Rare deal left Cardiff City fuming and Blackburn Rovers disappointed | OneFootball

Robbie Fowler's move to Ewood Park ruffled a few feathers in Wales

It speaks volumes that throughout a playing career that spanned 16 years and over 400 matches in all competitions, it is the decision to leave Cardiff City that Robbie Fowler regrets the most.

The former Liverpool man was on the books in the Welsh Capital for 12 months back in 2007, but a lot of that time was spent on the sidelines with a hip injury causing him serious issues when he took to the field.

Despite playing just 13 times in the league - ane netting four goals during that period - the frontman was loved by the Bluebirds, with Peter Ridsdale offering him a pay-as-you-play deal for the following campaign to keep him within the squad.

After months of rehab with the Welsh side - who stuck by him every step of the way - the striker was off as quick as a flash to Blackburn Rovers, leaving everyone at Ninian Park spitting feathers as a result.

Robbie Fowler makes Blackburn Rovers switch after Cardiff City loyalty

The mood was sour when the news broke about Fowler’s move to Lancashire, with the loyalty shown to the ageing striker thrown straight back in their face, with the lure of linking up with former Liverpool team mate Paul Ince at Ewood Park proving too hard to turn down for the then-33-year-old.

It wasn’t even as if the man Reds fans named ‘God’ was moving back to the north west for the money, with Rovers also only prepared to offer Fowler payment for every time he stepped on the football pitch, rather than a guaranteed weekly salary.

With Cardiff looking on forlornly, Fowler was back in the Premier League, but failed to make any sort of impact in Lancashire, with just six appearances to his name during his three-month spell with the club, and only three of them coming from the first whistle.

The player that had torn top flight defences apart at will was being let down by his body once again, and even though they only paid him for the matches he played, Blackburn must have felt they had a tough deal of their own when they saw what they had on their hands.

He walked into Ewood Park with 230 career goals to his name, and departed with 230 career goals to his name, and in doing so gave him a tarnished reputation at two football clubs at the same time, with Cardiff still spewing even after the dust had settled.

Robbie Fowler regrets Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers action

Even years on from that debacle, Fowler still regrets his actions with the benefit of hindsight, having opened up on the situation with Wales Online in 2014.

“Looking back, that was without doubt the worst decision I made in my career,” Fowler said.

“Paul Ince was the manager at Blackburn and we are old friends from our playing days together at Liverpool.

“When I think about regrets, leaving Cardiff is right up there. In terms of football that is easily the worst I’ve made.

“I left because Paul was a friend and Blackburn was closer to home, but with hindsight, I probably wouldn’t have done it.

“It certainly wasn’t a football decision. I enjoyed my time with Cardiff even though I had injury problems. The hip surgery I had during my time with Cardiff didn’t help and maybe that was another reason why I moved on.

“There were hardly any playing opportunities for me at Blackburn and, looking back, it was the wrong decision to go. When I think of the friends I made in Cardiff and still speak to I’m sad that I left.”

They say actions speak louder than words, and there will be some in Wales that still haven’t forgiven Fowler for his misdemeanour, as they got a stark reminder of the lack of loyalty in the beautiful game.