Did you know, that Blackburn Rovers once managed to sign a Champions League proven striker for £2.5m, and that the same striker finished second only to Didier Drogba in the Premier League golden boot race in his first season in England?
Yes, this really happened. The striker? South African hitman, Benni McCarthy. Blackburn Rovers pulled off quite the coup in bringing the forward to England, back in July 2006. Having won the Champions League at Porto under Jose Mourinho two years earlier, and being a recognised goal scorer, Benni McCarthy arrived at Ewood Park to much excitement.
Rovers needed a replacement for the departing Craig Bellamy, the Welshman having signed for Liverpool after only one season at Rovers, and Benni fit the bill. McCarthy's first goal for Rovers came on his home debut, a 1-1 draw against Everton at Ewood Park and there was plenty more of that to come.
Benni would go on to enjoy a blistering first campaign during the 2006/7 Season, scoring 18 Premier League goals and finishing second in the golden boot race ahead of the likes of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. The fact that McCarthy only scored two goals less than the winner, Didier Drogba (20), shows the impact he made in his first season.
Benni scored 24 goals in all competitions in his debut campaign, as Rovers finished 10th in the Premier League and reached the semi finals of the FA Cup and the Round of 32 in the UEFA Cup. Most memorably, Benni capped off a stunning move, crafted by Tugay, to deliver a knockout blow to Liverpool at Ewood on Boxing Day 2006.
He also scored a superb winner against Arsenal at Ewood Park in an FA Cup 5th Round replay in February 2007. A strike which will live long in the memory of all Rovers fans who witnessed it.
The following season saw Benni's goal output lessen somewhat, but this can be put down to a combination of injuries, fitness issues and the arrival of new forward, Roque Santa Cruz, who became the main man upfront. Despite this, Benni still managed to score 11 goals in all competitions in his second season at Rovers. In 2008/9, McCarthy chipped in with 13 goals in all competitions, 10 of those in the Premier League, proving to be crucial in helping Rovers to avoid the drop.
Benni McCarthy spent four seasons as a Blackburn Rovers player in all and his contribution in a Rovers shirt places him amongst the very best of strikers to have played for the club.
Making 140 appearances for the club and scoring 52 goals. Here are all 52 of Benni's goals in a Rovers shirt.