BLACKBURN fans could be forgiven for casting a few envious glances at the TV tonight.

Martin O'Neill's Celtic take on Porto in the final of the UEFA Cup -- a tie set to be screened live on the BBC.

And I, for one, will be sat in front of the box hoping the Scots can do it because, if nothing else, at least Rovers will then be able to say they got knocked out by the winners.

Had things been different, of course, it might have been Graeme Souness leading Rovers out in Seville this evening.

One of the biggest disappointments of the season was the manner in which Rovers tamely surrendered in the second leg of their Battle of Britain with the Bhoys.

In the first leg, Rovers did everything but score in what was a stunning performance at Parkhead but they then let themselves down at Ewood and the rest, as they say, is history.

Nevertheless, some six months after the event, I still firmly believe Souey's troops are more than a match for the Glasgow giants, despite that 3-0 aggregate scoreline.

Man for man, Rovers have superior players, as they showed in Scotland, and it was Celtic's superior experience in Europe which ultimately got them through.

So if they can go on a run like that to the final, then who's to say Rovers can't emulate that achievement next season, providing they learn from their mistakes.

Speaking to the fans themselves, they'd love a run in Europe, if only to remove the stigma of the club's previous excursions on the continent.

But that leaves manager Graeme Souness with a difficult dilemma.

Given the fact the club finished sixth, some supporters have set their sights on a push for the Champions League next season, too.

But is it really possible for a squad the size of Rovers' to launch a charge for the top four AND challenge for one of Europe's top trophies?

That's a conundrum Souness must solve himself but, looking at the Celtic fans sunning themselves in Spain, it's tempting not to want some of the same.

In the meantime, talking of fans, it was great to see so many turn out in force at Ewood on Sunday to show their appreciation to Simon Garner.

One fan -- Dillo Hidaka -- even made the trip from Japan especially for the game!

Dillo, an illustrator based in Tokyo, first became a Blackburn fan after watching Rovers' 2-2 draw with Manchester United the season before last.

Sunday's visit was her first to Ewood and she was completely overawed by the thrill of meeting some of her heroes.

At one point, she threw herself at the feet of Damien Duff and burst into tears of joy.