"YOU'LL get over it" was the message from Blackburn Rovers star Jason Wilcox to his devastated former Ewood team-mate David Batty today.

Batty has not been blamed as much as red-card villain David Beckham for England's exit at the hands of Argentina, but his penalty miss was still the crucial act on a night of drama.

And Wilcox knows what it's like to be the fall guy in a shoot-out, having missed the crucial spot-kick as Rovers lost to Sheffield United in the quarter finals of the FA Cup five years ago.

That scenario, however, ranks as trivial compared to being the man whose penalty failure helped to destroy England's World Cup dreams.

"He's going to be devastated inside, even though he's putting a brave face on it," said Wilcox, who won an England cap just before Euro 96.

"And I felt so sorry for him last night. At least he had the bottle to take it.

"You feel you have let everyone down by missing the penalty.

"Though it's a lot worse for him than it was for me, there's no comparison really in the circumstances.

"When you have time to think about it, you do dwell on it.

"It might be hard for him while he takes a holiday and he's bound to be thinking about it.

"But he's a happy-go-lucky type, a great lad and once the season has started he'll soon get over it. "And the fact that David Beckham got sent off will probably deflect some of the criticism away from him.

"In fact that seemed to be the case last night.

"These things have happened so often now that no-one really blames players who miss in penalty shootouts.

"It's just your own personal pride, feeling you have let people down."

Batty had joined Stuart Pearce, Chris Waddle and Gareth Southgate on the list of those who had given their best only for it not quite to be enough. But while Argentina celebrated their progress the Newcastle midfielder didn't hide, he was ready to face the music.

"I've never taken a penalty before, since I was a junior, not even in training, and I never thought I'd take one in a shoot-out," said Batty.

"But as soon as the gaffer asked if I was prepared to take one, I said I was.

"I just had positive thoughts in my mind all the time, no negative ones at all and I felt no nerves at all.

"When I knew I would be taking the fifth, I just envisaged stepping up and smashing away the one that would take us through. "All the time that was the only thing going through my mind. It only sunk in that we were out when I saw the Argentinians running past me and to the keeper."

The confidence was not enough, Batty's effort just too close to Carlos Roa, as Paul Ince's had been earlier.

Batty had been late to enter the fray, replacing Darren Anderton seven minutes into extra-time.

From his spot on the bench, he had been able to sum up what was surely the mood of a watching nation.

"We were so brave," he said. "We were down to 10 men but we worked so hard they found it harder to play against 10 than 11.

"I could see how terrified they were of Michael Owen and that showed just how well we played."

The deadline for existing Ewood season-ticket holders to guarantee renewal of their own seats is Saturday, July 4. Anyone requiring further information about season-ticket sales can visit the stadium or call the hotline free on 0321-101010.

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