JOE Royle is not the type of manager who pretends to ignore rivals' results.

After each game he asks about the rest of the Division One results, and the fortunes of Blackburn Rovers is often his first question.

Maybe it is the fact that Brian Kidd was a schoolboy buddy and that he can empathise with the club's current plight, having experienced the same thing himself when City were relegated to Division Two.

But, more likely, it is the fact that Royle expects Rovers to survive their rocky patch and mount a late challenge to City's own promotion prospects.

Rovers's capacity to do just that will be put to its first real test at Maine Road tomorrow, as a dispirited Ewood outfit meet a City side flying high and bristling with a sense of injustice.

Royle feels that his side should already have a cushion at the top of the table, had refereeing decisions not robbed them of points, particularly at Norwich and Tranmere just last week.

He said: "I would have been delighted with the position we are currently in at the start of the season, but having got where we are I'm a bit disappointed because we should have had more points.

"But that's the greed in you.

"Tuesday night's game at Birmingham was probably the worst we've played this season and yet we came away with three points, so I think that is a good omen.

"I wasn't sure how strong the sides at the top were going to be.

"When we went down we certainly weren't the worst side in the division then, but we fell victim to a succession of events and a poor start.

"But, having come with a long run as we did last year, I thought with the impetus of that and our form in pre-season, I expected us to be at least play-off material.

"I would still say that's my immediate ambition for us."

It is a very realistic ambition and perhaps understates the revived expectancy at Maine Road these day. For Royle has moulded a solid side, built on the consistency and determination of former Ewood man Andy Morrison, but one which is capable of breaking down the packed defences of the less adventurous Division One sides.

That is largely down to the amazing form of Mark Kennedy, who poses a threat every time he receives the ball on the left with accurate and powerful crosses.

The Irishman is brimming with confidence and is a different prospect to the stuttering and shot-shy player who was abandoned by Liverpool and Wimbledon.

"Mark's had a great start. There's no greater talent as a wide-man in the country, bar none, believe me.

"His talent is at least on a par with the best, and all he had to do really was start doing the things that mere mortals do like working harder for the side and keeping his shape.

"If he does that then not only can he take us up to the Premiership but he can take us on from there," said Royle.

"Up to now we've been tight defensively and we've only conceded seven goals in 12 games.

"We've even questioned some of those but I'm sure everyone has got their own hard-luck tales this year," he added.

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