THE F-word features strongly in Craig Short's vocabulary - but in the nicest possible way.

We aren't talking the industrial language of a professional sportsman's daily environment here, rather the more traditional values of F-amily and F-ootball.

And it definitely does not refer to F-inance, a point made forcibly by the man who has been bought by Brian Kidd to provide stature, authority and leadership from the back.

The first thing that strikes you on meeting the defender, who has finally succumbed to the seven-year itch - he turned down a move to Rovers in favour of Derby back in 1992 - is that his surname is something of a misnomer.

An imposing figure, ideally constructed for the key role at the heart of defence, he seems to lack nothing in the physical qualities needed to stamp his presence on a game.

Despite all Everton's failings in recent years, primarily at the other end of the field in attack, their home defensive record last season - just 12 goals conceded at Goodison - was bettered only by Arsenal and Leeds. And many Premiership strikers have discovered in the past four seasons that Craig Short can be a formidable opponent.

So, when he stresses that a lucrative clause in his Everton contract giving him a large chunk of any transfer did not influence his decision to join Rovers, you tend to believe him.

Besides, first impressions of the man suggest that, away from the pitch, he belongs more to the gentle-giant category than the bluff-and-brag brigade - an encouraging feature not untypical of Kidd's signings.

He is forceful but sincere, courteous and eager to explain to his new supporters just why he made his £2.1 million move some seven years after it was first mooted.

"I want to put one thing straight," said the 31-year-old defender who hails from Bridlington.

"This move had nothing to do with money.

"I had a very good contract at Everton and this was a football and a family decision.

"The boss said I could move back to Yorkshire and I'll probably move to the Harrogate area.

"I can be here in 50 minutes, the same time as it took me from Southport (to Brockhall). At Everton, it also took me 40 minutes from Southport to Liverpool in a morning.

"So I don't mind the travelling as long as my family are settled.

"And I could have moved on a Bosman in summer but I never looked to go.

"As soon as Everton retained Premiership status, I wanted to stay.

"So when the boss told me about Blackburn the first thing I said to my wife was 'the boss has accepted a bid for me but I just don't want to drop down.' "It was either Manchester United (for Everton) in the first game or Port Vale.

"Then I thought about it and spoke to Brian Kidd.

"Everton had accepted two bids for me in nine months.

"Forest was the other one in October. Everton were trying to get some money for me as I was in my last year and I thought the club was going to carry on selling and it was going to be another fight against relegation.

"I never had any hesitation in turning Forest down and I wanted to stay. I grew to love the club and I was about to buy a house.

"But when I spoke to Brian, looked at the list of players who are here and thought about moving back home it was too good a chance to turn down.

"For the past four years I have been in a rented house, my kids are getting to school age and it will be nice to settle down. Hopefully, I will be able to finish my career here."

So what really happened seven years ago when Kenny Dalglish saw Short as a key component in the side he was rapidly establishing in the Premier League's first season?

"I had been at Notts County for three years and expected to move in summer when I got married," said Short.

"Two clubs were interested with big backers, and I spoke to both Blackburn and Derby.

"The thing was that I was settled in the area. I felt Derby had a side that could get promotion - Blackburn had just been promoted - and it was just a personal decision.

"I never regretted it, it was simply something I felt happy with at the time.

"But I had a difficult time when I first went to Derby, if I had come here I would probably have sunk without trace!"

Ironically, the night Short told Rovers he would not be signing, they had a League game at Ewood . . . against Everton.

"I rang Kenny to tell him and it was about seven o'clock and he was in the dressing room," he recalled.

"People asked me afterwards if I was hoping Blackburn wouldn't do anything because I had decided not to come here but, really, I was chuffed for them when they won the title.

"It was just a strange feeling for me at the time."

A career that began with lowly Scarborough and progressed via Notts County for £100,000 to Derby for £2.5 million should really have reached the Premier League at the Baseball Ground.

But it didn't.

"No I wasn't in the team that got promoted, I'd gone that year and was already fighting relegation battles with Everton," he added with a wry smile. But the transfer to Goodison, for £2.7 million, finally saw him established at the top level.

Now he aims to get back there and is optimistic about Rovers' prospects, but also has the experience and know-how to be realistic.

"Yes I am optimistic but I am very cautious as well, because I know how difficult a division it is," he said.

"I have played Premiership football for five years but half of my career has been spent in the lower leagues.

"So I know it can be very difficult.

"This team is really fancied to do well. But Derby spent £12 million back in 1992, were favourites for promotion and the best we got in three years was sixth.

"But I'm very optimistic, that's the main reason I came here."

And that, really, is the long and the Short of it.

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