KEITH Gillespie and Tim Flowers could both make their belated first appearances in Blackburn Rovers' pre-season build up against Second Division Blackpool at Bloomfield Road tomorrow.

But Rovers boss Brian Kidd has gone out of his way to stress that he will almost certainly have to err on the side of caution and send out a significantly under-strength team to face the Seasiders.

And he was anxious that any fans intending to go to the pre-season friendly should be aware of that in advance.

Both Gillespie and Flowers were left behind when a 22-man squad travelled to Norway last week for a training camp and three games - two of them against highly-respected opposition.

Gillespie needed a precautionary scan on back and hamstring problems which have plagued him since the players reported back for pre-season training.

But he was cleared of any major problems and has been working at Brockhall in the absence of the majority of players.

Flowers was also ruled out through injury, picking up a hip problem in training, but he should now be okay to play his first match.

The other problem with the former England keeper, of course, is that he is available for transfer, having had a request granted by the Ewood board.

But, so far, there has not been a single concrete bid for him, despite the fact that Leicester City are in need of a new keeper and are believed to be considering Flowers as a replacement for Kasey Keller, who has departed at the end of his Filbert Street contract. Leicester boss Martin O'Neill, however, was believed to have been running the rule over Sheffield Wednesday's unsettled keeper Kevin Pressman when they played a friendly against QPR this week.

Wednesday manager Danny Wilson is also believed to be an admirer of Flowers' ability and could step up his interest if Pressman moves.

It is a complicated scenario and it could be that nothing happens.

And, if Flowers was, after all, to stay at Ewood he needs to be match fit as he would certainly be challenging for the number one spot currently held by John Filan, who picked up a slight ankle injury in Norway.

Filan is just one of several players that Kidd is loathe to push too far after a tough nine days training, allied to three games in a seven-day spell.

Rovers were left with a few injury problems, Garry Flitcroft and Ashley Ward having to return home early for example.

None of them seems serious but Kidd cannot afford to take chances and, with others feeling a little under the weather because of a virus which affected the camp, he arranged for yesterday's scheduled reserve friendly match to be called off at Bolton's Euxton training ground. They have also informed Blackpool of the situation so that there can be no question of misrepresentation if they field a team with a number of unfamiliar faces in it.

"We have had a heavy workload so far and it is the same again next week," said Kidd.

"The players have responded to it very well. We couldn't have asked any more from them.

"But, especially with the virus going around, we cannot be too careful at this stage of our preparations.

"I would hope that Keith and Tim will be able to play and we'll have a look at the others in training today before finalising a team for the game.

"Everyone has worked tremendously hard in Norway, not just in the games but also in training as we have had double sessions on most days."

Teenager Leam Richardson, the only member of the senior party - not including Flitcroft and Ward - who travelled to Norway without getting a game, could be in line for his chance at Bloomfield Road.

But Kidd will also have to consider giving Jeff Kenna more match action after his successful return to the side in the final half hour against Fredrikstad on Thursday.

Tour facts: v IFK Gothenburg D 1-1 scorer Duff; v Lillestroem W 5-1 scorers Duff 2, Davies 2, Gallacher; v Fredrikstad W 8-2 scorers Johnson 2, Carsley 2 (2 pens), Jansen, Davidson, Corbett, Davies.

Number and type of appearances (T = in starting line-up, R = replaced, S = sub appearance):

Filan T(R); McNamee T (R), S, T (R); Croft T, T (R), T (R); Dailly T (R), T, T; Broomes T, T (R), S; Peacock T; Dunn T (R), T (R), T (R); Carsley T, T, S; Wilcox T (R), T, T; Jansen T, T; Davies T, T, S; Davidson S, T, S; Johnson S, S, T (R); Duff S, T, T (R); Fettis S, T, T; Taylor S, S, T (R); Gallacher T, T; Kenna S; Corbett S.

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