RAY Harford enjoys a day's racing from time to time.

And if the Blackburn Rovers boss believes in horses for courses, he must be giving serious consideration to reforming the SAS at Newcastle tomorrow night.

It has been a continuing quandary for the manager this season, whether to persevere with Chris Sutton as Alan Shearer's main striking partner, or revert - as he has done in the last four games - to Mike Newell as the "other" main striker.

Significantly, perhaps, when the black and white stripes of Newcastle appeared in the opposition half last season both Shearer and Sutton were on target - twice!

The 22-year-old Sutton, still learning his trade in some respects, scored in the two FA Cup ties against the Magpies, while Shearer netted in both Premiership games against his hometown club.

Horses for courses indeed.

But, of course, the debate goes much deeper than that.

Neither man, but especially Sutton, has been prolific in goalscoring terms so far this season when the main burden - as ever - has fallen on Shearer's broad shoulders.

Yet even that is not necessarily the key factor as Harford ponders whether to recall Sutton, the other half of the SAS, from the bench.

Most people would see the vital aspect of any partnership as just that, how the two men combine together as a partnership.

That, however, is not much help to Harford at the moment.

He already knows that Newell, Shearer's first partner when he came to Ewood, has proved himself accomplished in the role alongside the England number nine.

But so too has Sutton after the SAS earned their reputation on the way to the championship, with 49 Premiership goals between them.

And that total was achieved despite something of a second half drought for Sutton, who managed only four goals in his last 20 League and Cup matches to the end of the 1994-95 campaign but still made a big contribution.

The £5 million striker, who has also been occasionally deployed in his old position at the back, has only the one goal to his credit so far this season - a header in the Coca-Cola Cup win at Swindon.

Newell's scoring record has been affected by the fact that he made only two starts last season, plus 13 more appearances as a substitute in senior games.

He couldn't manage a goal in 94-95 but has scored three this season, from 12 starts. What would really solve the manager's dilemma would be for one of the two players to strike a consistent seam of form.

To be frank that hasn't happened so far and the consequence has been - with the odd exception - the two men alternating in the role.

And that, despite the need for competition, is unsatisfactory.

The selection dilemma it poses for the manager is obvious.

Newell, now 30 and celebrating four years at Ewood this month, got his chance at Watford, played really well and scored, then followed that with a goal against Chelsea.

But he was unable to make any impact against Legia Warsaw and struggled desperately against Everton on Sunday.

Sutton had a good spell at the end of September and beginning of October but hasn't been able to rediscover the sparkle which characterised his performances for much of last season.

He has, in fact, gone on as a substitute for Newell in the last two matches.

Both men have expressed their disappointment and dissatisfaction to the manager when they have not been in the side.

You wouldn't expect anything else. Certainly the manager would be wary if a player was NOT disappointed and hurt at being left out.

And, inevitably, you can see at least one of them moving on in the foreseeable future depending on which way the selection balance tilts.

But, in the meantime, Harford is the man who has another difficult decision to make before Rovers tackle what looks a daunting task at Newcastle.

It could be time to relaunch the SAS, but no-one's taking bets on it just yet. That's how close it is.

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