Millwall vs Blackburn Rovers: Championship Rivalry

By: Gordon

What makes the Millwall vs Blackburn Rovers fixture one of the Championship’s most intriguing matchups? With a history spanning decades and recent encounters showing dramatic shifts in dominance, this rivalry continues to captivate football fans across England. The head-to-head record between these two competitive sides reveals Blackburn’s historical advantage, though Millwall has recently turned the tide in their favor.

The historical context of the rivalry

Millwall and Blackburn Rovers have face d each other 21 times since 2012, creating a substantial modern history between the clubs. Blackburn has historically dominated this fixture, winning 10 of these encounters compared to Millwall’s 4 victories, with the remaining 7 matches ending in draws. This rivalry dates back several decades, with one of the earliest recorded matches taking place in 1970, when Millwall secured a 2-0 victory against Blackburn Rovers in League Division Two.

The longevity of this competition has created a fixture that fans of both clubs mark on their calendars, with each match carrying the weight of their shared history. As both teams have spent significant time in the Championship in recent years, their encounters have taken on added significance in the battle for promotion and league positioning.

Recent form and shifting momentum

The tide has turned dramatically in recent years, with Millwall demonstrating remarkable dominance in the fixture. The Lions have won four of the last five encounters between the two sides, suggesting a significant shift in the balance of power. Millwall’s recent success against Blackburn is reflected in their impressive statistics, averaging 1.4 goals scored while conceding just 0.8 goals per match in these recent fixtures.

Blackburn Rovers, despite their historical advantage, have struggled against Millwall lately, managing just one victory in their last five meetings. Their offensive output has mirrored Millwall’s defensive record, scoring an average of 0.8 goals while conceding 1.4 per match against the Lions. This pattern was dramatically broken, however, in their most recent encounter.

The latest encounter: Blackburn’s emphatic response

The most recent chapter in this rivalry unfolded on April 18, 2025, when Blackburn Rovers hosted Millwall at Ewood Park. In what can only be described as a statement performance, Blackburn secured an emphatic 4-1 victory over their rivals. This result represented a significant departure from the recent pattern of Millwall dominance and demonstrated Blackburn’s determination to reassert themselves in this fixture.

The match, played at Blackburn’s home ground of Ewood Park, saw the hosts deliver one of their most impressive performances of the season. This comprehensive victory not only provided Blackburn supporters with bragging rights but also carried significant implications for both teams’ positions in the Championship table.

Championship implications and current standings

As of May 2025, both teams find themselves in the upper-middle section of the Championship table, with Blackburn Rovers occupying either 7th or 9th position (sources vary), while Millwall sits in 8th place. This positioning reflects the competitive nature of both clubs, as they continue to harbor ambitions of breaking into the playoff positions and potentially securing promotion to the Premier League.

The recent 4-1 victory for Blackburn has potentially significant implications for the final league standings, with both teams separated by minimal points in the congested mid-table battle. The Championship’s notoriously tight nature means that a single result can dramatically affect a team’s trajectory, making each Millwall vs Blackburn Rovers encounter pivotal beyond the simple rivalry aspect.

What the future holds for this fixture

With both Millwall and Blackburn Rovers established as compettiive Championship sides, this rivalry shows no signs of diminishing in importance. The dramatic shift in recent results—from Millwall’s dominance to Blackburn’s emphatic response—suggests that this fixture will continue to produce unpredictable and entertaining encounters.

Football fans can look forward to more chapters being written in this rivalry, with each match potentially swinging the historical advantage one way or the other. The competitive balance between these two sides, combined with their shared ambitions of Premier League promotion, ensures that Millwall vs Blackburn Rovers will remain one of the Championship’s most anticipated fixtures for seasons to come.