A CHURCH which has been part of supporting Blackburn Rovers for generations is set to close.

St Bartholomew's, standing just yards from Ewood Park, off Bolton Road, is a landmark for fans and has played a key part in the lives of some of the club's greatest players.

But it has major structural problems and Blackburn Diocese bosses are poised to make it redundant in the next couple of years - and pull it down before it falls down.

Today Rovers legend from the 1960s Bryan Douglas, who has been a part of the church since he was a toddler and was even married there said: "I would be so very disappointed to see it go. It has been my life. I started at the school at age two and went to Sunday School every week being a choir boy until I was about 15.

"That church means a lot to me and I will keep going there from Darwen every week until it closes for good."

And fellow legend Ronnie Clayton said: "The church was such a part of Rovers. It is part of Ewood. It always has been and it's such a shame it is going."

A consultation over the future of the 94-year-old church has begun as The Church of The Saviour in nearby Sunny Bank Road - also overseen by vicar the Rev Richard Marshall - undergoes a £300,000 refurbishment.

If St Bartholomew's is closed, worship would switch to a new centre being built as part of the new Reedeemer school on the Fernhurst estate.

Mr Marshall said: "In terms of the existing church building at St Bartholomew's there is a consultation out at the moment with the council, and with the church council as well, on what the future for that building should be.

"It is in need of major repair. A worship centre is being built within the new Reedeemer school with a view to us moving there in 2006."

St Bartholomew's previous vicar, Ken Howles, become the club chaplain in 1998. He has since moved on to a post in Chorley, but still maintains his close links with the club.

Today nobody at Blackburn Rovers was available to comment on the church and whether it would consider buying the site, but Mr Howles said: "It would be very very sad to see a building go that is in such a prominent position. But at the end of the day if it's falling down there is not a lot you can do, and it's for the people to decide."

Pauline Perkins, of Blackburn Rovers Supporters' Association, said: "If you're looking to tell someone how to get to the ground you tell them to look for the church and go right. I think people would miss it if it were to go. But you have got to look at it from a safety point of view."

Mr Marshall added: "The consultation is the appropriate process the Church of England has to go through if it's going to declare a church building redundant.

"The outcome of the redundancy process for St Bartholomew's isn't yet known. The existing building has structural problems. It's visually cracking in parts of the building and this is significant and continuing."