THE fight for relegation has surely never been tighter with the Premier League’s bottom five clubs separated by just two points and 10 goals.

Every week the picture changes as Blackburn Rovers, Bolton, QPR, Wolves and Wigan continue to give their supporters hope one week and then dash them again the next.

So why should Rovers fans believe their side can get out of the mire?

At first glance you would think they have more reason than most to fear the worst.

They have owners who appear to have disappeared off the face of the earth and who haven’t delivered on what they initially said they would.

Manager Steve Kean’s record since taking charge 14 months ago leaves a lot to be desired and star defender Chris Samba’s future remains highly uncertain.

The club’s supporters are rightly concerned about the direction the club are currently heading in and yet something inside me tells me Rovers will at least still have a Premier League team next season.

I know some will consider me a ‘happy clapper’ for my positivity, while others will question where my confidence comes from.

The answer to that is simple. Look at the starting line-ups in the teams involved in the race to survive and Rovers have got players their rivals can only envy.

Junior Hoilett, Yakubu, Chris Samba, Paul Robinson and Steven Nzonzi would walk into the sides of the other clubs at the bottom, with the exception of maybe QPR.

Then you look at the likes of Gael Givet, Martin Olsson, David Dunn and Morten Gamst Pedersen, all players who would strengthen their rivals, and you have to start believing Rovers can get out of this. It has to be remembered that most of these players helped Rovers finish 10th in the Premier League less than two full seasons ago.

A lot has changed since then but the talent is still at the club.

With the exception of Yakubu and possibly Scott Dann, Rovers have done little to help themselves in the transfer market, with most of their signings stuck on the substitutes bench at best.

An injury and suspension free run to the end of the season though should mean the club has enough to maintain their top flight status – for another year at least.

It will sound a strange thing to say but, individually, Rovers have got some of the best defenders out of these five clubs even though they are yet to keep a clean sheet.

That has more to do with Rovers’ open style and midfield than the defenders though.

Rovers’ players have also shown they are prepared to fight for the club and I guess that begs the question, how on earth they have got themselves into this mess in the first place?

Unless things change in the summer, you can see a lot of Rovers’ star players quitting Ewood Park this summer. But at least for now, there is still enough to salvage something out of a miserable campaign.