FORMER Blackburn striker Nathan Blake today admitted he's fearing the worst as he prepares to return to the Premiership stage tomorrow.

The Welsh international, who looks set to lead the Wolves attack against Blackburn, is not expecting a warm reception from the Rovers faithful following a frustrating injury-hit spell at Ewood Park.

Two torn thighs, plus neck and Achilles problems, meant Blackburn fans never saw the best of Blake, who joined Wolves 23 months ago in a cut-price £1.5m move to Molineux.

So the former Sheffield United and Cardiff City hit-man is hardly anticipating the red carpet treatment as he prepares to return to his old club for the first time since he quit in September 2001.

"I played for Blackburn at Ewood Park when Alan Shearer came back and they absolutely hammered him," recalls Blake, who has just returned to action after another injury.

"I was so shocked after what he did for them, in fact I was quite disappointed and I spoke to him after the game and he was disappointed as well.

"It's one of those things, I suppose - they hammered him because they feared him and he ended up scoring two goals and they won.

"They knew what he could do and they tried to put him off his game but obviously it didn't work.

"So I expect to get a rough ride - you don't go there expecting a standing ovation, you expect a tough time and anything else is a bonus."

When Blake joined Rovers from Bolton in a £4.25 million in October 1998, he arrived with an impressive goal pedigree in the top flight.

However, a catalogue of injuries meant the 31-year-old then went on to have arguably the most unproductive spell of his career at Blackburn, where his record of 13 goals in 54 League games was the worst ratio of his 13-year career.

But Blake is not perturbed at the prospect of being on the end of a few verbals. In fact, he has warned it's likely to stoke him up to try even harder.

"Personally, I look at it and say 'that was my time there', hopefully I've left good memories behind, and if I haven't, then so be it," he said.

"It's a game where I'm looking to win three points and help us to get a good start. I've got more important things to worry about rather than waving to the crowds, or getting 'caned' by crowds.

"That's all part of it. I quite enjoy it when fans start giving me a bit of stick.

"It makes me stronger, though, and I'll take out more aggression on their players.

"Most, if not all of the backroom staff are still there from when I played for Blackburn. Graeme Souness took over when I was there and he did the coaching.

"He (Graeme Souness) sold me to Wolves about a year later."

Despite Blake's failure to make a success of his move to Ewood, he insists he has nothing to prove to the Rovers fans he left behind, even though the club ended up making a loss of £2.75 million on him over three years.

"I never really had any major injuries until I went to Blackburn," he confessed.

"But when I was there I had a neck injury which kept me out six or eight weeks, an Achilles operation which kept me out three or four months, and I tore both thighs and was out for six months with them.

"It was just one thing after another, it was a nightmare at Blackburn for injuries.

"But I don't feel as if I've got anything to prove to anyone."