AXED skipper Jason Wilcox has vowed to win back his first team shirt after being dropped by caretaker boss Tony Parkes.

The England international was stripped of the captaincy and relegated to the substitutes' bench as Parkes made sweeping changes for the visit of high-flying Ipswich on Saturday.

And, though the 28-year-old winger was desperately disappointed by the decision, he has promised to roll up his sleeves in a bid to force his way back into Parkes's thoughts.

"Naturally, I feel really disappointed about being left out but it's Tony Parkes's opinion which counts at the moment," said Wilcox.

"But the most important thing is that the team wins. It's not about individuals. So I've just got to get my head down, work hard in training and prove that I am worthy of a place in the starting line up.

"But I thought the lads played really well against Ipswich and we were unlucky not to get three points."

Wilcox's omission from the starting line up was perhaps the biggest shock of all after he had captained the side for nearly 11 months under previous boss Brian Kidd.

But Parkes decided to turn to youth and restored David Dunn to Rovers four-man midfield.

"I hoped that the players who hadn't been in the side, hadn't been in the pressure cooker of it all and hadn't been edgy and nervous had something to prove," said Parkes.

"And they didn't disappoint me in that. "There was some good performances but then there had to be otherwise we would have been buried."

The 50-year-old coach has also explained his reasons for handing the captain's armband to Lee Carsley.

"Lee's quite an experienced player, he's been in the Premiership and he's kind of a leader-type player so he was the choice," added Parkes.

Meanwhile, Wilcox has blasted the player responsible for leaking the details of last week's meeting between Jack Walker and the players to the national media.

"Jack came in when the manager got sacked and had a few strong words to say to us," said Wilcox.

"It's his money, it's his club and it's his prerogative.

"But one thing that has disappointed me is that someone from this club has let details of that meeting slip.

"That's a disgrace, as far as I'm concerned. When we've had a meeting like that behind closed doors it shouldn't come out in the Press.

"Whoever it is ought to be ashamed of themselves. "Blackburn has always been a family club and it's important that we all stick together and keep our own business in doors. Everyone else is delighted at our failure at the minute so it's important that we sort it out together. It was a private meeting and that's how it should have stayed.

"We want to be in the media for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.

"And stories being leaked like that don't help the situation."

Meanwhile, in response to a story in a tabloid newspaper Mr Walker has today made it clear that neither he nor any other member of his board has ever interfered with team selection.

There was no news today on the vacant manager's position.

The club are still spreading their net far and wide in the search for a successor to Brian Kidd.

Rovers have time on their side caused by the break in League action as a result of the Euro 2000 play offs featuring England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

And Scottish duo Callum Davidson and Christian Dailly linked up with Craig Brown's squad today ahead of their clash with Kevin Keegan's men at Hampden on Saturday.

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