BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness sent a shiver down the spine of Rovers' relegation rivals when he stumped up a club-record fee for Andy Cole over Christmas.

And a quick glance at the stats since then underlines just why those clubs were right to quake in their boots in December because the Nottingham-born hitman's impact at Ewood has been nothing short of sensational since his big-money move from Old Trafford.

For Cole, who is second only to Alan Shearer in the Premiership's all-time scoring chart, may have struggled to convince Sven Goran Eriksson of his international qualities over the last six months.

But there's no doubting he has already cemented his place in Ewood folklore after scoring the goals to deliver the Worthington Cup as well as securing the club's Premiership safety.

Ten goals in 18 games tells its own story of Cole's contribution to the cause and his arrival for a £7.5 million fee was clearly a turning point in the season.

But an even closer inspection of the 30-year-old frontman's vital statistics reveals just why he's become known as Andy 'Goal-king' Cole.

For like all good strikers, Cole hasn't scored his goals in fits and spirts, he's been a consistent scorer virtually week in, week out for Rovers since the turn of the year.

Some players tend to massage the figures by scoring a few hat-tricks against average sides to boost their own personal tallies for the season.

But players like Cole, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry are consistent finishers who will always score goals no matter who the opposition is.

To illustrate the point, take a look at Cole's figures for Rovers since January.

From 18 appearances, he's grabbed 10 goals which have come in 10 different games.

And Rovers' record in those 10 games in which Cole has scored is won nine and drawn one, which underlines the magnitude of the impact he's made.

Graeme Souness certainly wouldn't swap him for the world and the Rovers boss is astounded that Sven Goran Eriksson is unlikely to take him to the World Cup finals this summer.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, you don't know a player until you've worked with him and I was always an admirer of Andy before we signed him but what I didn't realise was he had as much quality as he does have," said Souness.

"If you look at his goalscoring record since he joined us then he's done exactly what we paid all that money for.

"He's got us goals and given everyone that little bit of a lift they needed.

"And as far as I'm concerned, the only way he's not on that plane to Japan and South Korea is because of non-footballing reasons, with all due respect to the ones who are going."

Those sentiments are sure to be echoed by Matt Jansen, the man who has perhaps benefited most from Cole's arrival.

Prior to that, Jansen had scored just three times in 18 Premiership games but his record since then has been six in 14, a run of form which has propelled him into the England reckoning.

Fittingly, both players were on the score-sheet when Rovers lifted the Worthington Cup in Cardiff where Cole scored a majestic winner.

But perhaps the most telling statistic of the lot is that in the 14 games the pair have started together, they have shared a total of 14 goals between them -- clear evidence that they have started to develop a clear understanding which could provide a platform for a top-10 push next season.

ANDY COLE'S TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION

Complete Rovers record:

Overall appearances: 18

Overall goals: 10

Premiership apps: 13

Premiership goals: 7

Worthington Cup apps: 3

Worthington Cup goals: 3

FA Cup apps: 2

FA Cup goals: 1

STRIKE ONE v Sheffield Wednesday WC 1st leg won 2-1

STRIKE TWO v Charlton Athletic Prem won 4-1

STRIKE THREE v Sheffield Wednesday WC 2nd Leg won 4-2

STRIKE FOUR v Millwall FAC won 1-0

STRIKE FIVE v Tottenham Hostpur WC final won 2-1

STRIKE SIX v Aston Villa Prem won 3-0

STRIKE SEVEN v Ipswich Town Prem won 2-1

STRIKE EIGHT v Middlesbrough Prem won 3-1

STRIKE NINE v Newcastle Utd Prem drew 2-2

STRIKE TEN v Everton Prem won 2-1

ROVERS' PREMIERSHIP RECORD BEFORE ANDY COLE'S ARRIVAL:

P20 W5 D7 L8 F25 A25 G/D= PTS 22

ROVERS' PREMIERSHIP RECORD AFTER ANDY COLE'S ARRIVAL:

P16 W6 D3 L7 F24 A22 G/D+2 PTS 21