DAVID Dunn is relishing the chance to lock horns with his former club-mate Giorgos Donis in Greece tonight.

Dunn is one of only two players in the current squad who was also on the books at Rovers when Donis played for the club in the late 1990s.

And though the pair were never close, as Dunn was still cutting his teeth in the youth team at the time, the 27-year-old is looking forward to catching up with Donis, who is now carving out a successful career for himself as a manager.

"I was only an apprentice when Giorgos was at the club but I just remember him being a big fella who was quick," recalls Dunn.

"I didn't have too much to do with the first team back then because I was only a young kid so I don't have too many memories of him, if I'm being totally honest.

"I just remember him scoring a worldy' in one game - I'm not sure who it was against.

"That was probably my best memory of him."

Donis' spell at Ewood turned out to be a brief one as he struggled to settle in England, and he ended up making just 11 starts for Rovers, scoring two goals, before he was transferred to Sheffield United.

Dunn said: "I have a lot of sympathy for foreign players coming over to England because it's not always easy.

"I struggled to settle in at Birmingham and I speak the language and it's only two hours down the motorway!

"I don't know what his background is but I'm sure he'll be looking forward to the game with it being against one of his old clubs."

As for tonight's tie, Dunn believes the key to success for Rovers could be patience.

He added: "It's a different challenge playing in Europe. UEFA Cup football is different to playing Premier League games.

"It's important in these games that we are patient, and we do things rights."