D-DAY has arrived for Roy Hodgson as his plans to take Blackburn Rovers into a new era go under the spotlight on Saturday (August 9) when Derby County come to town.

And the new boss will be looking to celebrate his 50th birthday in style with a convincing win against the Rams - and give fans the perfect start to a season that promises so much.

After a long hot summer of transfer activities and pre-season warm-ups the real business of challenging for honours in the Premiership is here - and Hodgson's ability to bring back the glory days to Ewood Park is sure to be under scrutiny.

The former Inter Milan and Switzerland coach has wasted no time in stamping his authority at the club and has bought players he believes can guide Rovers to a European place this season.

How influential those signings turn out to be in the cut and thrust of one of the world's most competitive leagues remains to be seen. But in £2 million striker Martin Dahlin, whose powerful play is well suited to the Premiership, Rovers could have one of the bargains of the season.

While Hodgson will not tolerate second best, he has hinted that it could take a while before he decides on his best 11 - especially with Tim Flowers and Henning Berg out injured, Colin Hendry and Chris Sutton struggling to be fit for the big kick off and skipper Tim Sherwood suspended for the opening three games.

Derby County were one of the sides to heap early season misery on Rovers last year when they won 2-1 at Ewood Park in the opening weeks of the campaign. And in Dean Sturridge they have one of the most dangerous home-grown strikers around in a league packed with foreign talent.

Former Rovers boss Jim Smith, now in charge at Derby County, will be in confident mood that he can ruin Roy's birthday bash.

On Wednesday, August 14, Rovers travel to Aston Villa to take on what could turn out to be the most devastating strikeforces in the league. Summer signing Stan Collymore from Liverpool, Dwight Yorke and Savo Milosevic have been in blistering pre-season form. Brian Little's men have finished in fifth spot for the past two seasons and if his sharp-shooters fire on all cylinders, they could prove to be an outside bet for the title.

A transfer tribunal has decided that Newcastle United must pay £1.5 million for Republic of Ireland international keeper Shay Given while Rovers have been ordered to pay Coventry City £700,000 for his replacement John Filan.

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