BLACKBURN midfielder Craig Hignett has admitted he may have to consider his Ewood future if he fails to pin-down a regular starting place during the relegation run-in.

Hignett is frustrated at having to settle for a bit-part role in Rovers' survival battle.

And, though he has yet to demand showdown talks with manager Graeme Souness, he admits the situation is starting to concern him as he approaches the twilight of his career.

"I don't know what's happening at the minute so you're better off asking the manager," said Hignett.

"I haven't asked him why I'm not in the team and he hasn't told me so I don't know what the reasons are.

"I'll probably wait and see what happens at the end of the season because I'm not planning on having a chat with him.

"At the end of the day, he picks the team and at this moment in time I'm out.

"But I'm used to things going like that over the last 18 months so it's not a new situation.

"I've just got to carry on because I won't let it get me down.

"If the gaffer wants me here then I'll stay and if he doesn't then I'll go.

"But I'll wait until he says someone's in for me before I start thinking about that."

Hignett has endured something of a stop-start season having started just four Premiership games and appearing 14 others as a sub.

However, the 32-year-old has underlined his value to the squad with eight goals so far.

Three of those came in the Worthington Cup but even that failed to earn him a starting place in the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium last month.