WHEN Brian Kidd was first appointed as manager of Blackburn Rovers, I jokingly suggested to friends that it was a sinister plot by Alex Ferguson to get us relegated.

Kidd would then sell all our best players, cut attendances by half playing negative football and then rejoin Manchester United. Unfortunately, it is no longer a joke but is fast becoming reality.

Look at Kidd's dealings in the transfer market. He sold a current England international and our only creative midfield player at a crucial time of the season. He then bought a willing runner, but little else, in McAteer, and loses a million on the deal. Good business? I don't think so. His second major buy, Carsley, is another willing worker, but can he prise open a defensive wall by doing something creative? Again I doubt it.

The only creative players in the squad at present are Jansen and Duff, and Kidd appears reluctant to play them.

The final straw for me came with the selling of Kevin Gallacher. Against Walsall he was outstanding showing his undoubted class. Kidd sold him for around £-million, but he will need to pay at least £4m to sign a player anywhere near as good.

Could he not have offered Gallacher a new 18-month contract? Even on his wages it would have been worth the risk.

Kidd has branded some of the players he has sold as disruptive. Perhaps he is confusing this with the word good.

It appears that unless you can run around like a headless chicken all afternoon, then he doesn't want to know.

Blackburn won the championship playing exciting attacking football and there is no reason why we should not re-adopt that style in Division One.

We should be terrifying teams in this division, not going to Swindon and QPR packing midfield and trying to cling on for a point.

So come on Kidd, either prove you're up to the job or go back "home" before the damage becomes irreparable.

S H GRIME, Hallbridge Gardens, Upholland.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.