ROVERS start their preparations for their Premiership return on Monday and David Dunn is busting a gut to experience his second taste of the top-flight.

He said: "I am very excited at the prospect. It's been a long hard fight to finally get back to the Premiership.

"It hurt the fans a great deal when we got relegated but now we are back where we belong.

"I can't wait for the season to start again. I am really chomping at the bit."

Dunn played a bit-part as Rovers were relegated under Brian Kidd two years ago but he will return to the Premiership as one of Rovers key players and one of the brightest young things in English football.

"I have to thank Graeme Souness for that," added the England under-21 captain, whose energy and goals from midfield were a key factor in Blackburn's promotion last season.

"He has been absolutely brilliant with me ever since he came to the club. Before he arrived I was was struggling to get in the team.

"But he put me straight in the first eleven from day one. He said I reminded him of himself as a player. I can't ask for any more than that because he was an outstanding midfielder."

And Souness believes Dunn can become one of the game's great players if he continues to listen and learn.

"His strengths are that he is physically a strong man," said the Rovers boss.

"He has wonderful technique and all he lacks is a little bit of experience and knowledge but that will only come with time.

"He needs to keep listening to the people around him, the ones who have been there and he needs to play in important games."