ROY Hodgson has been signed up to join the list of speakers and panellists lined up for Soccerex 98.

The event, the third annual Soccerex conference and exhibition, takes place on April 23 and 24 at the new Stade de France just outside Paris and the Rovers boss's expertise and international experience is seen as a great asset.

There will be a special World Cup flavour to the conference and a wide range of subjects will be discussed including finance, stadium design and management, merchandising, transfers, agents and the shortage of world-class players, resulting in a spiral of transfer fees and wages.

TICKETS for the Premiership game at Southampton on Saturday, February 21 (3pm kick-off), go on open sale from Monday.

They are priced £18 upper tier and £16 lower tier. There are also 'restricted view' seats available at £16 in the upper tier and £14 in the lower.

No concessionary prices are available from Southampton.

TWO Rovers starlets are involved in the bid by England Under-18s to reach the European Championship finals this summer.

Midfielder David Dunn and defender Martin Taylor are in the squad to play Israel in a friendly at Northwich Victoria's Drill Field ground next Thursday.

It will be coach Howard Wilkinson's final warm-up game before the two-legged Euro play-off match with favourites France in March to decide who qualifies for the final stages in Cyprus in July.

England topped their UEFA qualifying group by overcoming Yugoslavia and Russia. Israel proved their credibility by eliminating Germany in the UEFA qualifying round."

Stockport County will host the first encounter with France on March 26 with the return taking place on April 23.

TICKETS for the FA Cup fifth round tie against West Ham at Upton Park next Saturday (3pm) have been on open sale all week.

Any remaining are priced at £20 adults, £11 concessions.

If a replay is needed it will be at Ewood on Wednesday, February 25 (7.45pm).

PONTIN'S League Premier Division football returns to Ewood next Wednesday night when neighbours Preston North End are the visitors (7pm).

LATEST Double Your Money Club £500 winner is W Brennand (Blackburn), number 939A.

The Rovers Return 'bonus ball' prize - carried forward from the Aston Villa game - was worth £600 at this afternoon's match against Spurs.

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