ENGLAND legend Chris Waddle believes Blackburn Rovers' Jonathan Stead has the potential to become an international star of the future.

Waddle has joined the growing army of Stead admirers after being impressed by the way the 21-year-old has taken the Premiership by storm during the last three months.

And the former Burnley manager has even suggested that Stead could have forced his way into Sven Goran Eriksson's squad for Euro 2004 had Graeme Souness snapped him up from Huddersfield Town slightly earlier.

Stead, a bargain £1 million signing during the January transfer window, took his personal tally to six goals in 11 games when he scored the winner in Rovers' 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Saturday.

It was his third match-winning strike in Blackburn's last four games and it provided perhaps the most conclusive evidence yet of his possible England credentials.

Eriksson's number two, Tord Grip, has already singled out the Ewood hit-man as one of three possible stars of the future, alongside Leeds United's James Milner and Arsenal's David Bentley.

And those thoughts have also been echoed by Blackburn manager Graeme Souness, as well as Stead's Rovers team-mate, Craig Short.

Now Waddle has added his own glowing endorsement and the former Newcastle star believes it's only a matter of time before Stead's talents are recognised at international level.

"Jon Stead is a future England striker and, if Blackburn boss Graeme Souness had signed him last summer instead of waiting until January, he would be going to Portugal," said Waddle, who won 62 caps for England in a seven year period between 1985 and 1992.

"As someone who started with Tow Law Town, it is heartening to see a player move up from Huddersfield and become a star.

"It rarely happens these days, mainly because Nationwide League clubs price players out of the market compared with cheaper foreign imports.

"It is a worry that players like Peter Beardsley, Ian Wright and myself might not have been given the chance to succeed after starting off at small clubs.

"Let's hope Stead keeps his feet on the ground, doesn't swop his Mini Metro for a Porsche and turns up in the England squad next season."

Stead has already won one international call-up on the strength of his performances for Rovers.

Within two weeks of making his Blackburn debut at Middlesbrough in February, Stead got called into David Platt's England Under 21 squad and he's featured in each of their last two games.