BLACKBURN Rovers' newly appointed captain Barry Ferguson today spoke of his burning desire to light up the Premiership next season.

Ferguson has admitted he felt helpless and frustrated as Rovers spent the second half of last season battling relegation without him.

But now fighting fit and raring to go again, Graeme Souness's new lieutenant is desperate to lead Rovers into an exciting new era.

It was an innocuous-looking challenge from Newcastle's Gary Speed on December 28 last year that brought the former Rangers star's debut season in the Premiership grinding to a halt at a time when it was just threatening to take off.

That was a bitter set-back for the 26-year-old Scotland international, who spent the next six months recovering from a shattered kneecap in the treatment room at Brockhall.

But now Ferguson can finally see an end to his injury nightmare and he's eager to make up for lost time by proving he can be a major force in English football's top-flight.

"The last six months or so have been pretty horrible, especially when I felt I'd settled down a wee bit and started to play the way I could," said Ferguson.

"To then get injured was devastating but these things happen in football and now I can't wait to get out on the park and play a game of football again.

"It's been a frustrating time but I'm looking forward to getting a good pre-season under my belt and then I can show what I can do out on the pitch.

"I felt as though I was just starting to show what I could do in the last month or so before I got injured and I want to recapture that kind of form again."

It's been a long, hard -- and sometimes lonely -- road back to full fitness for Ferguson, who had never previously had a serious injury before his £7 million move to Rovers.

But after two operations, the second a minor procedure to remove the wires from his kneecap, and months of painstaking work at the training ground, the dynamic midfielder is now counting down the days to when he makes his long-awaited playing return.

"It's been very frustrating because I've been training since the start of April and I was hoping to get in a game or two before the end of last season," said Ferguson.

"But the boys picked up and we ended up getting the points we needed to stay up.

"At a push, I could have played but we all sat down and made the decision to take it easy and do all the training instead.

"I have found it difficult because I've never been through anything like this before.

"I had a hernia once at the end of a season which kept me out for four or five weeks but this is the first serious injury I've had and it has helped having David Thompson and Jay McEveley around, too.

"The three of us have had a laugh and a joke together and we've kept each other going in the gym over the last few months."

With Ferguson, Thompson and McEveley all ready to return in time for the start of pre-season training, Rovers fans have every reason to think the new campaign might be more productive than the last.

On top of that, Graeme Souness has also strengthened his hand over the summer with the signings of Paul Dickov from Leicester and the former Real Sociedad winger Javier De Pedro.

Both players will add depth and quality to the existing squad and there's a chance that Ferguson's Scotland team-mate, Dominic Matteo, may also be joining them shortly.

"If Dominic signs for us then we're going to have a few Scottish players here next season and I think we'll be running this club soon," joked Ferguson.

"But, seriously, if we can get big Dom in then that would be another great signing for the club.

"I think Paul Dickov's a great signing, especially for the money we've paid for him.

"I've also seen a fair bit of De Pedro, too, and he's got 20-odd caps for Spain so he must be a decent player.

"To be honest, that's what we missed last season. We never actually had a natural left-sided player so I think he'll be a good addition and hopefully the manager will get a bit of money to buy a couple more new players.

"You need a big squad to be able to compete in the Premiership."

As for Ferguson himself, he's now starting to feel more settled in England after initially feeling homesick following his move from Rangers.

"It's always hard when your family's not with you but now the kids are loving life down here," added the Scot.

"They've got their friends, the oldest one's at school, the middle one's just starting school, and the wee girl's at nursery.

"So everything's great and my wife is settled, too, which is the main thing.

"If I ever do feel a bit homesick then Scotland's only two hours up the road anyway, which is nothing.

"If I get a few days off I can shoot up the road or my friends and family can come down here, so it's not a problem."