Division One: Blackburn Rovers v Norwich City - Peter White's match preview

ALAN Shearer has already come back to haunt Blackburn Rovers supporters this season. Ewood regulars will be hoping that the same does not apply tonight with another familiar name...Dalglish!

But, in this case, the situation is a little different. For we are talking Paul, son of Kenny, in a Norwich City shirt.

Although he has scored only a couple of times for Norwich City this season - since joining them on a permanent basis last summer - the 23-year-old striker has established a regular place in Bruce Rioch's side.

And he has earned credit for his performances as Norwich rallied following a difficult start when they lost two of their best players through injury.

Craig Bellamy damaged knee ligaments prior to the start of the season and Phil Mulryne suffered a broken leg in the early-season match against Rovers.

The absence of those two caused savage damage to City's hopes of making an impact this winter.

In the absence of young star Bellamy, Dalglish has grabbed his chance to strike up a front-line -partnership with Iwan Roberts and it has certainly paid off for the Welsh international who is Norwich's leading scorer.

Having a famous father is not always an advantage and Rovers boss Tony Parkes feels young Dalglish deserves credit for having made his own way in the game.

There was obviously pressure on him, especially at Ewood where his dad was king. "That's always a problem isn't it," said Parkes. "Paul was here when he was a young boy.

"He was 15 or 16 years old and used to be on the bench for the A team and play the odd game when Kenny was manager.

"And he's turned out to be a good player.

"He's grown, he's taller and bigger now. He was quite small and weak when he was here.

"But he's worked at his physical size, he's got a bit of pace and he's done well."

Although nothing developed for him at Ewood, Kenny's son tried his luck with the likes of Celtic, Liverpool and Newcastle before joining Norwich on loan last season.

Carrow Road boss Bruce Rioch liked what he saw and negotiated a permanent transfer during the summer.

Parkes is not altogether surprised that Dalglish has managed to start making his own reputation at a decent level in the game.

"He went to Liverpool and Newcastle, which might have been just a bit above him in the Premiership, but he might have found his stage in the First Division," said the Ewood boss.

"But he's with a good club in Norwich, they play decent football, he's knuckled down and he gets in the side regularly."

Those Rovers fans who saw Dalglish on his occasional outings in a blue and white shiort will be intrigued to see how he has developed tonight.

Shearer quits (international football) and Dalglish returns to Ewood - what sensational headlines they would have been once over for two names who did more than most to inspire Rovers to the title.

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