Football: Blackburn smash record to sign Sutton: Norwich's much-admired striker ends the uncertainty by becoming Rovers' latest expensive acquisition
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Your support makes all the difference.CHRIS SUTTON left Norwich City and signed for Blackburn Rovers yesterday for pounds 5m, a deal which shatters the British transfer record.
The 21-year-old England B striker agreed to a five-year contract with Rovers, which will keep him at Ewood Park until 1999.
Robert Chase, the Norwich chairman, made it clear a week ago that his club were prepared to sell Sutton but only to clubs willing to match his valuation of pounds 5m. Despite the declared interest of Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham, this narrowed the buyers down to Rovers and Arsenal. However, after signing yesterday, Sutton said he had long since made up his mind that he wanted to join Blackburn and their manager Kenny Dalglish. Arsenal publicly withdrew their offer on Thursday and Sutton said: 'I didn't speak to any other club.'
Sutton, who scored 28 goals for Norwich last season, added: 'As soon as the speculation about me started six months ago I thought that if there was one club I wanted to talk to it was Blackburn. Blackburn was always my first choice. The club is similar to Norwich in terms of the population and area, although it's a bigger club, and I didn't want to move to a big city.
'I was linked with a lot of big clubs but I feel I've chosen the best one. There are lots of good players at the club - not just Alan Shearer, but also a lot of other world- class players - and that's another reason for me choosing Blackburn.'
Of the record fee, Sutton said: 'Norwich had a fee in their heads and Blackburn were willing to pay it but I never said I was worth pounds 5m. But I don't think it will bother me. I'm going to Blackburn to play football and if I'm 100 per cent fit - and there's no reason why I shouldn't be - then I don't think my form will go off that badly.'
Dalglish missed the press conference called to announce the move because he is on holiday but his assistant, Ray Harford, said the club had no qualms about the fee. 'Blackburn want to sign the best players. In the modern game, they're not often available, and you've got to be in the market when they are,' he said.
'Chris is potentially a very good player. Only time will tell just how good, but he has an eye for goal. There is a bit more to come out of him yet and it's up to us to bring that through.
'If anything, Chris is probably more experienced now than Alan (Shearer) was when we bought him. Alan hadn't actually scored that many goals before he came here, while Chris scored 28 last year and also proved himself in European football. They're certainly similar in terms of age and potential, although Alan was very mature and I hope some of his maturity will rub off on Chris.'
Sutton's arrival takes Blackburn Rover's spending total to pounds 26m since Dalglish joined them as the manager in October 1991 and means there are now five players who cost pounds 2m or more at Ewood Park.
DALGLISH'S SIGNINGS FOR ROVERS
Alan Wright (from Blackpool, in Oct 91) pounds 500,000; Colin Hendry (Man City, Nov 91) pounds 700,000; Gordon Cowans (Aston Villa, Nov 91) pounds 200,000; Mike Newell (Everton, Nov 91) pounds 1.1m; Tim Sherwood (Norwich, Feb 92) pounds 500,000; Roy Wegerle (QPR, Mar 92) pounds 1.1m; Chris Price (Aston Villa, Mar 92) pounds 100,000; Duncan Shearer (Swindon, Mar 92) pounds 700,000; Matt Dickins (Lincoln, Mar 92) pounds 200,000; Lee Makel (Newcastle, Jun 92) pounds 160,000; Stuart Ripley (Middlesbro, Jul 92) pounds 1.2m; Alan Shearer (Southampton, Jul 92) pounds 3.3m; Wayne Burnett (Leyton Orient, Aug 92) pounds 80,000; Frank Talia (Sunshine GC, Aus, Aug 92) free; Nicky Marker (Plymouth, Sep 92) pounds 500,000; Simon Ireland (Huddersfield, Oct 92) pounds 200,000; Patrik Andersson (Malmo, Dec 92) pounds 800,000; Henning Berg (Lillestroem, Jan 93) pounds 400,000; Kevin Gallacher (Coventry, Mar 93) pounds 1.5m; Graeme Le Saux (Chelsea, Mar 93) pounds 650,000; Andy Morrison (Plymouth, Aug 93) pounds 150,000; Paul Warhurst (Sheff Wed, Sep 93) pounds 2.7m; Ian Pearce (Chelsea, Oct 93) pounds 300,000; David Batty (Leeds, Oct 93) pounds 2.75m; Tim Flowers (Southampton, Nov 93) pounds 2m; Chris Sutton (Norwich, Jul 94) pounds 5m.
(Photograph omitted)
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