MONTY Python's 'Life of Brian' may not be everybody's cup of biblical tea.

But there are some striking parallels with the tragi-comedy unfolding before our eyes (and Brian's) at Ewood this season.

In the film, the citizens are desperate - desperate to seize on virtually any young man and hail him as the new Messiah, even the modest, reclusive Brian. As with the Israelites, so with the Roverites.

Last August, we proclaimed Kevin Davies, a tall well-built lad (maybe too well-built in hindsight?), a Saint who travelled North with a reputation based not on loaves and fishes, but on spectacular, stirring goals.

How were the faithful to know that young Kevin's messianic qualities would remain hidden under a bushel?

How could we have foreseen that, far from following in the saintly steps of the mighty Shearer, he would take over the sickly mantle of the wounded Warhurst?

Next, the false prophet Roy tried to present a journeyman from the neighbouring land of Bolton as the new Messiah and was rightly driven out of town by angry Roverites. And so the light, and all the hopes of the people of Ewood, fell on Brian. Brian wrought many miracles and, for a time, the people were glad. But curing the sick and healing the lame proved beyond Brian's powers and, as they descended into that land of fear and trembling known as 'The Bottom Three', some came to question whether Brian was the Messiah after all.

Now I'm sorry but Lee Carsley doesn't look to me much like a Messiah - though if you like your Messiahs shortish, baldish and, like many good Irish internationals, speaking with a Brummie accent, then he's your man! But I'm beginning to believe that a Messiah isn't what we want in any case. What we actually need for these last eight, crucial games are battlers, ready to give their all for the cause.

Against Wimbledon, with Sutton back as standard-bearer, we got those performances from Filan and McAteer, Henchoz and Peacock - and young Jansen of course.

Lee Carsley has the right qualities, but we don't need him to be able to walk on water. If he can shore up the midfield and help us to stay in this land of milk and honey, we'll turn the water into wine ourselves come May!

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