DAVID Dunn will bid an emotional farewell to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday when he plays his final game for the club.

Rovers reporter Paul Wheelock has delved into the Lancashire Telegraph archives to pick out some of his most memorable and important goals for the club and what he – and, in one case, the late great Ronnie Clayton – thought about them at the time.

And, of course, it includes his trio of strikes against bitter rivals rivals Burnley.

 

v Rochdale, September 2000

Dunn has scored only one hat-trick in his senior club career but it was a unique one at that as the then 20-year-old, fresh from captaining England Under-21s for the first time, became the first Rovers player to score three penalties in the same game.

His spot-kick treble came in a 6-1 Worthington Cup first-round second-leg success at home to Rochdale on September 6, 2000.

Dunn said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better week.”

 

v Wolves, November 2000

Dunn grabbed the all-important goal, again from the penalty spot, in a 1-0 home win over Wolves on November 18, 2000 to save Rovers’ big 125th anniversary party from going flat.

The watching Ronnie Clayton said: “David’s a young man with fantastic potential and he can only improve. When he gets the ball you sit up and think ‘something’s going to happen’.

“We need more people like him in football. I think he’ll become a very good player and go on to play for England one day.”

 

v Portsmouth, April 2001

Dunn’s 18th and final goal of the memorable 2000-01 campaign, a fine finish from the tightest of angles to send Rovers on their way to a 3-1 home win over Portsmouth on April 29, 2001, was also his most vital.

It left Graeme Souness’ side needing one victory from their final two games to seal promotion.

Dunn said: “I’ve scored a few winners in the past but in terms of the hype and the context of the game that has to be right up there with the best.”

 

v Arsenal, October 2001

After 22 appearances for England Under-21s, Dunn went on to win his one and only England cap under Sven Goran Eriksson and it was displays like the one he produced in a 3-3 draw with Arsenal on October 20, 2001 that convinced the Swede to select him. Dunn scored two sublime goals at Highbury in front of the watching England boss.

Dunn said: “I made a mistake and we went 3-2 down and I suddenly thought to myself ‘I’d best get another goal here otherwise I’ll get a rollicking off the gaffer at full-time’.”

 

v Burnley, October 2009

Dunn scored his first goal against bitter rivals Burnley in a 3-2 win for Rovers at Ewood Park October 18, 2009, the man-of-the-match cancelling out Robbie Blake’s early opener and then playing his part in Pascal Chimbonda’s crucial strike.

Dunn said: “To score against Burnley was great and you could see by the reaction of the fans at the end how much this meant. I’ve lost my voice and I’m sure a few of the fans have as well.”

 

v Burnley, March 2010

Dunn climbed off the treatment table to net the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the reverse East Lancashire derby encounter at Turf Moor on March 28, 2010.

Dunn said: “It was great for the supporters and obviously you want to do it for them. I have been inundated with texts from both Burnley and Blackburn fans. People trying to phone me up at 4.30am.

“I don’t know which idiots they were but luckily I had my phone on silent.”

 

v Burnley, March 2013

Dunn was the scourge of the Clarets again on March 17, 2013, when he struck in the fifth minute of injury-time to earn Rovers the most dramatic of 1-1 draws at Ewood Park.

Burnley claimed he was offside as he lashed home the leveller.

Dunn said: “I thought I was onside when Cameron Stewart crossed but am I bothered if I was offside? No. I am just delighted to get the goal as my life is worth living a little bit because it wouldn’t have been if I hadn’t.”

 

v Watford, March 2014

Dunn’s last of his 59 goals for the club came last season in a 3-3 draw at Watford on March 25, 2014. The evergreen midfielder capped a superb individual performance with a brilliantly controlled volley into the bottom corner. It was his 50th league goal for Rovers.

Dunn said: “It’s been a long-time coming but to reach that milestone as predominantly a midfielder for most of my career – which I probably still am – is very pleasing.”