Blackburn Rovers captain aims to banish pain as team makes bid to reach FA Cup semi-final
9:39am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Sport
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
Scott Dann
BLACKBURN Rovers skipper Scott Dann is ready to fight through the pain barrier at Ewood Park as he bids to make up for his own Wembley heartache.
Dann, who has been handed the captain’s armband in place of Danny Murphy, received seven stitches above his eye after Sunday’s goalless draw at Millwall and is ready for more of the same in tonight’s FA Cup quarter final replay at Ewood.
Rovers know victory this evening will earn a first Wembley appearance for the club since the Charity Shield in 1995, with a semi final against Wigan Athletic awaiting the winners, and Dann insists it means everything.
Boss Michael Appleton joked Dann was putting his looks at risk ahead of getting married this summer, but the tough tackling centre back insisted he was ready for another battle ahead - having missed Birmingham’s Wembley win through injury.
He said: “Stitches and glue, that’s what I’m made up of at the moment.
“It was a real scrap on Sunday. We knew what to expect going down there and it didn’t disappoint. It was what was going to happen and we needed to make sure we were up to the task.
“I’ll take a few more. I don’t think the fiancée will be happy about that but it comes part and parcel of being a defender. You get bumps and bruises and cuts and you’ve just got to get on with it.
“I haven’t seen it (the challenge) again. Sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t and another day he might have got a yellow or been sent off. I haven’t seen it again but it’s not something I’m too worried about.”
Since arriving at Rovers for circa £6million two summers ago, Dann has experienced some difficult times having seen the club fall from the Premier League to the Championship mid-table.
But, with a Wembley appearance now just 90 minutes away, he admits victory this evening could give everyone at the club a big boost.
“It would mean everything,” he said. “The way this season and last season have gone it would give everyone a big lift and the players and the staff a big lift knowing that we’ll be getting something out of the season.
“We’ll be going into the game knowing it’s a massive game for the club and as young lads all you want to do is play at Wembley and we won’t get a better opportunity to do it.
“A couple of seasons ago I got to the Carling Cup final with Birmingham and we beat Arsenal there but I got injured in the semi-final and couldn’t play.
“On one hand it was great beating Arsenal at Wembley but it was a bit bitter because I didn’t play in the game. When you’re sitting there watching and knowing you should be out there it’s not a nice feeling.
“I went up for the presentation. I played every game up until the final and it was unfortunate but it was the way things panned out. I did go up but when everyone’s in the kit and I’m in the suit it doesn’t quite feel the same.”
Dann also insisted he was relishing the extra responsibility handed to him by being made captain but didn’t feel it would change his game.
He said: ”Obviously there’s an extra responsibility that comes with the armband but the main thing to focus on is to keep trying to improve and keep trying to perform on the pitch and lead by example out there.
“I’m the sort of person who tries to play that way anyway, even when I didn’t have the armband. I tried to lead by example and tried to help people out. Personally I don’t think my style of play will change.
“There’s a bigger responsibility and I just need to try to take that on my shoulders and keep trying to improve and do as much as I can for the team.”
Comments(14)
Hovis1945
says...
10:04am Wed 13 Mar 13
Looking forward to tonight, shame it is on telly as this will afffect the gate and atmosphere but those of us there should give total support to the team, forget everything else for a couple of hours and roar them on. COYB!!
xsblue
says...
10:06am Wed 13 Mar 13
100%ROVERS
says...
10:12am Wed 13 Mar 13
Nobody wanted to sign you then ..
and you still havnt earned the Captains Armband for me (my opinion - Im entitled to it Dann lovers !!!)
Miss-You-Uncle-Jack
says...
10:29am Wed 13 Mar 13
owd nick
says...
10:41am Wed 13 Mar 13
Hovis1945 wrote:LOL LOL you beat me to it.
Funny, the article says seven stitches above the eye but he has a plaster under. If this is Rovers medical staff at work no wonder we have so many injuries :-))
Looking forward to tonight, shame it is on telly as this will afffect the gate and atmosphere but those of us there should give total support to the team, forget everything else for a couple of hours and roar them on. COYB!!
Will be interesting to see if Millwall get away with it tonight without the best part of the fans roaring them on, if it's the same Ref, and it usually is for replays, we might have a problem.
Whatever happens we can't afford anymore injuries, we are down to the bare bones as it is.
No point in defending, that won't get the crowd going, I am actually looking forward to the game.
RoverTheHill
says...
11:17am Wed 13 Mar 13
So glad you've got the armband!
GAZHAY
says...
11:18am Wed 13 Mar 13
100%ROVERS wrote:If you had posted this on here about 7 or 8 games ago would have agreed with you. However, under Appleton Dann is playing a 1000 times better and Dann and Henley together are starting look like a good centre half pairing.
I'LL BET YOU COULDNT BELIEVE IT ... WHEN YOU WERE ANGLING TO GET A MOVE AWAY FROM THE CLUB IN JANUARY AND THE CLOSE SEASON BEFORE EH SCOTT !!! Nobody wanted to sign you then .. and you still havnt earned the Captains Armband for me (my opinion - Im entitled to it Dann lovers !!!)
handyamBRFC
says...
11:40am Wed 13 Mar 13
'' A study of Neanderthal skulls suggests that they went extinct because they had larger eyes than our species.
As a result, more of their brain was devoted to seeing in the long, dark nights in Europe, at the expense of high-level processing. ''
Its quite obvious MA cant do it in the long run for BRFC....!
MA can def. see in the long dreary dark night's with his big bulging eyes which is obvious but can he see us through.....!!!!
but the vital question is can he process the info out there which is plain to see for all and come up with an action plan and see us through to the end of this season and beyond....!
I doubt it.....!!!
A new set of youngish, hard working, physically fit, skillfull Midfielders required at BRFC.
what do you think...?????
johnny rover
says...
11:42am Wed 13 Mar 13
benal13
says...
11:45am Wed 13 Mar 13
owd nick wrote:if you went on sunday you would know that they will have to play a lot better tonight or they will get turned over and i dont think our fans could match millwalls for passion they were excelant on sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hovis1945 wrote:LOL LOL you beat me to it.
Funny, the article says seven stitches above the eye but he has a plaster under. If this is Rovers medical staff at work no wonder we have so many injuries :-))
Looking forward to tonight, shame it is on telly as this will afffect the gate and atmosphere but those of us there should give total support to the team, forget everything else for a couple of hours and roar them on. COYB!!
Will be interesting to see if Millwall get away with it tonight without the best part of the fans roaring them on, if it's the same Ref, and it usually is for replays, we might have a problem.
Whatever happens we can't afford anymore injuries, we are down to the bare bones as it is.
No point in defending, that won't get the crowd going, I am actually looking forward to the game.
!!!!!!!!
fitz808
says...
12:39pm Wed 13 Mar 13
handyamBRFC wrote:when you have a sensible point to make, people might respond... until then though...(tumbleweed
MA.... the problem with....!!
'' A study of Neanderthal skulls suggests that they went extinct because they had larger eyes than our species.
As a result, more of their brain was devoted to seeing in the long, dark nights in Europe, at the expense of high-level processing. ''
Its quite obvious MA cant do it in the long run for BRFC....!
MA can def. see in the long dreary dark night's with his big bulging eyes which is obvious but can he see us through.....!!!!
but the vital question is can he process the info out there which is plain to see for all and come up with an action plan and see us through to the end of this season and beyond....!
I doubt it.....!!!
A new set of youngish, hard working, physically fit, skillfull Midfielders required at BRFC.
what do you think...?????
!!)...
fitz808
says...
12:42pm Wed 13 Mar 13
benal13 wrote:i thought they were ok. but the away fans were on top form too. i thought we gave as good as we got. there were a couple of really funny moments, which both sets of fans seemed to enjoy in the main. particularly the "he's got a sh!t name" chant and the mimicking of their rather annoying noise whenever they have a free kick or throw in the final third.
owd nick wrote:if you went on sunday you would know that they will have to play a lot better tonight or they will get turned over and i dont think our fans could match millwalls for passion they were excelant on sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hovis1945 wrote:LOL LOL you beat me to it.
Funny, the article says seven stitches above the eye but he has a plaster under. If this is Rovers medical staff at work no wonder we have so many injuries :-))
Looking forward to tonight, shame it is on telly as this will afffect the gate and atmosphere but those of us there should give total support to the team, forget everything else for a couple of hours and roar them on. COYB!!
Will be interesting to see if Millwall get away with it tonight without the best part of the fans roaring them on, if it's the same Ref, and it usually is for replays, we might have a problem.
Whatever happens we can't afford anymore injuries, we are down to the bare bones as it is.
No point in defending, that won't get the crowd going, I am actually looking forward to the game.
!!!!!!!!
generally a good day out, despite the standard of play!
benal13
says...
12:54pm Wed 13 Mar 13
fitz808 wrote:and nearly £180 worse off!!!!!!
benal13 wrote:i thought they were ok. but the away fans were on top form too. i thought we gave as good as we got. there were a couple of really funny moments, which both sets of fans seemed to enjoy in the main. particularly the "he's got a sh!t name" chant and the mimicking of their rather annoying noise whenever they have a free kick or throw in the final third.
owd nick wrote:if you went on sunday you would know that they will have to play a lot better tonight or they will get turned over and i dont think our fans could match millwalls for passion they were excelant on sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hovis1945 wrote:LOL LOL you beat me to it.
Funny, the article says seven stitches above the eye but he has a plaster under. If this is Rovers medical staff at work no wonder we have so many injuries :-))
Looking forward to tonight, shame it is on telly as this will afffect the gate and atmosphere but those of us there should give total support to the team, forget everything else for a couple of hours and roar them on. COYB!!
Will be interesting to see if Millwall get away with it tonight without the best part of the fans roaring them on, if it's the same Ref, and it usually is for replays, we might have a problem.
Whatever happens we can't afford anymore injuries, we are down to the bare bones as it is.
No point in defending, that won't get the crowd going, I am actually looking forward to the game.
!!!!!!!!
generally a good day out, despite the standard of play!
leitchy says...
9:54am Wed 13 Mar 13