BRIAN Kidd will bring in a new code of conduct for Blackburn Rovers as he aims to crack down on a lack of discipline both on and off the pitch.

The Ewood boss has pin-pointed Rovers' awful disciplinary record as one of the reasons behind their headlong plunge out of the Premiership.

And he was also furious about having to fine Davies and another Rovers player Oumar Konde for their early-morning appearance in a nightclub just before the Manchester United game.

That kind of incident does nothing but damage to Rovers' reputation and Kidd is determined that they will do all they can as a club to improve that side of things.

"When you look back at the season and the injuries, there have also been suspensions and discipline definitely comes into it as well," he said.

"As a club we are implementing a code of conduct. It's about principles and basics which have to be addressed.

"These are the principles I have worked with all my career and you must start with standards.

"It's just like life really, where you have your own standards."

Fans will welcome any major improvement in overall discipline. Suspensions badly hit Rovers' survival fight in the season just ended and many were shocked by the Davies episode before the club's most important game of the season. In the Premiership, Tim Sherwood headed the red-card list by being sent off twice. The others to fall foul of referees were Sebastien Perez, Martin Dahlin, Chris Sutton, Jason Wilcox, Marlon Broomes and Keith Gillespie.

Wilcox also got sent off in the UEFA Cup, while Jeff Kenna collected a red card in the FA Cup.

The disciplinary situation is also a reason why Kidd will look closely at the type of players he brings in this summer. He has stressed the need to put the spirit back in the club and he said: "You have to go on character," he said. "You must have good characters in the dressing room.

"I believe the players we have already brought in have been good in that respect."

Meanwhile, Ewood chief executive John Williams refuted reports that the club had rejected a player-plus-cash bid for Chris Sutton from Aston Villa.

The stories stem from the fact that Rovers asked Villa about Riccardo Scimeca before the transfer deadline but were told he was not for sale.

"There was some interest from Brian at that time," said Williams. "But that was as far as it went.

"We have not received a formal offer from anybody at the moment."

Likewise, there have not been any major developments in the club's interest in Steve Harkness, the former Liverpool defender who is set to leave Benfica at the end of the season. "He is a potential target for Brian and we have made informal progress. But we have not, as yet, made a formal offer," said the chief executive.

"Brian is interested but, at the moment, he is getting an over-view of the whole situation."

Newcastle's decision to sell Shay Given could yet lead to an approach for Tim Flowers by the Geordie club.

If ex-Ewood keeper Given goes, Ruud Gullit will be looking for a new man to provide competition for Steve Harper.

Although Given, left out of the FA Cup final side, says he does not want to leave St James's Park, his departure will be inevitable if another keeper joins the club.

And there are suggestions that Manchester United could be shock contenders for Given's signature.

Colin Hendry and wife Denise are celebrating the birth of their fourth child - a baby girl, Niamh, weighing in at 6lb 12oz.

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