BLACKBURN Rovers have had their critics over the years in regard to pricing policy at Ewood Park.

But now it's time for the whole town to get behind the club and show a united front as Rovers prepare for an assault on Europe.

Rovers must be applauded for making the first move by slashing ticket prices for their UEFA Cup first round clash with CSKA Sofia.

And now it's vital the fans do their bit by making sure there's a full house for the visit of one of the most powerful sides in Eastern Europe.

Cast your minds back a fortnight when chief executive John Williams made a passionate appeal for more support through the backpages of this very newspaper.

By doing that he risked a possible backlash from the 17,000 or so loyal season-ticket holders who dutifully follow the club's fortunes week in, week out.

However, he decided to put his own neck on the line for one simple reason -- Rovers need more people through the gate if they want to remain a leading Premiership force.

So now's the chance to prove that the levels of support exists to make that possible.

Three years ago, the prospect of playing in Europe was a distant dream as the club knocked about in the lower reaches of the First Division.

Thanks to Graeme Souness that dream is now a reality but if European competition is to become an annual event on the Ewood calendar then it's essential that the Blackburn public give Rovers their full backing.

It's not enough to simply rely on season ticket holders taking up the club's generous offer of a ticket for a tenner.

If you are planning to go to the game on September 19 then why not persuade a friend or neighbour to join you?

It's possible the tie could be screened live on prime-time terrestrial TV so wouldn't it be great to show the world that the whole town of Blackburn is fully behind it's football club?

As the slogan goes, it's 'your town, your team, you're needed.'

Meanwhile, changing tack completely for a second, wasn't it gratifying to see Roy Keane finally get his comeuppance at the weekend?

As I've stated repeatedly, the hot-headed Irishman has become a liability over the last six months and his behaviour on Saturday simply bore me out.

Once again, Fergie did his utmost to protect his reckless Irishman but even he had to accept that he could no longer defend the indefensible in the end.

Keane now looks set to miss the next few months through injury but if the FA have anything about them then they will wait until he has made a full recovery before imposing the appropriate suspension.

That way, we might be able to banish him off the backpages for the rest of the season.