KENNY Dalglish has revealed he was set to quit Blackburn Rovers the summer before leading them to Premier League glory.

The former Rovers boss, who led the Ewood Park outfit to the ultimate domestic triumph back in 1995, has admitted for the first time he spent his last two years at the club eyeing a Liverpool return.

‘King Kenny’ stunned Rovers fans when he stepped down as manager immediately after lifting the Premier League title and has finally lifted the lid on why his reign in East Lancashire came to such an abrupt end.

In his new autobiography, My Liverpool Home: Then and Now, he admits he was desperate to return to Anfield.

But, after summer talks saw Liverpool turn him down, he agreed to stay at Rovers for one more season.

Former Rovers player Jason Wilcox, who spent more than 10 years at Ewood, insisted Dalglish's ‘legendary’ status should not be damaged after urging fans to remember what he brought them.

Wilcox said: “I completely understand that Kenny felt that Liverpool was home. I don’t think anyone should be offended by it. I know how he feels, because I have always regarded Blackburn as home.

“What we were involved with with Kenny was the best time in a lot of our careers. Nothing will take that away.”

Fan favourite Simon Garner agreed. He said: “It is a bit of a surprise, but the most important bit is he stayed and helped Blackburn win the Premier League. He is still a legend.”

* Kenny Dalglish's book, My Liverpool Home: Then and Now, published by Hodder and Stroughton is out now.