Dalglish for the England job?)

But you'll have to hurry to grab the 7-1 on offer in midweek. Dalglish, Rovers' Director of Football, was out with the washing at 100-1 for the national manager's job only a couple of weeks ago. Now the bookies are running scared as some shrewd money is being piled on.

And some of that money has come from a handful of those closest to him. Not that Kenny has been giving much away. It's just that the lads who know him best can see him accepting the final challenge of a star-studded career as player and manager.

Kenny hasn't many mountains left to climb. But the England job is certainly one of them. The Republic of Ireland job? Not a chance - especially after the way the soccer hierarchy treated Big Jack and his assistant Maurice Setters.

Local bookies have been taking quite a few bets on Dalglish after Terry Venables announced his intention to quit the hot seat in the summer. Says Darwen bookie Steve Doran: "He was any price a couple of weeks ago. Now he's down to around sixes; sevens for a good bet."

Howard Wilkinson is favourite at 2-1 with Gerry Francis at 9-4. Then it's Bryan Robson at 7-2 and up to 7-1 Dalglish with Kevin Keegan, Glen Hoddle and Frank Clark also in the running.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife concerning the impending transfer to Newcastle of David Batty.

Rovers are denying that the midfielder is for sale, though it would not come as the surprise of the century if Batty did go as his astonishing confrontation with Graeme Le Saux against Spartak Moscow is still fresh in the memory.

Batty was earmarked for £3.5 million move to the North East with out-of-favour skipper Tim Sherwood also set to leave and join Arsenal in a £3 million deal.

But Jack Walker, who has a final say on all transfers, is believed to have put a block on the moves saying he is not willing to sell to any of Rovers' nearest rivals.

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