ROB Kelly's young guns face a daunting clash against Chelsea tonight in the fourth round of the AXA FA Youth Cup at Ewood.
But the visit of the Blues holds no fears for Jerome Watt, the latest player to be touted as potential first team material in the future by the coaching staff at Brockhall.
Watt, an established England Under-17 international, was part of the Rovers side which made it all the way to the final of last season's competition, despite the fact he was still only a schoolboy.
And, though they ultimately lost out to Arsenal over two legs, the multi-talented midfielder believes that experience could help the present squad to go one better this term.
"I think we've got the talent to go one better than that this year but it's not just about talent, it's about whether or not we are mentally strong enough to go out and win it," said Watt.
"Having facilities like the ones we've got here, it could breed soft players.
"But I think our experiences last season have given us the mental toughness you need because we know what it's all about now and what it's like to play on Ewood.
"There's no doubt Chelsea are a big team because they can attract top foreigners at Youth Team level, which is something a lot of other Premiership clubs cannot do.
"But we've started to get a reputation for ourselves in this competition after making it to the final twice in the last three or four years.
"So we've started to become a major scalp for other teams, too, so there's no reason for us to fear anyone if we play to the levels we know we are capable of."
Rovers Academy Director Bobby Downes sensibly refuses to get carried away when talking about the potential of particular individuals at Brockhall -- all part of a concerted effort to keep his young players' feet on the ground.
But for those who have seen Watt in action for the reserves this season, it's immediately apparent that the Preston-born youngster could have what it takes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Academy graduates like David Dunn and Martin Taylor.
Watt marked his full reserve team debut with a goal against Leeds United a month ago and he did enough that night to keep his place in the side for the next three games -- not bad for a player who has only recently turned 17.
"Jerome has got a chance -- he's an exciting young player," said Downes.
"He played for us in the Youth Cup final last year which is no mean feat for a Schoolboy.
"And he has recently been playing in the reserves, which again is a decent achievement for a lad of his age.
"He's athletic, he can score goals and he can create. But, most importantly, he also seems to have a decent attitude, too."
Those qualities could come in handy tonight against a Chelsea side packed with top talent nurtured both at home and on the continent.
Downes and his coaching staff have watched the Blues twice in the last couple of weeks and the scouting reports would suggest they are going to be a tough nut to crack.
But Rovers' recent record in the competition is as good as anyone's and in players like Watt, Jonathan Walters and Ciaran Donnelly, they have the quality required to put in another strong challenge.
"We've watched Chelsea play on a couple of occasions and we know they'll be a decent side because they've got some quality players," said Downes.
"The boy Carlton Cole up front in particular is a decent player, he's about 6ft 3in and he's scored a lot of goals for them this season.
"So, hopefully, we can keep him quiet because that could be the key.
"But they won't relish the thought of coming to Ewood, either, given our track record so it promises to be a decent game."
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