I READ your splendid newspaper every day and attend as many games with the help of my friends in Blackburn.

I believe it is absolutely essential that the Board remind Mr Souness that we are investing some £3-4m each year on the Academy and frankly little or no use is being made of the youngsters who are being left to rot in the reserves before being released.

Take Danns. He played several games in the first team two seasons ago, mainly in Cup games. The lad worked hard, but received no subsequent encouragement and must be by now regretting his loan period at Blackpool was not increased.

Some of the first team players have frankly been a joke. None more than Yorke who has had a very poor season. The Manchester United fans were laughing at him and were genuinely pleased that he was no longer there.

Sometime ago in October, Matt Jansen scored a super goal lifting the ball over the head of a defender, sidestepped another and scored a great goal.

Following this Mr Souness said in this newspaper, that Cole and Jansen were numbers one and two for the striking position. Within a week Jansen was dropped and apart from when Cole was suspended, has not had a look-in.

Against Manchester United, Yorke and Jansen played, with Yorke hardly moving at all, whilst Jansen ran his socks off, admittedly without success. At half time his reward was to be substituted while Yorke stayed on and has stayed on ever since until the last two games.

During this period, Souness has tried, I think, six players on the left hand side of midfield, including two full backs and a centre half. Jansen is a skilful left-sided player who can score goals.

Why on earth has he not been given the job? When he played with Duff last season and earlier before his accident, some of his best work was done down the left flank.

You can see from this letter that I do not believe that Blackburn Rovers are making the best of what they have.

Manchester Utd, Aston Villa and Leeds have discovered that it pays to promote from within, particularly when they have successful youth teams.

Other than young Gallagher this season and McEveley last, Rovers have ignored the talent within their grasp.

Football at clubs like Rovers will not last at the top by buying overseas players of average ability or having too many over 30s in a team with no sell-on value.

Greater use must be made of young talent and these blended with excellent buys like Emerton, Ferguson and Neill, and experienced pro's already with the club like Short an Flitcroft.

We should be increasing our presence at non-league and lower league level and finding the talent that has always been there.

Leave the 30 somethings to other clubs to purchase and work harder with what you have got. Perhaps a change in the coaching may well be the answer but only Mr Williams and Mr Souness can answer that.

Without a change, of course, the result will be disaster - and without the late, great Mr Walker there will be no return.

R P COOPER, Congleton