FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution Head Coach Brad Friedel was inducted into the Blackburn Rovers Hall of Fame on Thursday. Friedel, who made more than 300 appearances with Blackburn from 2000-08, is one of seven Rovers legends comprising the club's inaugural Hall of Fame class. Blackburn, established in 1875, was a founding member of the English Premier League in 1992. The club has been crowned English champions three times, and has won six FA Cups and one Football League Cup.
“It’s great to be back. I haven’t been back in many years. It was such a wonderful time of my life and career with so very fond memories," Friedel said at the induction ceremony at Ewood Park. "When I got the call to come it was a special feeling. The eight years I was here it was a wonderfully run, family club. Really looking back on it, it was all you could ask for as a player.”
Friedel joined Rovers from Liverpool in Nov. 2000 and immediately helped the club earn promotion to the Premier League in 2001. In his first full campaign with Blackburn in 2001-02, he led the club to a League Cup title and earned Man of the Match honors for his title-clinching performance against Tottenham. He ultimately made more than 300 appearances across all competitions for Blackburn during his nine-year stay.
In Rovers' record books, Friedel remains tied by Reg Elvy for most consecutive league appearances by a goalkeeper with 152, and ranks second for most league appearances by a goalkeeper with 287 – two behind Terry Gennoe.
Friedel was inducted into Blackburn's Hall of Fame alongside Bob Crompton, Ronnie Clayton, Bryan Douglas, Derek Fazackerley, Simon Garner, and Alan Shearer.
