BLACKBURN Rovers bosses say they hope to have the club's big screen operating by the end of August.

Work has already begun on the foundations for the framework which will hold the screen between the Darwen End and the Walkersteel Stand.

Rovers plan to use the screen at home matches to broadcast a television service which will work hand-in-hand with Radio Rovers.

Ewood chiefs have been given permission to use the screen to beam back up to ten away matches per season when Rovers fans have snapped up their allocation of tickets for the visitors' sections at their opponents' ground. The "Jumbatron" screen is manufactured by Sony and Rovers chief executive John Williams hopes to see it in place in time for the second Ewood home Premiership fixture against Leicester City on August 29.

He said: "The plan is that we lay the foundations, build the framework and then wait for the screen to arrive.

"I understand the screen itself is now in the country after having been manufactured in Japan."

A new media department at Ewood Park will oversee the television and radio service and also co-ordinate Rovers' output on the Internet.

Mr Williams hopes a new club shop on part of the present executive car park will be completed by November ready to open its doors for Christmas shoppers.

The old club shop will be converted into a themed sports bar to be ready in the spring.

The next big project at Ewood is likely to be the building of a new 15,000-seat stand, incorporating a 100 bedroom hotel, to replace the present Walkersteel stand.

Rovers hope to submit plans to Blackburn with Darwen Council for the new structure soon.

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