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The impact of Sammie Szmodics at Blackburn Rovers will not be forgotten by supporters anytime soon

Blackburn Rovers supporters were disappointed to lose Sammie Szmodics to Ipswich Town over the course of the summer transfer window.

The forward was the best signing the club made under manager Jon Dahl Tomasson by quite a wide margin.

Szmodics arrived from Peterborough United following the Posh’s relegation to League One, with chairman Darragh MacAnthony confirming the signing cost Rovers £1.8 million, via The Lancashire Telegraph.

That fee proved quite a bargain, and not just because Blackburn earned a hefty profit from his sale to the Tractor Boys in August.

The Championship side earned an initial fee of £9 million, potentially rising with add-ons, from his sale, according to The Athletic.

Sammie Szmodics’ impact at Blackburn

Szmodics had a minor amount of Championship experience prior to his move to Ewood Park, making three appearances in the division for Bristol City in the 2019/20 campaign before featuring another 36 times for Peterborough in 2021/22 (all stats from Fbref).

The forward didn’t exactly set the world alight at the Weston Homes stadium, scoring just six goals from his 36 appearances, with the team suffering relegation that term.

So nobody could’ve expected what was to come with Blackburn, where he managed 32 goals and six assists from 78 league games.

The Ireland international had a low-key first season with Tomasson’s side, with Ben Brereton Diaz taking the limelight as the team came seventh in the table.

But the departure of Brereton Diaz opened up a door for Szmodics to assert himself as the main man at the Lancashire outfit.

The 28-year-old went on to become the top scorer in the entire division, bagging an impressive 27 goals.

His attacking prowess was crucial to the team’s survival, as they came 19th in the table, avoiding the drop by just three points.

In particular, late season goals in wins over Leicester City, Leeds United and Sunderland highlighted his importance to the side, as they earned significant victories that were integral to their safety in the Championship.

Blackburn fans will always cherish Szmodics’ time at Ewood Park

While he didn’t stay at Blackburn for a long time, supporters will always hold a cherished memory of Szmodics due to the significance of his impact.

No fans can really begrudge Szmodics for his decision to move to Ipswich following their promotion to the Premier League.

The forward remained a true professional amid the intense speculation over his future, even coming off the bench to score one last goal for the team in their opening day 4-2 win over Derby County.

This was the perfect send off for a player that lit up the stands at Ewood Park last season, and deservedly earned himself an opportunity to compete in the top flight.

That Szmodics’ first Ipswich goal came at the Etihad against the champions Manchester City shows he is ready to compete at that level.

While Tomasson’s time at Blackburn was wrought with transfer misfires, including the failure to register Duncan McGuire on time in January 2024, the £1.8 million signing of Szmodics proved a crucial masterstroke for the club.