BILLY McKinlay has put pen to paper on a new four-year contract with Blackburn Rovers, taking him through to the summer of 2001.

The Scottish international midfielder, who is set to go to next year's World Cup finals with Ewood team-mates Colin Hendry and Kevin Gallacher, is the latest in a lengthy line of Rovers stars to accept a long-term agreement.

And he said today: "I am delighted to sign this new deal.

"I feel settled with the club where there is clearly a tremendous appetite for success and I look forward to playing my part."

Ewood chief executive John Williams announced the new deal and confirmed the club's policy in safeguarding the future and building for success.

He said: "This is a significant deal for Rovers and is another important step in the progress we are making towards retaining key players to ensure sustained success on the field."

In the wake of the upheaval that has been caused to the game by Bosman, all top clubs have been anxious to secure the services of their most prized assets on new contracts. The alternative is to risk losing them for nothing when their present deals expire.

McKinlay's current contract was up at the end of the season and talks have been taking place between the player and the club for some time.

He joined Rovers from Dundee United in October 1995 for £1.75 million.

Already established as a Scottish international, it wasn't until towards the end of that 1995-96 season that he became a regular for Rovers.

Last season, he struggled to get into the team that plunged to the foot of the Premiership but was recalled by caretaker-boss Tony Parkes and had an immediate impact.

McKinlay has also become a big favourite with the fans who have come to appreciate that there is far more to his game than just being the anchor man and ball winner in midfield.

They revel in his no-nonsense tackling but the Scot's all-round abilities have really blossomed in the past 12 months.

Rovers Reserves are in action tonight when they play Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The squad is: Fettis, Worrell, Whealing, Gill, Coughlan, Reed, Johnson, Andersson, Beattie, Thomas, Staton, Fitzpatrick, Brown, McCallion.

Tickets are selling well for Saturday's game against Chelsea which sees the Premiership's third and fourth clubs in action. They are still available from the Ewood ticket office, prices £16-20. Concessions, where applicable, are £10.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.