TIM Sherwood's agony over an imminent two-match suspension, after picking up his second red card of the season, will be eased by the offer of a new contract this week.

The Blackburn Rovers skipper confirmed after Saturday's magnificent win over Leeds United that he was now much happier with future prospects at Ewood under Brian Kidd.

And chief executive John Williams revealed that the ongoing talks between player and club would result in a new deal being put to Sherwood, who was unsettled earlier in the season.

"Tim expressed doubts about the club's ambitions at the time but I think he has now acknowledged that is not an issue," said Williams.

"We have looked at some of the things we talked to him on the personal side and we are going to sit down with him and offer him a new contract, hopefully this week.

"I should also say that, throughout all this, Tim has been superb."

Sherwood described his team-mates' response, following his dismissal for two yellow cards, as "brilliant" and also expressed his delight at the turnaround in Rovers' season.

"Our training sessions are a lot better, the lads have responded to him (Kidd) and results have helped," he said.

"We didn't know where the next win was coming from and that was wrong with the players we have got here.

"But he has turned the team around.

"If Roy Hodgson was still here I could have seen Blackburn in the First Division next season.

"I wasn't happy and though I still have contractual problems hopefully they will be rersolved shortly."

Encouragingly, he clearly now sees his future at Ewood. "Definitely. If I had to put it into percentage terms I would say there's an 80 per cent chance of me staying.

"I have no reason to want to go."

The skipper will miss the FA Cup tie against Sunderland and the Premiership game with Spurs after picking up an extra one-game suspension because Saturday's dismissal was his second of the season.

He suggested he might ask for the video of the incidents to be reviewed, and that was being considered. But the success rate for such 'appeals' is not high.

Meanwhile, Kidd was delighted with Saturday's performance, and the character shown by his players.

"We knew what we were up against if we had had all the aircraft flying," he said.

"They had to play with a lot of discipline and concentration which I think they did.

"Everybody knows what you are going to get from Leeds. I have seen a lot of them, they are a very good team and their commitment and desire is first class.

"For the lads to work that wee bit extra with 10 men was great. Leeds impose themselves on you and if you don't stand up to that you will crumble, even with 11 men."Everybody had to be doing a job and they all did their bit.

"I thought Ashley Ward did tremendously well for his debut. The way he worked like all the players did was terrific.

"At the back, John Filan's handling was superb. And when he came to clear things up - smashing.

"But it's not about individuals.

"If you are successful in football it's a team effort. That's when you win things."

Rovers have now been unbeaten in seven games since Kidd's appointment and it was his first signing Keith Gillespie who proved to be Saturday's matchwinner. The former Manchester United and Newcastle winger grabbed his first goal for the club and said: "It was a great feeling and even better that it turned out to be the winning goal.

"But, actually, I mis-hit the shot. It came off the inside of my foot - and I think it went through somebody's legs on the line.

"The lads all worked really hard, especially when we had a man less. It was difficult when they started pushing the full backs on. Myself and Ashley were playing up front but we had to track back with them.

"But once we got the ball there was then no-one to hit up front.

"Stilll the lads did really well defensively, because for all the possession Leeds had I thought they only really had one chance.

"It was a fantastic result for us."

Speculation at the weekend that Jack Walker has put a blanket ban on Brian Kidd buying from abroad was denied by the club today. But chief executive John Williams explained that the club did prefer to buy British in most cases, even though players at home could cost more.

"There is no instruction to that effect but I think it's an open secret that Jack Walker feels you get better value for money from British players in terms of them settling in more easily etc," he said.

"There is no ban as such but you could say there is a preference, despite the premium on British players."

A few senior players, including goalkeeper Tim Flowers, will get the chance of some much-needed match practice tonight when Rovers Reserves are back in Pontin's League action at Leicester.

Sebastien Perez, expected to attract further interest from Marseille soon, also plays.

The squad is: Flowers, Perez, Croft, Konde, Peacock, Taylor, McAvoy, Fitzpatrick, Woodfield, Thomas, Corbett, Brown, Stewart, Richardson, Topley, Scates.

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