ROVERS legend Simon Garner today said he's confident Alan Shearer will agree to play in his testimonial game at the end of the season.

Shearer has yet to reply officially to the letter inviting him to play in the match between Rovers' Championship winning side of 1995 and the Worthington Cup winners of 2002.

But Garner has made contact with the Shearer camp and he remains quietly confident the former England captain will accept his invitation to make an emotional return to Ewood.

"I'm just waiting for a reply from Alan but he knows all about it," said Garner.

"I've been told if he's in the country at the time of the game then he'll play so it just depends when he decides to take his holidays."

So far, ten members of the championship winning side have already agreed to play in the game, with Tim Flowers, Colin Hendry, Tim Sherwood, Kevin Gallacher and Mike Newell among the first to reply to Garner's letter.

Shearer is one of six players who have still to confirm whether they will be attending or not, together with Chris Sutton and Graeme Le Saux.

As for the Worthington Cup winners of 2002, Rovers boss Graeme Souness plans to make his entire first team squad available, subject to international commitments.

And Garner has also sent an invite to Wales boss Mark Hughes but the former Manchester United star has yet to formally reply.

"It's all starting to get really exciting," said Garner.

"I've been bowled over by the response I've had from people and everyone who's got back to me so far has said they will play.

"It's taken a while to get everything together but now things are starting to move pretty quickly and I can't wait now.

"It should be a great night because virtually all of the 1995 squad are still playing at the highest level so it's not as if fans will be coming to watch a load of old has-beens."

Originally, Garner had the idea of inviting Celtic to provide the opposition for a Rovers Select XI but later changed his mind after the two clubs were pitched together in the UEFA Cup.

"Celtic was thought about originally because Martin O'Neill was my manager at Wycombe, but when the draw for the UEFA Cup was made that took the edge off it," said the Rovers legend.

"It would have been a one-off had it not been for that draw, so then we were left trying to think of another team to play.

"And why not the Championship side? I looked back through all the records and the majority of the players were still playing."

Garner, who recently celebrated his 43rd birthday, is also planning to make a cameo appearance of his own, although he's not quite sure which team he will play for or how long he might last.

"It depends which manager picks me," he quipped.

"But I'll play for as long as my legs will carry me."

Tickets for the game are due to go on sale from March 17 and details of prices and packages will be unveiled shortly.