'It must be Christmas - we're winning at home'

When things are not going well frustrations bubble to the surface at Ewood Park.

The past few weeks have been tough - another abandonment, another defeat on the road at Portsmouth and it is clear from the Blackburn Rovers Coalition and the wider fanbase that concerns about the club are growing.

Walking into the ground for the Millwall game on Saturday carried a sense of unease. It felt like things could sour just in time for Christmas.

Naming 20-year-old Matt Litherland for his first senior start sent a strong message, but thankfully not a costly one. Matt didn't look out of place, and from the first whistle Rovers were on the front foot. Within three minutes a neat link-up involving Ryoya Morishita saw Matt's shot parried into the path of Andri Gudjohnsen, who calmly slotted home to put us 1-0 up. The perfect start.

Despite a mistake for the second, I have to talk about Yuki Ohashi. His relentless pressing, aerial duels, and sheer work rate were outstanding. Just before half-time his persistence paid off when capitalising on a defensive mix-up to smash home our second to make it 2-0.

It was also great to see Sondre Tronstad back in the side, steadying the ship and giving us control in midfield. While we could name a few others, Moussa Baradji deserves a mention. His cameo brought unpredictability and energy that unsettled Millwall and it will be great to see him when he is back to full fitness. Add in the other academy talents like Tom Atchenson and Nathan Dlamini, and it is clear how vital that pathway is for the club.

This result does not just feel good, it feels necessary. The manager has been crystal clear with both board and fans about what is needed to take us forward in January. We have seen this before with two of the past three managers leaving shortly after January and casualties of wrong calls and poor timing.

As a fan who only wants the best for Blackburn and sees the hard work happening behind the scenes, I hope the board delivers what is needed this Christmas.

Around me, the chant rang out: "It must be Christmas, we're winning at home!" Hopefully the players who arrive in the next few weeks help turn that festive cheer into a strong start to the new year.