Allardyce tells of his sorrow for fans

Jan 19 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

THEY may have given him a dog’s abuse on Saturday – at least until they turned their sights on their own – but Sam Allardyce claimed he felt sorry for Newcastle United’s fans at Ewood Park.

Magpies supporters never took to the former Sunderland defender with a reputation for direct football when he was manager of their club. But with a 3-0 victory lifting his side out of the Premier League relegation zone, Allardyce was magnanimous towards his detractors on the away terraces.

“I feel sorry for their fans,” said the 54-year-old. “Those fans turn up no matter what. There were 6,000 there probably (on Saturday), with a passion to follow their club wherever they play.

“I’m glad we have beaten them. When we have got Bolton here in 10 days I’d like to do the same.

“But three points and getting out of the bottom three are the most important things.” Allardyce admitted his side was comprehensively outplayed in a scoreless first half, and paid tribute to the way Blackburn’s back four kept his former charges at bay until his substitutes came on to help win the game.

“I didn’t get stuck into them at half-time, it was just talking about tactics and how to break down Newcastle.

“We’d watched them on Wednesday (when Newcastle were knocked out of the FA Cup at home to Hull City) and we said while they’re good in possession with clever passes, when we’re in possession you will cause them problems defensively,” he said. “The key was the brilliant performances of the defenders because they kept us in the game.

“I was worried (in the first half) because they were in control and with Michael Owen and the dominance of Andy Carroll in the air, plus Duffer (Damien Duff) and (Charles) N’Zogbia in midfield, we had to put our bodies on the line to defend situations.

“Perhaps the game on Wednesday was going to catch up on them.”