The Rovers Return

Di Santo kisses his Rovers badge after being substituted in the 3-2 win over Burnley. Hope Rovers don't mind me using their picture... (Sorry)

A young Argentine from Chelsea became an instant hero on Sunday as he nodded Rovers ahead in the East Lancashire derby.
He didn’t foul Brian Jensen. It was as much a foul by the on loan striker as it was by the Burnley defender on the line who also pushed into his overweight keeper.
The fact remains, the goal stood, and Rovers fans were ecstatic.
Franco Di Santo has recently impressed for Rovers. He has become the starting striker of choice for Big Sam as Jason Roberts fell out of favour after a couple of dodgy displays on his own up front.
And with fellow Rovers hero David Dunn in the supporting role, Di Santo has flourished.
If that goal itself wasn’t enough to endear him to the Rovers faithful present at Ewood that day, who instantly began chanting the 20-year-old’s name, kissing the Rovers badge on his shirt certainly cemented his place in the heart of every Rovers fan.
We may lose him in January, but Franco Di Santo’s name is well and truly cemented into the Blackburn Rovers, and Burnley, history books.
The recent revelation that he wants to stay at Rovers comes as a timely boost for Rovers, as recent comments by Big Sam have suggested he thinks it is unlikely the striker will be allowed to stay beyond January with the transfer embargo forced upon Chelsea recently.
It is likely those comments will upset Chelsea gaffer Carlo Ancelotti, especially the claims that Di Santo wants Rovers to win on Saturday (wishful thinking)…
But you cannot doubt the commitment by the youngster, who would sacrifice the big money and the glamour on offer at Chelsea to stay at Rovers and ‘continue his education’.
He’s expressed his gratitude to Rovers and Sam Allardyce for giving him a stage on which to shine, instead of rotting on the substitutes’ bench at Stamford Bridge.
Unfortunately Di Santo can’t play on Saturday. But it’s good to know that, despite not being able to play, he’s still a Rover. For now at least.