GRAEME Souness will be taking his team to CSKA Sofia for the first round of the UEFA Cup.

The Bulgarian team will provide stiff opposition to Rovers on their return to Europe, with the first leg to be played in Sofia.

In the preliminary round of the UEFA Cup competition on Thursday, 29 August CSKA beat FC Dinamo Minsk 1-0, to go through 5-1 on aggregate.

The Bulgarian side failed to hit the heights of their first-leg victory in Belarus, yet completed a 5-1 aggregate triumph courtesy of Artim Shakiri's penalty.

The first half at the Balgarska Armia stadium was memorable only for two strikes by CSKA midfield player Hristo Yanez.

One flew inches wide of Yury Tsigalko's post, the other, from a free-kick, forced the goalkeeper into a fine save.

The home team continued to control the game after the break, but it was only after coach Stoicho Mladenov introduced Velizar Dimitrov that the goal arrived. The substitute's run into the penalty area was halted illegally, leaving the Macedonian Shakiri to convert from the spot.

Some of CSKA Sofia's recent results in Europe have seen them fall to Newcastle in 1999, losing 4-2 on aggregate.

1999-2000 UEFA Cup

Qualifying Round: Portadown FC Armagh (NIR) - CSKA 0:3, 0:5

CSKA - Newcastle (ENG) 0:2, 2:2

1997-98 Champions League

Qualification: Steaua Bucarest - CSKA

3-3, 2-0

The other English teams Leeds, Ipswich and Fulham will face Eastern European trips in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

Leeds tackle FC Zaporizhya, from Ukraine, Ipswich meet Yugoslavians FK Sartid, conquerors of Bangor City in the qualifying round, and Fulham face Croatians Hadjuk Split.

Chelsea are up against Norwegians Viking FK, Celtic were drawn against FK Suduva of Lithuania.

Rangers face Victoria Zizkov of the Czech Republic, Aberdeen were drawn against German outfit Hertha Berlin and Livingston must tackle Austrians Sturm Graz.

Rovers chairman Robert Coar and club secretary Tom Finn were in France to attend in person as the club prepares to make their return to Europe.

Rovers are one of 124 teams who will contest this season's competition.

Graeme Souness's Worthington Cup winners are among a group of 39 clubs, which also features European Super-powers like Lazio, Parma, Porto, Paris St Germain, and Deportivo, who enter the competition at the first round stage.

First-round matches will then be played on September 19 and October 3 respectively, with the second-round draw following at UEFA's Nyon headquarters on Tuesday, 8 October 2002.

If Rovers were to progress through those early rounds then the action will start to hot-up in December when the draw for both the fourth round and quarter finals is scheduled for the 13th.

After that, the semi-final draw will be made on Friday, March 21, with the final itself set to take place on May 21 at the Olimpico Stadium in Seville.