Sam Allardyce feels Blackburn deserve more credit for what he believes has developed into a "great" season.
Rovers moved up to 10th in the Barclays Premier League table on Sunday with a 1-0 win at local rivals Burnley, their fourth victory in seven games. After losing influential players like Roque Santa Cruz, Stephen Warnock and Tugay last summer, the team have lifted themselves away from relegation danger and completed the double over their Lancashire neighbours by triumphing at Turf Moor.
"The mixture of youth we have with experience is getting better and better and thankfully it's our second away victory, so we have put that bogey to rest now," the former Bolton boss said. "We look forward to (next week's fixture at) Portsmouth and if we can win there, what a season we're on the way to having."
He added: "We are on 41 points with six games to go. We are looking on the up and enjoying our football.
"It's been a great season already. We should be getting a bit more credit than we have. There has been an awful lot of perception thrown about with long-ball this and ugly that which follows us around, but that has been nothing farther from the truth.
"We had a struggle at the start of the season because of all the new faces and the turnaround of players, but they have finally come to terms with each other, they are finally getting to know each other and enjoying each other's company more.
"We are building something that will hopefully last us for a good period of time, based on the younger players who have done a magnificent job, and the older, experienced players, who have seen and done it for a long time."
David Dunn sealed the win over Burnley from the penalty spot in the first half and the Blackburn-born midfielder paid tribute to the impact Allardyce has made at the club since joining at the end of 2008.
"I think in terms of the supporters, it was always going to be difficult when a manager comes in from your local rivals," Dunn said.
"We've got Burnley and Bolton in our league and of course, if their ex-manager comes, it's going to take a while for them to win the fans over. But I don't think there is a supporter out there now who can take a look at Big Sam and have a go at what he has achieved here. He has achieved so much in such a short space of time."
Source: PA
