 Allardyce has been without a job since leaving Newcastle in January
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Blackburn chairman John Williams says Sam Allardyce was always his number one choice to replace Paul Ince as manager.
Ince was sacked on Tuesday with Rovers in the relegation zone and without a win in 11 matches.
Allardyce agreed a three-year deal to take over on Wednesday and Williams has dismissed suggestions that former boss Greame Souness was set for a return.
"Sam Allardyce was always the man I wanted once the sad decision to let go of Paul was made," said Williams.
"He was the man we wanted and he was the man we went and got.
"He is under no illusions as to the size of the task ahead but I believe he is the right man for this job and if he didn't believe he could turn things round he would not have come."
The former Bolton boss will be officially unveiled at a press conference on Thursday afternoon having being without a club since he was sacked as Newcastle manager in January after nine months in charge.
He originally put himself forward for the Rovers job in June but withdrew his application to leave the path clear for Ince to make the step-up to top-flight management.
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Of course I feel for Paul Ince. I can't quite put my finger on what went wrong but in the end the table told the story.
John Williams
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However, he won just three of his 17 games in charge at Ewood Park and pressure had mounted with Rovers six points adrift of safety.
"It did help that we had interviewed Sam before and he gave us a very impressive interview in the summer," Williams told the Lancashire Telegraph.
"We knew what he was all about and had no hesitation in going for him once we made the decision to part company with Paul Ince.
"He was actually very close to getting the job in the summer. He made the shortlist and in the end it was him who withdrew from the process. We have never turned him down.
"We are just delighted to have sorted it all out so quickly. Sam is chomping at the bit to get back in the game and we had a big chat about the way forward.
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"Of course I feel for Paul Ince. I can't quite put my finger on what went wrong but in the end the table told the story.
"People have criticised me for not giving him enough time but he did have the best part of half a season and the gap between us and the rest of the Premier League was growing all the time."
Allardyce has wasted little time in stamping his mark on the club by appointing Neil McDonald as his assistant manager.
McDonald worked with Allardyce at Bolton and his arrival means two of Ince's backroom team, Ray Mathias and Archie Knox, have followed the ex-Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool and England midfielder out the door.
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