New season preview

BLACKBURN Rovers fans have been through the mill over the last couple of seasons.

But those two years of torture became a thing of the past at approximately mid-day on Monday, July 10, 2000.

That was the moment when Craig Hignett signed for Rovers in a £2.25m deal from Barnsley.

And I believe his capture could turn out to be the club's most significant piece of transfer business since July 27, 1992 -- the day they signed a certain Alan Shearer.

With the new Sky deal set to kick in at the start of next season, the pressure on Rovers to get back in the Premiership is greater than ever.

But in Hignett they have snapped up the nearest thing to a 'get out of jail card' you can buy.

Regardless of what's happened over the last 12 months, Rovers still have the strongest squad in the First Division -- there's no doubt about that.

The only way they can prove that, however, is to solve the chronic lack of cutting edge which hung around their necks like an Albatross last year.

And that's where Hignett comes in.

The former Middlesbrough man was one of the star performers in the division last season, scoring 20 times from a variety of positions, to take Barnsley to the verge of the promised land.

And, though it's unrealistic to expect a similar return this time, his energy and invention will be worth their weight in goals this term.

Whether he's scoring them himself or making chances for others, Hignett is the type of player with the ability to unlock the meanest defence.

And it's that kind of attribute which can turn Graeme Souness's 'nearly men' into automatic promotion candidates.

But the signing of Hignett isn't the only reason for my current optimism.

I've been convinced Rovers are heading back to the big time from the moment I saw Souness seething with anger after the Manchester City debacle in May. That was a result which hurt the Scot badly and Matt Jansen's revelation that his post-match comments would have burnt my tape if he had repeated what Souness said within the dressing room spoke volumes about his gaffer's ferocious competitive streak.

And those players who felt the full force of that backlash are determined not to experience it again.

Already, Rovers have demonstrated a greater passion and commitment during their pre-season build-up.

But Souness isn't just a shouter and bawler -- he's a shrewd tactician who believes in keeping things as simple as possible.

One of the major downfalls of the Brian Kidd era was a lack of consistency in the choice of tactics and personnel.

Consequently, Kidd didn't know his best team and the players didn't know what their jobs were.

Souness won't allow such elementary mistakes to be made again.

Already, the former King of the Kop appears to have settled on his best team.

And he's a firm advocate of a 4-4-2 system, although with players like Hignett in his squad, he has the versatility to mix and match, depending on the situation.

It's no accident, therefore, to see Rovers looking a far more solid and well balanced unit than the team which limped out of the starting blocks this time last year.

Everyone at Ewood will also go into the new campaign with their eyes wide open.

They know what life is like in the First Division and a trip to Crewe in two weeks won't be so much of a culture shock.

Recruiting the likes of Stig Inge Bjornebye and John Curtis can only strengthen their hand as well.

Distribution from the flanks is a vital ingredient in any successful side and both players have demonstrated their composure and willingness to get forward during Rovers' pre-season friendlies.

Don't underestimate the influence a fit and ready Garry Flitcroft could have either.

He missed almost all of last season with a cartilage problem and, when he did come back towards the end of the campaign, he looked a pale shadow of himself. But now Souness's new skipper is back to where he was 18 months ago.

And his partnership with David Dunn in midfield has looked full of enterprise and endeavour so far.

One aspect that does still give me cause for concern is who else will come up with the goals apart from Hignett?

Souness has spent all summer looking for more firepower to bolster his resources and it's essential he brings someone in -- sooner rather than later -- who can feed off Hignett's amunition.

A fully fit Matt Jansen has suggested he could be the man thanks to some scintillating strikes in pre-season.

But it's the absence of a 20-goal-a-season man which is the main worry -- someone who can do for Rovers what Shaun Goater did for Man City last season.

Ultimately, however, I believe Rovers now have enough quality to get by should such a signing fail to materialise.

Whether they succeed or not will come down to three factors -- getting off to a good start, making Ewood a fortress and taking enough points out of the derby games.

It's a tall order, but since when has Graeme Souness ever been scared of a challenge?