Why Blackburn Rovers fans will be allowed to drink alcohol in their seats at Ewood Park on November 8 | OneFootball

Rovers fans will be able to drink alcohol from their seats in view of the Ewood Park pitch for the first time in four decades.

Blackburn Rovers supporters will be allowed to drink alcohol in full view of the Ewood Park pitch for the club's 150th anniversary exhibition game on November 8.

Founded all the way back in 1875, Blackburn Rovers are one of English, and indeed world football's, oldest clubs.

Having won the Premier League back in 1994/95, and spent the best part of two decades playing in the top flight - of which they are a founding member - Rovers' have stooped as low as League One in more recent times, and have largely loitered in the Championship.

But, they are undoubtedly a massive club in English football, with history, success and tradition seeping out of Ewood Park and the football club.

Blackburn supporters will be allowed to consume alcohol in Ewood Park legends fixture after Derby County clash

Indeed, during the late 1800s and early 1900s, Blackburn Rovers were one of the most successful clubs in English football.

They won the Community Shield in 1913, England's first division in both 1912 and 1914, and lifted the FA Cup on no less than six occasions between 1884-1928, having won the competition three times in a row between 1884-86.

Rovers almost started their FA Cup dominance of the 1880s in 1882, however, as they contested the final against Old Etonians - who still exist and play in the Arthurian League for clubs comprising of former pupils of public schools - at the Kennington Oval (now simply known as The Oval which hosts international cricket) on March 25 of that year.

It was to be Old Etonians' day though, as they ran out 1-0 winners, and it's this fixture that will see rivalries renewed 143 years later on November 8.

That's because following Blackburn's Championship clash with Derby County, which gets underway at 12.30pm, Rovers Legends will take on Old Etonians in a special exhibition game to help mark Blackburn's 150th anniversary, and pay homage to the club's history.

Rovers icons such as David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Bentley and Matt Derbyshire have already been confirmed to be donning the blue and white shirt once again, and Rovers fans will, if they choose, be able to watch the game with an alcoholic beverage in their seats.

This is because as the game is an exhibition match and doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of EFL or FA rules, the 1985 ban on alcohol consumption in football grounds when in view of the pitch will not be enforced at Ewood Park.

Blackburn Rovers won't want to mark 150th-year anniversary season with Championship relegation battle

In what is a special and landmark year in the club's history as they celebrate 150 years of Blackburn Rovers, everyone connected with the club will be hoping Valerien Ismael's side can deliver a campaign to remember.

They almost did exactly that last season, first through John Eustace and then due to a late-season revival under Ismael after the former's shock exit for Derby County, with Rovers just missing out on a play-off spot by two points when it was all said and done.

However, that birthed a newfound optimism in the Ewood Park faithful that their club was moving in the right direction again, having finished 19th in the 2023/24 campaign, but through their opening 11 games of this season, Blackburn find themselves in 21st, and just one point above the relegation zone.

Things aren't getting any easier for them either, as in the two games prior to their big day on November 8, Rovers will face challenging away trips to Leicester City and Bristol City respectively, and so it's not unlikely that they'll take on Derby sitting on the same points total they currently have to their name.

It's been a strange opening few months of the season in the second tier, with multiple big clubs in the form of Norwich City, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton and Blackburn all occupying the bottom five positions.