It’s been five years since the Blues' last visit to Blackburn Rovers. Ross Halls takes a look at where the team from that game are now...

The Blues' last visit to Ewood Park was a disappointing 2-0 defeat in January 2019 after second-half goals from Danny Graham and Joe Nuttall saw Rovers claim all three points. 

East Anglian Daily Times: The travelling Ipswich fans high up in the Darwen End stand at Blackburn Picture Pagepix

Paul Lambert's side were on their way to relegation to the third tier, with this game possibly best remembered as the day the Scot paid for Town fans to travel to Lancashire. 

Let's find out where that starting XI are now...

DEAN GERKEN

The keeper made over 100 appearances for Town between 2013 and 2019 before leaving Portman Road to return to Colchester United, where he finished his career.

Gerken retired from football in 2022 and has since returned to his former club Bristol City as academy goalkeeping coach, a role he also fills at Bath City. 

MATTHEW PENNINGTON

The defender was on loan at Town from Everton for the 2018/19 season, making 31 appearances. He went on to have further loans at Hull City and Shrewsbury Town, before joining the latter on a permanent deal in 2021.

Pennington spent two seasons in Shropshire before rejecting a new deal and signing for fellow League One side Blackpool last summer. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Callum Elder protests his innocence as the referee points to the penalty spot during the second half at Blackburn Picture Pagepix

CALLUM ELDER

The Australian left-back made just five appearances during his short loan spell with the Blues from Leicester City, before he moved to Hull City on a permeant deal in the summer of 2019. 

Elder spent three season at the Tigers before joining Derby County on a three-year-deal last summer. The Rams are currently fighting for promotion back to the second tier. 

LUKE CHAMBERS 

The former captain nearly made 400 appearances for the club before he was released in the summer of 2021. He subsequently spent two seasons at Colchester United.

Chambers retired from football last summer and has started his own clothing brand while still living in the area. 

JAMES COLLINS 

The Welshman only played six games at Town during his short spell before he released at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Collins didn't join another club and retired from football in October 2020, where he has since worked in media at his former side West Ham. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Cole Skuse gets a good grip on Bradley Dack at Blackburn Picture Pagepix

COLE SKUSE

The midfielder spent eight years at Portman Road, making more than 250 appearances, and left the club to join Colchester United in the summer of 2021. 

Skuse retired from playing at the end of the 2022/23 season and is now the manager of Suffolk non-league side Bury Town, who play in the eighth-tier of English football. 

TREVOR CHALOBAH 

The midfielder was another player on loan at Town. He made 44 appearances and scored two goals before returning to his parent club Chelsea at the end of that season. 

Chalobah is still at Stamford Bridge, having spent time on loan at Huddersfield Town and French side Lorient. He has been plagued by injury this season and looks set to leave the London club this summer. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Alan Judge applauds the travelling fans at Blackburn Picture Pagepix

ALAN JUDGE

The Irishman was making his debut for Town after signing from Brentford that January. He subsequently made 91 appearances for the Blues, scoring 18 times, before joining Colchester in the summer of 2021. 

Judge signed for fifth-tier side Woking last week after recovering from a knee injury that saw him miss over a year of football.

FREDDIE SEARS

The forward scored 34 goals in 217 games during his time at Town before leaving Portman Road to return to Colchester United in 2021. 

Sears recently signed for sixth-tier side Braintree Town following his departure from Dagenham & Redbridge, who he joined after his release from the U's at the end of the 2022/23 season. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Jack Rodwell slides into a challenge on Will Keane at Blackburn Picture Pagepix 

WILL KEANE

The forward had only just joined on loan from Hull City. He impressed during his first spell and would sign for the Blues on a permeant deal that summer. 

Keane scored nine goals in 41 games for Town, before he spent three years at Wigan and is now at fellow Championship side Preston, having joined them last summer. 

COLLIN QUANER

The German forward was on loan at Town from Huddersfield, where he scored four goals in 16 games before he was released by the Terries and had a short stint at Premiership side St Mirren. 

Quaner had to hang up his boots at the age of just 30 after persistent knee and Achilles issues saw him end his contract with Austrian top-flight side Klagenfurt in December 2021.