BLACKBURN Rovers' two derby games with Bolton Wanderers will be screened live on Sky TV this season.

The satellite broadcaster today announced the Premiership fixtures they plan to show live between the start of the season and January and Rovers will feature four times, which is three less than in the same period last term.

Rovers will make their TV bow on Sunday September 11 (kick off 4pm) when they face Sam Allardyce's Bolton at the Reebok.

The return game against Wanderers at Ewood will then be screened on Saturday January 14 at 5.15pm.

Temperatures rose when the two teams clashed last season as Wanderers secured a controversial 1-0 victory thanks to El Hadji Diouf's late penalty.

Graeme Souness's return to Ewood Park with Newcastle will also be screened on Premier Plus on Sunday September 18 (kick off 2pm).

And Rovers' home game with Birmingham City - when Robbie Savage could face his former employers for the first time since quitting St Andrews in January - will also be televised on Saturday October 22 (kick off 12.45pm).

Although fans will welcome the fact that Rovers' fixture schedule has not been too disrupted, the decision to screen just four games in the first half of the season could hit the club in the pocket as each appearance is worth approximately £300,000.

"It's not as many as we had during the first half of last season but these things tend to even themselves out over the course of a season," said Rovers' executive chairman John Williams.

Meanwhile, Rovers have dismissed reports linking them with a move for Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma, who lays for the Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa.