This time 12 months ago, Rovers found themselves on the footballing equivalent of death row as they faced a desperate fight for Premiership survival.

But a year on, Graeme Souness's squad could afford to jet out to Marbella this week, safe in the knowledge their Premiership status is now all-but mathematically guaranteed for another season.

Whichever way you look at it, that's a phenomenal achievement given the club's horrendous injury problems.

And the fact they are now in with a shout of qualifying for a second successive European campaign is all the more remarkable given the strain placed on a relatively small squad.

So with safety achieved, where do Rovers go now as they look to build on the success of the last 18 months?

With nine games to go, four more wins may well be enough to secure a top six finish and a place in the UEFA Cup once again.

But in terms of the bigger picture, Souness would appear to have a busy summer of wheeling and dealing ahead if Rovers are to maintain the momentum of the last two seasons.

By my calculations, he may need to recruit as many as six new faces, which will test his skill in the transfer market to the maximum as he's unlikely to have pots of gold at his disposal.

On the goalkeeping front, Alan Kelly is out of contract in the summer and a new deal has yet to be sorted out, which could leave Souness searching for experienced cover for Brad Friedel.

In defence, the departure of Henning Berg, who's decision to return to Norway has been known for some time, will leave a massive hole in the middle of the back four.

And a long-term solution has yet to be found to the problem at left-back, where Vratislav Gresko is currently doing an admirable job but the money it would cost to keep him permanently is likely to lead to his return to Parma.

The situation in midfield is less clear.

As things stand, serious question marks still surround the long-term future of David Dunn following his recent spat with the manager.

And what of Keith Gillespie -- another whose contract is due to expire in the summer?

As yet, no fresh offer is on the table and if he was to leave then Rovers would be short of cover in that department.

Perhaps the biggest battle of the lot, however, will centre around Damien Duff once again. Although the Republic of Ireland international has seen his season interrupted by injuries, he remains one of the most highly-rated players in the Premiership.

Rovers' resolve to keep him may therefore be tested again by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United as they attempt to hang onto Arsenal's coat-tails.

That then leaves the men up front.

Matt Jansen could save the club a fortune in the transfer market by recapturing his form during the next two months at Coventry. Similarly, Hakan Sukur has nine games to prove he could have a future at the club beyond the summer.

But with Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Egil Ostenstad already in their 30s, Souness may decide that young blood is the best way to supplement his ageing strike-force.

So the Rovers boss clearly has some tough decisions to make. Something tells me, it's going to be an interesting summer.