ROY HODGSON'S hopes of an injury-free run-up to the new campaign has received a severe setback with three influential stars set to miss the start of the season.

Tim Flowers and Colin Hendry have already undergone surgery and are definitely out while Henning Berg is struggling with an ankle injury picked up on international duty for Norway.

While it is a body blow to Hodgson's pre-season plans it will give his new recruits an early chance to make an impression - with giant Aussie John Filan a sure starter as understudy to Flowers in goal.

Hodgson will be hoping that Flowers will only miss at most three games, but Filan is experienced, having made 17 first team appearances for Coventry City.

The club is no stranger to injuries as Hodgson's Ewood Park predecessors will testify. Since they won the league title in the 1994/95 season, they have, at one time or another, had to battle on without Kevin Gallacher, Chris Sutton, Jason Wilcox, Ian Pearce, Chris Coleman and Paul Warhurst who have all suffered lengthy injuries.

Welsh international Coleman is still three weeks off resuming full training while Warhurst, who joined Crystal Palace this week, left mainly because he could not command a first team spot due to his horrific injury problems which included two broken legs.

But unlike Ray Harford and Tony Parkes, Hodgson has sufficient cover because of his shrewd summer signing spree and both Patrick Valery and Stephane Henchoz can step in to cover for Hendry and Berg.

Fit-again Ian Pearce will also be staking a claim for a first team spot when Rovers' Premiership campaign kicks off against Derby County on August 9.

Another player to leave Rovers this week was Matty Holmes who returned to the capital for a cut price £250,000 when he joined First Division Charlton Athletic. In two seasons since joining from West Ham for £1.2 million, the left-sided midfield player made only eight full appearances.

Cartoon of Roy Hodgson by Gary Watson.

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