CRAIG Hignett today admitted his days at Ewood appear to be numbered as he attempts to revive his flagging career with Coventry City.

The 32-year-old midfielder is currently on loan at Highfield Road until the end of the year after Sky Blues chief Gary McAllister made a move for him last week.

However, Hignett has revealed he ultimately wants a permanent solution sorting out in regard to his future and, if that means severing all ties with Rovers, then it's a price he's prepared to pay as he enters the twilight of his career.

"I'm just loving playing first team football again," said Hignett, who was back in East Lancashire today as Coventry prepared to take on Burnley in a First Division clash at Turf Moor.

"At my age, I am 32, it is no good playing in the reserves, I have got be playing in games that matter with league points or cup places at stake. To be honest I am really looking forward to every game I am playing, it is great to be involved."

Hignett made his Coventry debut as a sub against Rotherham last week, helping the Sky Blues to a 2-1 win but his experience in the Worthington Cup against Crystal Palace in midweek was less happy as his new club lost 3-0.

He said: "It is very hard to be training all week knowing you won't be involved at the weekend. It is hard to get up for it.

"But if I don't get a permanent deal here, hopefully I will get one somewhere else."

Hignett is resigned to the fact that his Rovers career now appears to be over and he is grateful to McAllister for giving him the chance to taste real action again.

"I've known Gary for a while and we have both got the same agent," he said. "The training here is a lot sharper and better and I am enjoying working with Gary and his assistant Eric Black, although the facilities are obviously not as good as at Brockhall.

"But they seem to be a good set of lads with some good young players."

Meanwhile, Rovers defender Stig Bjornebye could be back in action at some stage in the next fortnight after making excellent progress in his recovery from the eye injury which has kept out since last April.

He may have to wait until the reserves play Sheffield Wednesday on November 19 but the fact he is in contention at all has come as a major boost to his manager.

"Stig wanted to play against Walsall earlier this week but we decided to hold him back a little bit longer so we could ease him back in the reserves," said Souness.