Mark Hughes plucked Samba from obscurity and the French-born rock repaid him by becoming one of the most solid defenders in England
The Congolese centre-half arrived at Ewood Park in January 2007 from Hertha Berlin after a successful trial period.
Standing 6ft 5ins tall, he is a brute of a defender, imperious in the air and surprisingly agile at the same time. Samba bedded down in the first team almost immediately, making his £400,000 fee one of the bargains of the decade, and he is now a favourite of Rovers fans.
Forming a solid partnership alongside skipper Ryan Nelsen, Samba signed a contract in October 2007 that ties him to the club until 2012.