History will be made on Saturday when Brentford fans get to watch their first game in the Brentford Community Stadium, against Blackburn.
A total of 2,000 Bees supporters will be there to see a match featuring the two top scorers in the Championship.
It will be the first chance for fans to see Ivan Toney in the flesh, as opposed to on iFollow or Sky. Our summer signing has scored 13 in his 15 league appearances, one behind Armstrong who has played one fewer game.
Armstrong’s efforts have helped Rovers to become the Championship’s leading scorers on 29 goals, after a solid start to the season.
They scored 11 times in their first three matches – following a 3-2 opening day defeat at Bournemouth with thumping wins over Wycombe (5-0 including an Armstrong hat-trick) and Derby at Pride Park (4-0).
A mini-slump of one win and four defeats in five games followed – the victory being 4-0 at Coventry – before they returned to form, and they will arrive on Saturday on a six-game unbeaten run of four wins and two draws, following Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat of Millwall.
Away from league action, Blackburn reached the second round of the Carabao Cup, where they lost 1-0 at Newcastle after a 3-2 win over Doncaster, who will also be their opponents in the FA Cup third round at the start of January.
Blackburn famously won the Premier League title in 1995 and they and Leicester are the only sides apart from the two Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool to have achieved that.
They were founder members of the Premier League and played in all but two of its first 20 seasons, until they were relegated for the second time in 2012.
They have been in the Championship almost ever since, finishing in the bottom half in four of their seven seasons and being relegated in one of those – 2016/17.
However, they were promoted straight back 12 months later.
WHO’S IN CHARGE
Tony Mowbray is the third longest-serving manager in the Championship, behind Wycombe’s Gareth Ainsworth and Paul Warne of Rotherham, and 11th longest-serving in all four divisions, having replaced Owen Coyle at Blackburn in late February 2017.
When the former Middlesbrough, Celtic, West Brom and Hibernian boss arrived, Rovers were three points adrift of safety with 15 games remaining, but he produced an amazing upturn in form which ended up with them only being relegated on goal difference on the final day of the season.
He continued the revival the following season as he led Rovers to promotion from League One at the first attempt as runners-up to Wigan. Last year they finished in a comfortable 15th.
Tony has previously managed Ipswich, Hibs, West Brom, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Coventry.
As a player, he made more than 550 senior appearances as a centre-half for only three clubs – Middlesbrough, Celtic and Ipswich.
WE’VE MET BEFORE
Blackburn have had the better of us since our Championship meetings began – winning five of our 10 games and holding us to a draw in another two.
After we did the double over them in our first season in the division in 2014/15 – winning 3-1 at Griffin Park and 3-2 at Ewood Park including an amazing goal by Jota – things have mostly gone their way ever since.
The following campaign, we drew 1-1 in Lancashire when Tom Lawrence cancelled out Lasse Vibe’s opener before half-time, in a match in which Marco Djuricin suffered an injury which kept him out for two months.
Shane Duffy scored the only goal in the 86th minute to give Rovers a 1- 0 win when the teams met in TW8 the following March, even though Rovers played most of the second half with 10 men after the sending-off of Grant Hanley.
In 2016/17, Blackburn earned only their fourth win of the season, in their 17th game, when they beat us 3-2 at a snowy Ewood Park in November, in a match in which all five goals came in the first half.
Scott Hogan put us ahead in the opening minute but Danny Graham equalised 15 minutes later and then put Rovers ahead from the penalty spot moments later.
Hogan levelled for Brentford on the half hour mark but an own goal by Harlee Dean proved decisive.
They completed the double on the final day of the season in a match they had to win to have any chance of avoiding relegation. However, other results went against them and so their 3-1 win, earned with goals from Charlie Mulgrew, Danny Guthrie and a Craig Conway penalty, with Lasse Vibe replying, proved irrelevant. The Bees also had Harlee Dean sent off
Rovers continued their hold over us in, as they inflicted our first defeat of the 2018/19 season with a 1-0 win at Ewood Park. Kasey Palmer scored the only goal early in the second half.
But we ended a five-match winless run against them the following February with a 5-2 Griffin Park victory, having been 2-0 down after seven minutes.
Bradley Dack and Danny Graham seemed to have put Rovers in total command early on, but Said Benrahma quickly replied and then the Bees, shooting towards Brook Road in the second half, ran riot after the break.
An Ollie Watkins double, followed by goals from Neal Maupay and Sergi Canos, extended our unbeaten league run to seven games.
LAST SEASON
We suffered another Ewood Park defeat in our first meeting of last season on a Wednesday night in November, when an early goal from Bradley Dack was enough to give Rovers a 1-0 win and all three points.
The return in February saw the Bees bounce back from 2-0 down to earn a  2-2 draw in a live Sky Saturday lunchtime match.
For the second season in a row, Rovers took a 2-0 lead at Griffin Park – this time by the 54th minute, thanks to a double by Adam Armstrong. He scored his first in the 11th minute and then doubled the lead from the penalty spot after the break.
Ollie Watkins pulled one back with a strike which was voted as our goal of the season – bringing down a long ball from Henrik Dalsgaard before fiercely volleying in into the roof of the net in the 62nd minute.
And Said Benrahma completed the comeback with the game’s second penalty nine minutes later, after a foul on Mads Roerslev.
The point left us in fourth place with Blackburn in eighth.
OPPOSITION VIEW
BBC Radio Lancashire’s Blackburn Rovers commentator Andy Bayes gives his views on our visitors’ season so far, explains why Adam Armstrong has been so prolific and looks forward to the experience of being at a game with fans and visiting a new ground for the first time.
Q – Blackburn are top scorers in the Championship – how would you assess their start to the season?
A – A little bit up and down to start with – largely due to Covid and injury. They’ve had some terrific performances and victories so far, scoring plenty of goals. The win at Preston North End recently was a superb performance, but they’ve also ground out victories like the ones at home against Barnsley and Millwall. So the signs are good and after nearly a year out, Bradley Dack is very close to returning to action. No complaints really.
Q – What was the expectation before it started – promotion push, mid-table, or relegation worries?
A – Improving on last season is the aim. They’ve consolidated over the last two seasons and now the team has certainly evolved from the one that was promoted from League One. I think the optimism improved a lot with the late business done in the transfer window.
Q – Why has Adam Armstrong had such a prolific start to the campaign?
A – He’s playing in his best position, he’s a massive threat. Pace to burn, great movement, can score from inside or outside of the box. If they keep him fit and from the clutches of the Premier League, he could achieve all of his targets this season and more. He’s a pleasure to watch.
Q – What transfer business did Rovers do in the close season?
A – Lots of changes – three keepers, Thomas Kaminski is the number one and he’s been absolutely fantastic. Daniel Ayala and Barry Douglas have strengthened defensive options. Tom Trybull has been part of a successful midfield, Stewart Downing’s return is great for the squad too. Harvey Elliott and Tyrhys Dolan have added youth and quality in wide areas. Really astute recruitment.
Q – Tony Mowbray is one of the longest-serving managers in the country – how good a job has he done?
A – He’s brought calmness, authority, leadership and is someone that the supporters generally back and believe in his words. He’s a great bloke to speak to every week, loves talking football. I think after a really poor few years before his appointment, he deserves massive credit for where they find themselves now.
Q – Which Rovers players should Brentford fans watch out for?
A – Armstrong certainly, two goals at Griffin Park last season and his form hasn’t dipped since. Sam Gallagher is showing why big money was spent on him as well. Lewis Holtby has also been a vital cog in midfield, often dictating play. Harvey Elliott has settled into life at Rovers really well. He scored a beauty on Wednesday’s win over Millwall and has great ability on the ball.
Q – How excited are you at the prospect of not only visiting Brentford’s new stadium, but also being at a game with fans?
A – I don’t know which I’m looking forward to most, seeing 2,000 fans or visiting a new ground, although I was a big fan of Griffin Park. I was there twice last season with Blackburn and (after lockdown) Preston. It was sad to see the old ground close without the send-off it deserved really.
Q – Finally can you give me a possible Rovers line-up and formation please?
A – GK – Kaminski
RB – Nyambe
CB – Lenihan
CB – Ayals
LB – Douglas (if not fit, Bell)
CM – Johnson
CM – Holtby
CM – Rothwell
RF – Gallagher
CF – Armstrong
LF – Elliott
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAME
The match is being played at the Brentford Community Stadium at 3.00pm on Saturday, with 2,000 Bees fans in attendance. Season ticket holders who are not at the game will still have free access to watch the match, and others can buy a match pass for ÂŁ10.
Live audio commentary is available on iFollow with Mark Burridge, Simon Ratcliffe and Mick Cabble with a match pass available to buy for ÂŁ2.50,and there are also reports on BBC London 94.9.
IAN WESTBROOK
@ianwestbrook