DAVID Thompson was spared the 'pleasure' of a tongue-lashing from Graeme Souness during their time together at Anfield.

In the days when Souness was Liverpool manager, Thompson was on schoolboy forms with the Reds and their paths never crossed directly.

Nevertheless, tales of the Scot throwing tea-cups around the Anfield dressing room no doubt filtered back to the youth team training ground where it became the stuff of legend.

Then on Sunday, Thompson belatedly found out for himself exactly what it feels like to be on the wrong end of the Souness 'hairdrier' treatment after Rovers threw away a two-goal lead in the most exasperating circumstances imaginable against Manchester City.

These days, Souness insists he's a calmer and more collected figure than the one who repeatedly lost his rag at Anfield.

But, when the situation merits it, he can still peel paint off dressing room walls with the best of them.

And Thompson is adamant Rovers will take to the field against CSKA Sofia tonight determined to avoid another roasting as they go in search of UEFA Cup glory with Sunday's rant still ringing loudly in their ears.

"The manager was raging on Sunday - he wasn't happy at all," revealed Thompson.

"But then no-one was happy with the way we performed against Manchester City.

"In the last three games, we've not played too badly but we've come away with one point from those three games, which is disastrous.

"City put us under a bit of pressure in the last 15 minutes but we gifted them two goals and just gave them a point on a plate.

"It was stupid. I can't believe we let them get back in it. All our hard work from the previous 75 minutes went out of the window because of two bad mistakes and the lads were absolutely gutted.

"But a win tonight could be just the tonic we need to get things back on track again."

For a man so young, Thompson is relatively experienced when it comes to European action.

During his time at Anfield, he was frequently involved in Liverpool's European adventures.

And, although he subscribes to the view that competitions such as the UEFA Cup now come second in importance to the Premiership, he is quick to stress the merits of an extended Cup run.

"The rewards are there for everyone to see," said the 23-year-old.

"Look at Liverpool. When they won the UEFA Cup, they played Barcelona and Roma and they were both fantastic nights.

"They were great atmospheres and those are the games you remember and look back on when you have finished.

"I know a lot of the lads in our team have played Champions League football so there's some experience in our side as well.

"Personally, I've got quite a few European experiences from my days with Liverpool.

"I was always in the squads and I got on the bench five or six times.

"I played in a couple against the likes of Celta Vigo and they are hard games.

"They're certainly different to what you normally face in the league but you've just got to try and approach them in the same way and try not to concede goals because, if you don't concede, then you've always got a chance."

Rovers' recent record in Europe is hardly sparkling.

In 1994, they made an embarrassing first round exit at the hands of Swedish minnows Trelleborg.

Then, after a shambolic debut in the Champions League, French outfit Lyon piled on further misery when the club last appeared in the UEFA Cup four years ago.

So if the class of 2002 have ambitions of going further than any of their predecessors then they need the likes of Thompson to be firing on all cylinders.

Already, in the short time since his £1.5 million switch from Coventry City, the industrious midfield schemer has become an instant hit with fans, weighing in with two goals in his last two appearances.

But, although he is relatively satisfied with his contribution so far, Thompson has stressed the need to share the burden because it is asking too much to expect him to pull rabbits out of the hat every time he steps out onto the pitch.

"It's up to everyone to do the business," said Thompson.

"You might win the odd game through a piece of individual brilliance but, generally speaking, you win games as a team and lose games as a team.

"So we are going to need everyone pulling in the same direction.

"From a financial point of view, the Premiership is far more important for the future of Blackburn Rovers.

"It's everything but that's not to say we'll have the wrong attitude tonight."

"Everyone wants to do well in Europe because, like I've said before, you can have some fantastic nights.

"For us to win the UEFA Cup would be fantastic - absolutely brilliant, in fact."

CSKA Sofia in town - pics...