on to have a great career in the Premier League,” he continued.
“He had just made his debut for their first team and had done really well up to that point in his career.
“But he came up against me and Grant that night and Warren Joyce – who was their reserve manager - told me, after we kicked him just about everywhere in that game, Sir Alex went into their dressing room and said something along the lines of, ‘He’ll never play for me again!’
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“Joyce jokes that I ruined King’s United career. I’ve got to say, he did give me a fair few kicks back over the years though!”
Jones, who departed Manchester United in 2023 and officially announced his retirement last year, looks back on his time at Rovers with pride.
A local lad, he grew up watching from the stands at Ewood Park and then his family got to see him represent the club in the blue and white shirt.
READ MORE: [Big-money deals and Non-League - 22 ex-Blackburn Rovers players who moved this summer](https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/25449508.big-money-deals-non-league---22-ex-blackburn-rovers-players-moved-summer/?ref=ial)
“I am still a massive Blackburn fan now and always have been,” he said. “I was back home with my wife the other day and we were talking about my time there, and it is all just surreal to be honest.
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“I remember my dad carrying me over the turnstiles as a kid, I used to go home and away, watching the team.
“I lived and breathed Blackburn Rovers – they were, and still are, my club. To represent them was so special to me and my family.
“I look back with so many fond memories of Blackburn and having my own kids now, I understand more what it must have been like for my dad to see me go on and play for the team.
“He used to follow me everywhere. There wasn’t a single minute where I kicked a ball that he wouldn’t have watched. Not a single minute, he was always there.
“I can remember driving to games and him telling me on the way, “You need to be aggressive tonight, talk, communicate well, concentrate on every pass.”
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“He would give me this lecture, and people could say that was too much, but look at where I ended up. It couldn’t have been that bad for me!"
_Jones was speaking to Ladbrokes at the launch of Ladisfaction._