NATHAN Blake is ready for the fight of his life - and that's just to establish a regular place in Blackburn Rovers' first team.

The Welsh international striker, signed on a five-year deal for £4.25 million from Bolton Wanderers yesterday, believes he has reached the top of the pile by joining Rovers.

And he is relishing the prospect of battling for a first team place with the other three Ewood strikers, Chris Sutton, Kevin Davies and Kevin Gallacher.

"I think I have now got to the top and it's a fantastic feeling," said Blake, 26, before linking up with the squad for this afternoon's game against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park.

"When someone of Roy Hodgson's calibre is interested in you and is willing to pay that sort of money it's a great honour.

"Bolton have also made a good profit on me, so I think all the parties are happy."

The possibility of playing alongside Chris Sutton was described as a "fantastic prospect" by the new man, who added: "He is arguably the best striker in England."

But he is not counting any chickens, acknowledging the quality of the two Kevins, Davies and Gallacher.

"We are all going to have to fight for our places and I am looking forward to it.

"That's what it's all about.

"It was exactly the same at Bolton. I got injured and lost my place and had to fight for it.

"I am more than willing to do that here."

Blake's signing came at the end of a remarkable week when Rovers also added Swiss youngster Oumar Konde and Italian midfielder Dario Marcolin to the squad.

They turned to Blake after Dion Dublin's negative response but it has left Coventry, who had also targeted the Bolton hit-man, sickened by the course of events. Furious Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson said: "We had a firm agreement with Bolton and it was not conditional on Dion going to Blackburn.

"Then yesterday they said they were going to talk with Blake's agent and straight away we knew what was going to happen."

Blake was also wanted by Wimbledon but he is happy he has got the move he wanted.

"There has been a lot of speculation and it has been doing my head in," he said.

"I had spoken to Wimbledon and there was a piece in the paper about Coventry but I got a phone call on Thursday night and I jumped at the chance to come to Blackburn.

"As soon as I got the phone call I knew if we could agree personal terms I would sign.

"There were a lot of reasons.

"It's a fantastic club, a fantastic stadium, obviously the manager and the fact that I don't have to move.

"It just seemed 100 per cent right and it just fell into my lap." Blake feels he can be even more effective with Rovers in the Premiership than with Bolton who went straight back down.

"Coming to a club like Blackburn, with the players they have, I hope to increase my goals. No targets, I just want to get as many as I can as quickly as I can."

Unfortunately, Blake will not be eligible for the Worthington Cup tie at Newcastle as he has already played for Bolton in the competition.

But Hodgson is more than happy to have landed him, despite missing out on his first choice Dublin.

The manager revealed that once the Dublin scenario showed signs of turning sour, he had advised Jack Walker and John Williams that he felt they should move immediately for Blake and he paid tribute to the club and player for reacting so quickly.

"Nathan Blake's name also featured very much in our discussions about Dion Dublin," said the manager.

He also took a parting swipe at Dublin's agent Struan Marshall, though said he did not know if the reasons Rovers were turned down was to do with what might happen financially over the huge difference of the bids from Ewood and Aston Villa.

"Dion was extremely positive about the club," he said. "So it was a bit disappointing to receive a terse comment from his manager.

"Struan Marshall called to say that, at the moment, Dion Dublin would not want to come here. We could have waited but we wanted a quick solution.

"I believe there's no love lost between Struan Marshall and Coventry."

Hodgson also paid tribute to Lazio midfielder Marcolin for showing such commitment to Rovers.

"I think it's fantastic of him to take a chance and come here when he could have been comfortable and sat on a long contract in Rome.

"His wife is also expecting a baby and it shows how much of a sacrifice he is prepared to make to come to Blackburn Rovers.

"We have added two quality players to the squad as well as the youthful talents of Oumar Konde and I don't think there are many clubs who could have completed three transfers of the kind we have in a week.

"That is down to a lot of hard work, into the early hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday by John Williams and Tom Finn."

Tickets for the Worthington Cup tie at Newcastle on Wednesday week go on sale from Monday, price £20 adults, £10 juniors.

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