From the Boardroom - David Sullivan

Joint-Chairman David Sullivan reflects on a big FA Cup victory and looks ahead to a big game against Sunderland and the return of Sam Allardyce

It was a fantastic all-round team display that helped us came away with an emphatic victory over Blackburn on Sunday.


I know Slaven Bilic has been quick to praise all the players for the part they played in the 5-1 victory at Ewood Park and everybody had such a big role to play.


With a number of forwards being ruled out of the game through injury there was a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of new signing Emmanuel Emenike to lead the line and he showed what he can bring to the team.


The second finish in particular was very impressive and he could easily have scored a hat-trick after seeing his shot hit the post late in the game.


Slaven knows all about him as a player following his time in Russia and Turkey and we are hoping he can stay among the goals in the next few months.


What more can I say about Dimitri Payet that I have not already said. He had another outstanding performance and you can see what it means to him to have the support of everyone at the club.


We have already seen him score some fantastic free-kicks this season and he delivered once again with another sublime finish.


He raced along the touchline to celebrate with Slaven and I think that shows everybody the close relationship that all the players have with the manager and the fantastic team spirit we have assembled.


The second finish late in the game was a joy to watch and it was a fantastic piece of skill as he weaved his way to the edge of the box. It was another outstanding piece of skill.


I must also say a word about Michail Antonio who was asked to play out of position at right back but he showed his versatility and was a constant threat to the Blackburn defence.


He was also unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet but he played his part in the goal for Emenike and showed why he is such an important member of the first-team squad.


I believe the victory over Blackburn once again showed the great strength in depth we now have throughout the squad and with the likes of Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini making a return to full fitness in the near future, we are only going to grow stronger.


We now switch our attentions to the home game against Sunderland on Saturday and a lot of attention will surround the return of Sam Allardyce to the Boleyn Ground.


I have said it before that I felt he did a perfectly good job during his four-year spell. He did all we asked of him and I am a fan of Sam.


He left the Club in a considerably better state then when he arrived and, for that, the Board were truly grateful.


He took us back into the top flight with a memorable victory in the Play-Off Final at Wembley and then managed to cement our position in the Premier League.


I can’t criticise Sam because he did a good job and I like him. But I think from both sides it was time for a change.


We made the decision to appoint Slaven Bilic during the summer and the Club have now grown even stronger this season.


We know it will not be an easy game against Sunderland on Saturday – especially after their last big result against Manchester United.


But we have not been beaten at the Boleyn Ground since August and I am confident that the team can maintain that impressive unbeaten run this weekend.