SALES were up when the new Blackburn Rovers home shirt hit the shops for the first time yesterday.

Supporters made their way to the club stores at Ewood Park and in Blackburn town centre to get their hands on the shirt.

And Rovers head of commercial and marketing Greg Coar was delighted by the response.

He said: “Sales of the home kit have been extremely pleasing.

“It is actually the best opening day performance for six years which is very good news.

“On Thursday we are also giving supporters the opportunity to meet first-team stars Jordan Rhodes, Tom Cairney and Craig Conway at the Roverstore at Ewood Park.”

The trio will show off the new shirt at the club shop, situated outside the ground, from 1pm.

The new shirt is the first Rovers home shirt to feature a Cambridge blue half since the 1991/92 season when Kenny Dalglish’s team won promotion to the Premier League with a Wembley play-off final win over Leicester City.

Rovers did, however, wear a one-off kit featuring the paler blue half for the 1-0 home victory over Wolves on Saturday, November 18, 2000, to celebrate the club’s 125th anniversary.

The new shirt is a nod back to the home shirt worn by the club in its early years.

Rovers’ new away shirt – the design for which has yet to be released – goes on sale on Thursday, July 31.