Trio of former Blackburn Rovers bosses hail David Dunn ahead of final game

Dunn will pull on the famous blue and white halved shirt for the 378th and final time today when Rovers round off their Championship campaign at home to Ipswich Town (12.15pm kick-off).

And the mercurial midfielder will do so with the accolades of the most influential managers of his Ewood Park career ringing in his ears.

Dunn credits Souness as the boss who helped make him the player he has become and he will remain forever grateful to Hughes for bringing him back to Rovers from Birmingham City.

But in today’s Lancashire Telegraph the former England international, 35, hails current West Ham United manager Allardyce as the best boss he has played under.

And Allardyce, who was in charge of Rovers between December 2008 and December 2010, said: “Apart from the short spell he had at Birmingham, people will associate him very much always with Blackburn Rovers.

“I think probably the sadder part of David’s career if you like is that some of the injuries that dogged him stopped him from playing more for England. He’s an exceptional talent but I think unfortunately being dogged by injuries for a few years was a problem for him.

“For Blackburn Rovers in particular and his love for Blackburn Rovers, this has been there for all to see on the field and off it – how he played for them and how he always talked about them.

“Certainly in my time there with him, as long as we kept him on the pitch for as long as we could, he always had a major influence in the game, with his ability and the fact is we played much better with him in the team than without him.

“As a person to manage, he was a joker, but very good to have in the dressing room. He didn’t come in too often miserable. When we talk about the banter the lads have, David was probably a bit old school, was always on the front end of starting it, he would be in the mix for starting a bit of mickey taking and all in good humour. He was one of those players whom it was good to have in the dressing when things weren’t going well also.

“When I first went to Blackburn, they were in the bottom three and were struggling, those are the times when you knew when to be serious but when you could have a little laugh together, David was always there amongst that and raise the spirits when the pressure was on everyone.

“He’s had a long and distinguished career he can be proud of, a successful career and it is for me to say, well done David and hope all continues to work out for you in the future.”

Dunn, who will continue his playing career away from Ewood next season, was handed his first-team Rovers debut by current England boss Roy Hodgson.

But it was under the guidance of Souness that he forged a reputation as one of the most exciting young players in the country and won his one and only England cap.

“David was a wonderfully talented young man when I worked with him,” said Souness.

“He had the qualities required to play at the very highest level – including for England. Quite why that never happened more is a mystery to me.

“But his ability can’t be questioned and that is backed up by both the number of times he’s played the game and the fact that he’s still playing the game at 35.”

Dunn moved to Birmingham in the summer of 2003 only to be enticed back to Rovers by Souness’ successor, Hughes, in January 2007.

Hughes and Dunn were teammates in Souness’ promotion and Worthington Cup winning sides.

And Hughes, the current manager of Stoke City, said: “David was always a good teammate and also a great player to manage, who was also very well respected in the dressing room.

“At Blackburn he always wanted to do well for his hometown club and that showed in the way he played and his approach to the game.

“Had it not been for the injuries that he picked up he would have played at the highest level for a lot longer.

“In terms of talent he is up there with the best players to have ever played for Blackburn.”