Ince has had to contend with continued pressure to sell his best players while claims of a split in the dressing room since his arrival surfaced just days before his first top flight campaign as a manager.

However, all talk of that was put aside on Saturday after Rovers won 3-2 in Saturday's Premier League opener at Everton.

Ince said: "People have been trying to upset what we are trying to achieve at Blackburn, even before my first season as a manager in the top flight had even started. But that has been dispelled by this result.

"It hasn't upset me, nothing upsets me. Things annoy me but don't upset me.

"It wasn't only because of what was being said about myself, because I have dealt with a load of crap throughout my career. Just the way it tried to unsettle what I was trying to achieve.

"And for someone facing his first job in the Premier League, it was wrong, attempts were made to upset things before things had even started.

"The season had not even started and things were being said that were bang out of order."

He added: "There seemed to be an attempt to unsettle myself, the players and the staff. We have a good bunch of lads and we have stayed strong, people could see that against Everton.

"Do I know the source of what was said? No, I don't, but it was wrong and it was out of order."

Blackburn went ahead early on through a David Dunn cracker, but Everton were level in first-half injury-time thanks to a stunning Mikel Arteta free-kick.

Yakubu put Everton ahead in the second period before late goals from Roque Santa Cruz and Andre Ooijer - in injury-time - gave Ince his debut victory as a top flight boss.

Ince said: "I was a bit unsure what to expect, I have played in the Premier League for a long time and know what is about. But as a manager I was unsure.

"It was an eye-opener for me, I was happy with three points and the experience of being a manager in the top flight was tremendous.

"It was a deserved victory, no doubt. We were a bit sloppy and disappointed after the break having been hit by a very late sucker punch with their equaliser.

"But we needed to salvage something and did that very well. We were 2-1 down to a team that finished fifth last season, and nobody outside the top four won at Everton last term.

"It showed what spirit and togetherness we have at this club. I was very pleased with what I saw and the win.

"It was nice, but we always had confidence. There has been a lot of crap spouted about things that are supposedly going on at Blackburn, there has been attempts to unsettle my players."

For Everton, the defeat was a continuation of a worrying summer of discontent, with boss David Moyes unable to sign new players and hit hard by injuries.

He said: "We worked hard to get back into the game and then go ahead, then expected the experienced defenders we had to make sure that was how it remained, but they did not do that."

Moyes had six teenagers on the bench and 17-year-old Jack Rodwell making his full debut, while Jose Baxter, at 16 years and 196 days, came on as an impressive late substitute to become Everton's youngest-ever senior player.

Moyes said: "It is a lot to ask a 16-year-old to come on and change a game but we have a history of that at Everton with Wayne Rooney and James Vaughan.

"The two lads we did put on, Rodwell and Baxter, did really well and we are very pleased with them.

"But it is not the right time to be playing either of them. We would rather use them coming into a side that is playing well and winning.

"These boys need time to develop. Sometimes, though, the first team is where that happens.

"There was a lot of pressure on Jose when he came on, and he did get a big build-up. But maybe Everton fans need something to cheer and support.

"Everton fans needed some good news. And at the moment that is Rodwell and Baxter. We hope they have the mentality to cope, we will do our best to protect them and use them at the right moments.

"It probably wasn't the right moment this time, but we had little choice. Nevertheless, they got on and showed what they can do and this can help their future development."