RECORD buy Kevin Davies is so keen to get his Blackburn Rovers career up and running that he will report for training next week.

Roy Hodgson's squad will not officially start pre-season training until July 6.

But Davies plans to check into Brockhall next week to start building up his fitness for the start of the Premiership campaign on August 15.

The £7.25 million buy from Southampton missed the bulk of the second half of last season with ankle and knee injuries.

So he is out to make up for lost time and steal a march on the Premiership's defenders by getting some early miles under his belt.

"I have only been back from holiday for a week but I am going to try and come in next week and start training," Davies confirmed.

"This year has not been particularly good for me with injuries so I want to get back to get my match fitness built up.

"I have been out for so long and haven't played much since January so I want to come back early and catch up."

Davies has already been training on his own with some running and gym work and following his return from a break in the Caribbean said he put himself through "a good hard week." Motivation to train alone is never easy but with the challenges lying ahead at home and abroad for Rovers this season Davies has knuckled down.

"Most footballers find it quite difficult but there is so much incentive for me," added Davies, who plans to go through his paces with some of the Rovers' physiotherapy department before everybody else reports back.

The former Chesterfield striker scored 12 goals in 24 games for the Saints last season to announce his arrival in the top flight.

And his first chance to get on the scoresheet for Rovers could come against Malmo on July 13 on Rovers' pre-season trip to Sweden.

However, that game is unlikely to involve the Scottish trio of Colin Hendry, Kevin Gallacher and Billy McKinlay.

McKinlay is recovering from an operation to repair an abdominal muscle tear, while Hendry and Gallacher are being given three weeks off following their World Cup exertions. The duo have barely had a breather since the end of last season with the Scots having taken in a pre-World Cup trip to America to prepare for France 98.

But Scotland's first round exit means Hendry and Gallacher may link up with the Rovers squad during the Sweden tour with a game against Jonkopping on July 18 a possible date for their first run-out.

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