Division One: Blackburn Rovers v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Pete Oliver's preview

FORGOTTEN man Alan Fettis will have a double mission if he is pressed into service against Wolves on Monday - to help Rovers maintain their promotion push and to remind potential buyers of his ability.

The Rovers goalkeeper would be poised to start his first game of the season, if John Filan suffered any reaction to his shoulder injury after the weekend's training.

But Fettis knows his future lies away from Ewood Park and so, with the January sales in full flow, the Bank Holiday clash would be a timely moment to return to the limelight. "It would be nice to get a game, I must admit," said Fettis.

"If I do play I will look forward to it and hopefully do well to keep the run going.

"If John Filan is fit there's a chance that he might play, but it would be great to put myself in the shop window again."

Fettis is the third-choice keeper at Ewood behind Filan and current number one Alan Kelly, whose ankle injury at Fratton Park on Tuesday allowed Fettis a return to action.

But even if he starts the game against fellow play-off hopefuls Wolves, Fettis, who joined Rovers from Nottingham Forest for £300,000 in September, 1997, still expects to be looking for pastures new.

"Realistically, I think so," he said. "I knew when I came I was going to be understudy to Tim Flowers but I took the chance that if I impressed and did well I would get a chance .

"But that hasn't happened. Different managers have come in with different ideas."

He added: "The last 12 months have been a nightmare for me. "Brian Kidd came and I played the first two games and kept two clean sheets and I thought the future was bright and I had a chance to stay in the team.

"But that didn't happen and, for the last 12 months, I have been trying to get away.

"But for one reason or another, with Tim Flowers being sold and Alan Kelly and John Filan getting injured, I've had to stay to wait in the wings for my chance.

"It's difficult but you've just got to get on with it. It's been very disappointing in the last few months and it has been even harder because there's not been any light at the end of the tunnel with John Filan playing well and then Alan Kelly coming in and doing well."

Given the current injury situation among the keepers at Ewood, Fettis doesn't expect to land a loan move.

But he hopes that a permanent deal may materialise from somewhere in the not-too-distant future and is not looking to sit it out until the summer and then take advantage of the Bosman ruling.

"My contract is up at the end of the year but I just want to play football. "I have got to look after number one. I go out and train every day and you would like to think it's for some purpose," he said.

The 28-year-old is also keen to return to senior action in a bid to displace Fulham's Maik Taylor and regain his place in the Northern Ireland side ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

"Twelve months ago I was the number one and I thought I had done well under Lawrie McMenemy, but a lack of first-team games took that away from me.

"That was really disappointing and I really want that back again," stressed Fettis, who's hoping that a new year will bring about a new beginning.

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