Andy Bayes

England

Sports Editor at BBC Radio Lancashire

Husband, Dad and Sports Editor @BBCLancsSport. Supporter of @GaryParkyTrust @TrustLen, #allforrio & #teamclyde. @NWFAwards Broadcaster of the year ‘19 & ‘22.

Featured in: Favicon

bbc.co.uk

yahoo.com (+3) Favicon

bbc.com

Articles

Preston North End opinion: Club should relish rebuilding opportunity

3 weeks ago | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

The 2024/25 Championship season won't be looked back on in years to come with great affection by Preston North End fans. They spent last summer preparing for another year under Ryan Lowe. He left after one match; his interim successor, Mike Marsh, was in charge for one league match with Paul Heckingbottom in charge of the remaining 44. Considerable upheaval that simply wasn't expected.
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor Andy Bayes on Andi Weimann

Mar 7, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

With 11 games remaining and fans dreaming of a further three, the prospect of losing your leading scorer for all of them is a sizeable blow. Andi Weimann has proved to be one of Blackburn Rovers' key signings of last summer. He turned 33 just as the season started and had spent most of the close season as a free agent. Nine goals later (in all competitions), without playing in the traditional number nine role, he's made a firm case for a new deal.
Blackburn Rovers: Valerien Ismael makes strong first impression

Feb 28, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

Rightly or wrongly, first impressions are really important to me. In 26 years in the industry, I've lost count of how many new managers or head coaches I've been privileged to speak to. The first meeting is generally a pooled interview or press conference, and it's only when things get to a week or so in, that faces become familiar and a level of trust can hopefully be established.
Blackburn Rovers: Valerien Ismael in place with clear short-term goal

Feb 26, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

It's a fifth spell in English football for Valerien Ismael - his fourth as a head coach following his time as a Crystal Palace player more than 25 years ago. He's been out of management for just under a year after a 40-match tenure at Watford came to end in March 2024 and inherits a Blackburn Rovers team that sits sixth with a dozen games to go. The contract might be long-term (three years), but the short-term objective is clear - secure a play-off spot.
Blackburn Rovers: New head coach could be appointed this week

Feb 24, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

Blackburn Rovers' search for a new head coach has reached the stage of face-to-face interviews, following on from phone and video calls. It's hoped that an appointment will be made, if at all possible, before Rovers play Norwich at Ewood Park on Saturday (12:30 GMT). They began with back-to-back 2-0 wins over West Bromwich Albion and Plymouth, however Rovers slipped to sixth in the Championship table after a 3-0 defeat at Swansea on Saturday.
'The waiting game rumbles on at Rovers'

Feb 21, 2025 | sports.yahoo.com | Andy Bayes

The wait for a head coach goes on at Blackburn Rovers. It's been two weeks since John Eustace first heard of Derby's interest to take him from Ewood Park to Pride Park and well over a week since he said his goodbyes in Lancashire and joined the Rams. His departure could have set the players back. It hasn't. The togetherness that Eustace so often preached has never been so evident. Back-to-back 2-0 victories have been both convincing and comprehensive.
Burnley defender Egan-Riley wants to sign new contract

Feb 21, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

Media caption, Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley scored his first career goal against Coventry this seasonBurnley defender CJ Egan-Riley says he would love to stay with the club beyond the end of the season after making his breakthrough at Turf Moor. The 22-year-old has played a key role alongside Maxime Esteve at the heart of the Clarets defence this season, starting each of their past 11 successive clean sheets. Egan-Riley told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Of course I would like to stay.
Blackburn expert view: John Eustace exit more disappointing than surprising

Feb 13, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

In terms of the hierarchy, previous bosses Jon Dahl Tomasson, Tony Mowbray, Owen Coyle and Paul Lambert have all had their issues which ultimately led to each moving on after varying degrees of success. Whoever the next head coach is of Blackburn Rovers, their must be clear or clearer objectives of what they want. Are they aligned in terms of recruitment? Do they know exactly what the remit is?
Blackburn Rovers: 'John Eustace frustrated but all to play for'

Feb 6, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

Since well before the turn of the year, Eustace has stressed the need for new arrivals during the January transfer window to help the players he already has. Six players have been added to his squad, three on deadline day. The reaction from the fanbase has been mixed. Some have questioned the recruitment model and how it works, others feel it's an improvement on recent winter windows when high-profile human errors cost them key players.
Blackburn Rovers: Opinion - a big week in the window for John Eustace

Jan 27, 2025 | bbc.com | Andy Bayes

Saturday's defeat at Bristol City is becoming a familiar story. Nobody is doubting the desire, the work rate, the will to win, the playing through the pain barrier – but for the sixth time in nine matches, after six wins in a row before that – Rovers were on the wrong end of a scoreline that has eventually removed them from the top six. For the second Saturday in a row, a wicked deflection beating a helpless Aynsley Pears consigned them to defeat.