FOUR years after his disastrous £7.5m move to Blackburn Rovers, Kevin Davies returns to East Lancashire tonight where he can expect a hot reception at Turf Moor.
Davies will play his second match on loan for Millwall against the Clarets but the Southampton striker knows exactly what to expect as he made his debut in similar circumstances at the Saints' great rivals Portsmouth at the weekend.
Davies began his career with Chesterfield but was taken to Ewood Park as a 21-year-old by Roy Hodgson in 1998 after blossoming at Southampton.
But with only one goal in 23 League games for Rovers his move was a miserable one for both club and player and it was not long before he was back on the South Coast with the Saints.
Having not featured at all under Gordon Strachan this season he has been loaned out to Millwall and after his debut he confessed: "It is good to be playing first team football again.
"It is clear I don't have a future at Southampton and I have signed a month loan deal with Millwall.
"I will just have to see what develops."
His every touch at Fratton Park was greeted by chants of "Scummer, Scummer" on Saturday but he was unconcerned as he explained: "I expected it and it was not a problem."
The reception will be just as "welcoming" at Turf Moor tonight but ironically he was linked with a move to Burnley last season.
Tonight he will be hoping to show at least a glimpse of the form that persuaded Rovers to spend such a lot of money on him just four years ago.
At just 25 he still believes he has a good career ahead of him but the time has shown for him to show the necessary hunger on the pitch.
The good news for Burnley fans is that at least the pay-per-goal deal that Rovers agreed with the Saints when he returned does not apply to Millwall so, should he find the net tonight, their rivals down the M65 won't benefit financially.
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