Exclusive, by Peter White

JIM Smith today blasted reports that he is a prime candidate for a return to Ewood Park as the next Blackburn Rovers manager.

The Bald Eagle, said to have shot to the top of Rovers' wanted list by a national tabloid, dismissed the so-called exclusive as "absolute nonsense."

One of Ray Harford's best friends in the game, straight-talking Smith put the report in perspective and made it crystal clear that he intends to stay with Derby County.

"It's absolute nonsense," said the man who was Rovers boss in the mid-1970s.

"They just put names in a hat. Nobody from Blackburn has been in touch with me.

"I am very happy at Derby. There is a job to do here and we want to make progress.

"We are going into a new stadium next year and we want to do it as a Premiership club and then we can go from there." Smith signed a new contract after leading Derby to promotion and the charter agreed by all Premier League clubs prevents Rovers making an approach for any top-flight boss under contract.

If any Premiership managers wanted the Ewood job, they would have to make the first move, presumably by talking to their own chairman, and Smith, clearly, isn't going to do that.

Rovers Reserves entertain Tranmere at Ewood tonight (kick-off 7pm) and the squad is: Given, Reed, Croft, Gill, Coughlan, Broomes, Morgan, Holmes, Beattie, Gudmundsson, Duff, Whealing, Johnson, Chisholm.

The ticket office is open until 7pm tonight, with tickets for Sunday's game against Liverpool still available.

Rovers fans should note that tickets will NOT be available on the day of the game, as it is all-ticket.

Saturday is the last day for sales, if there are any left, and fans are advised to obtain seats as soon as possible.

The players will use Ewood for training tomorrow and, with it being half-term for schoolchildren, have decided to have another of the open days which proved so popular last time. Rovers will train from 10-30am-12 noon and then teams from Darwen Vale and Our Lady and St John will stage a game on the pitch.

The Walkersteel Stand will be open and admission is free.

Rovers' Premiership game at Tottenham (March 29) has been brought forward to Wednesday, January 29 (kick-off 7-45pm) at White Hart Lane.

In the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup, Rovers entertain Blackpool at Ewood on Tuesday, November 12 (7pm).

Jeff Kenna and Shay Given are both included in the Republic of Ireland squad to face Iceland in a World Cup qualifying game at Lansdowne Road on November 10.

And there is a call-up to the Republic's under-21 squad to face Iceland the previous day for young Ewood defender David Worrell.

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