BLACKBURN Rovers have taken around 13,000 season-ticket renewals so far, with two and a half months still to go to the big kick-off in August.

That represents two-thirds of last year's total record-breaking sale of 19,000-plus and the club will expect another surge if and when manager Ray Harford can make one or two major signings.

Speculation in the national newspapers about Alan Shearer and the lack of transfer market activity may well have had an influence on the number of renewals.

But it would have been unrealistic in any case, following last season's disappointing efforts to defend the title, to expect the early response to be as great this time around.

Sales hit an all-time high last summer in the wake of the club's first championship success for 81 years.

The previous close-season saw around 15,000 tickets sold and that figure could well be surpassed, especially with some success in the transfer market. One area of sales which has proved popular is the pay-as-you-watch, direct-debit scheme.

A club spokesman said: "We have had only a few hundred cancellations and enlisted more than 1,000 new names wishing to pay by direct debit.

"The deadline for registration has passed. But, if there are still any supporters who would like to join the scheme, they should contact the club and we will do our best to accommodate them."

Season-ticket applications are being processed at the moment, with transfers to be dealt with next week.

But new applications are continually being taken at the ticket office.

QPR forward Trevor Sinclair has gone on record to say that he is quite happy to stay at Loftus Road if that is what Rangers want.

Rovers have been keeping a watching brief on Sinclair's situation - with several other clubs believed to be interested - but there have not been any signs so far that relegated Rangers are about to sell. They are, however, expected to have new owners soon and things could change when someone else takes over.

Rovers won't close any doors until they have to, but, with no apparent movement over the former Blackpool player, their attentions have been mainly focussed abroad in recent weeks.

Kevin Sheedy, a Rovers youth team coach, was set to join Tranmere Rovers as reserve team manager today.

Sheedy, who has been assisting Alan Irvine with the development of the club's young players, will link up with the new management team of John Aldridge and Ray Mathias at Prenton Park.

Mathias was reserve team boss before stepping up to assistant manager.

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