The 2013-14 campaign delivered a tantalising near-miss for Blackburn Rovers as Gary Bowyer's men surged to an 8th-place finish in the Championship, falling just two points shy of the play-off spots. Leading the charge was the talismanic striker Jordan Rhodes, whose sensational haul of 25 league goals anchored a powerful, free-scoring attack. Rhodes' prolific form, bolstered by the mid-season arrival of Rudy Gestede, propelled a spectacular run of results in the final third, cementing the season as a pivotal year of attacking resurgence and potential under Bowyer's stewardship.