Rovers Reality Check

Last updated : 01 March 2002 By Matt
Coming only a week after their Worthington Cup victory, Souness warned his cup heroes to build on last weekend's success after being desperate to bring his players back down to earth in time for the crucial six-pointer tomorrow.

Rovers will only need to make a small journey to get the Boltons Reebok Stadium but the local derby is a game that promises to go a long way to deciding the relegation picture of the Blackburn team.

Souness admits the thrill and glory of last Sunday's cup triumph over Spurs will count for nothing if his side falter at Bolton.

He said: "This is the biggest game of the season for us - not the cup final.
"It was a great day and a fantastic weekend for us at Cardiff last week but we have got 12 games to go and that is what counts now.

"It feels like an awful long time since we have had a home game and we have two coming up after this. So it would be nice to go into those two with something from Bolton. This isn't a relegation decider but it is extremely important."

He added: "I would love for Bolton to stay up and be in the Premiership next season. I like Sam Allardyce and have been very impressed with the job he has done there.

"But I don't want anyone staying up at our expense. There are a lot of teams looking down at us who could get dragged into it. There is still nearly a third of the season left but it is vitally important we pick something up at Bolton."