Souey faces ban

Souness has requested a personal hearing in London on Thursday where he will answer charges relating to an incident in Rovers' home game with Tottenham on November 29 last year.

Match referee Graham Poll reported Souness to the FA after the Rovers boss said to the official 'I didn't know you were a Tottenham fan' when he failed to award his team a foul following a challenge in front of the dug-outs.

Souness has since protested his innocence and the main thrust of his defence will be that the comment was made as a joke.

If found guilty, however, then Souness is likely to start next season in the stands.

"My defence is quite simple. It was a laugh," said Souness.

"He's always the most chatty of referees but for some reason he took exception to it."

Ironically, Souness was involved in another heated argument with a fourth official during Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham.

The passionate Rovers boss felt his side were denied a blatant penalty when match referee Andy D'Urso failed to spot what looked like a clear foul on Andy Cole.

Meanwhile, Souness is ready to ask the board for the cash he needs to bring in the four new faces he wants this summer.

"Hopefully, the board will give me a bundle of cash so we can get some new players in.

"I've asked them for four new players and we'll see what happens.

"I'm not sure I'll get them all but that doesn't stop me asking."

Although Souness is likely to have limited funds to play with, he's confident of attracting the right type of players to Rovers.

"There's lots of good players around and about and everyone wants to play in the Premier League so we have to pitch it right," added the Blackburn boss.

"We've got to try and get someone who's not a Johnny Foreigner looking to come here for a jolly.

"We've had some Johnny Foreigners come along and not give us what they should have done in the past.

"In an ideal scenario, you want a team full of Jon Steads - young, hungry and British."