Oz stint could be

making of a man ROVERS' Academy coach Rob Kelly believes 'Big' Ben Burgess's loan stint in Oz will turn the teenage striker into a man.

Burgess is currently on a season-long loan with Sydney-based outfit Northern Spirit where he's currently among the leading goalscorers in Australia.

And Kelly -- who keeps in regular contact with his promising young protege -- believes the whole experience could prove to be the making of the 19-year-old hitman.

"It was a great idea from the manager, Graeme Souness," said Kelly. "Apparently, when he was a young lad at Tottenham he wasn't quite breaking into the first team so they felt it would be beneficial for him to spend some time away in America, which helped him mature as an individual.

"And that was the thinking about sending Ben to Australia -- that it would help him develop and mature as a person.

"He's on his own 10,000 miles away from home so he's going to have to stand on his own two feet. We're hoping he's gone away a boy and he'll come back a man."

Burgess's loan spell is due to end in April at the end of the Australian domestic season.

ROVERS are doing their bit to help Accrington Stanley's bid to raise money for cash-strapped Bury Football Club.

They've donated a table for four in the hospitality lounge at one of their final games at Ewood Park.

Now that's got to be a better prize than the Manchester United shirt -- personally signed by David Beckham -- which is also up for grabs!

The raffle will be drawn on February 22 and the price for a book of five tickets is just £1. For tickets ring Accrington Stanley on 01254 383235.

Spy in the camp REMEMBER a couple of weeks ago I told you about John Curtis's fixation with Ceefax during away trips? Well, his room-mate Matt Jansen has now lifted the lid on one of 'Curt's' other passions in life -- watching old James Bond movies!

"He's like a little old man at times," joked Jansen. "But at least you get plenty of sleep when you share with him."

THE answer to last week's teaser 'who did caretaker boss Tony Parkes sign from Liverpool for a bargain £5,000 in 1987' was of course Sean Curry.

He went on to make a total of 28 starts for Rovers -- scoring six League goals -- before he was released in the summer of 1989.

This week's question is: Where did Graeme Souness sign Eyal Berkovic from when he first took him to Southampton?