Editing Andy Cole (section)

===Blackburn Rovers===
The arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastián Verón counted against Cole's first-team chances at Man Utd in the 2001–02 season, and on 29 December 2001, Cole was sold to Blackburn Rovers for £8&nbsp;million.<ref name="blackburn-deal">{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Bruce-Ball |title=Blackburn sign Cole for £8m |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/blackburn/3019509/Blackburn-sign-Cole-for-8m.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421113525/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/blackburn/3019509/Blackburn-sign-Cole-for-8m.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2013 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=29 December 2001 |access-date=6 August 2007 |location=London}}</ref> Within two months of arriving, he had collected a [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] winners medal, scoring the winning goal for Blackburn in the [[Football League Cup Final 2002|final]] against Tottenham Hotspur, who were managed by the former England manager and open critic of Cole, Glenn Hoddle. This victory meant that, in the space of seven seasons, Cole had won all four domestic trophies plus a European trophy. Cole ended the season with a total of 18 goals in all competitions, 5 for Manchester United and 13 in just 20 matches for Blackburn.

Rovers finished sixth [[2002–03 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season|the following season]] and qualified for the [[2003–04 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]]. That campaign saw Cole reunited with Dwight Yorke, who had signed for Blackburn from Manchester United for £2&nbsp;million in July 2002.

Cole had a frustrating season in [[2003–04 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season|2003–04 season]], as Rovers slid into the bottom half of the [[2003–04 FA Premier League|Premier League]], finishing 15th. He scored 11 goals but his relationship with manager [[Graeme Souness]] hit rock bottom after Cole reported him to the [[Professional Footballers' Association]] ("PFA") accusing him of unfair treatment. Cole scored 37 goals in 100 appearances in all competitions for Blackburn.{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}