AS the Premier League bubble draws ever closer to the brink of bursting point, Blackburn Rovers are doing all they can to ensure the long-term future is bright at Ewood Park.

Clubs on the verge of administration, average players demanding exorbitant wages, ridiculous price tags being paid almost at will – the world’s so-called best league becomes more like a soap opera every day with the ending not necessarily happy.

Rovers travel to the latest Premier League club prepared to throw money into ensuring top flight survival today, with West Ham’s new owners David Gold and David Sullivan the Londoners’ supposed saviours, with a very different outlook on life.

They may still be on the look-out for a last-minute gem in the ever-increasing farcical finale to the January transfer window but, with a healthy crop of young stars breaking onto the first team scene, Rovers fans can at least be secure in their own club’s future.

Never have so many average players moved for so much money as over the last couple of years in the Premier League.

Rovers will hope the emergence of the likes of Martin Olsson, Steven Nzonzi, Nikola Kalinic and Junior Hoilett will help them to buck the trend.

Allardyce has never had the reputation of giving ‘youth too much of a chance’ in the past, but with his current starlets and the arrival of 20-year-old Algerian Amine Linganzi, Big Sam knows these days if you are good enough, you are old enough.

Allardyce said: “Most of us managers are finding life exceedingly more difficult because of the financial situation football is finding itself in. Footballers are becoming more expensive and it is more difficult to do this job because of the financial constraints.

“You look at what has happened at Portsmouth and in the past Leeds United - they have shown once you get in that position it is virtually impossible to get out of it.

“The transfer window is a limited market, more limited than ever before and that makes players more expensive. We only have a certain pot. We do deal in millions but sometimes it is not enough to get what we want.

“It is very important for a club like ours in its limited spending now. Its financial restraints means it is important players like these continue to have an impact in the team.”

Why break the bank bringing in ordinary squad players when you can rely on the emergence of a talented group of young, hungry players making their way in the game?

Their belief in their own youth system is growing all the time as well, especially after seeing their academy dump Manchester United out of the FA Youth Cup on Thursday night, with their 11th position in the Premier League showing they are already showing signs of heading in the right direction.

Allardyce said: “There are a lot of bright youngsters breaking through into the team and they are making the older boys look over their shoulder and realise their places aren't so secure with the younger ones challenging for the places.

“As this league gets ever more impatient, one of the big problems as a manager is coping with the pressure that is brought by the demand for instant results and instant performances and then finding out what money you had available five years ago doesn’t get you that much today.

“Players that cost you £2million then cost you £6m and players that cost you £6m cost you £12m and what would cost you £12m will cost you £25m and we don’t go into that market.

“It was a tremendous result for our young lads on Thursday night. The biggest club in the world with a youth development policy bigger than anyone, they scour the world for talent, and we beat them comfortably in the end. Hopefully some of those young lads will make their way into the first team.”

An increasing polarisation between the rich and poor in the ‘beautiful game’ leads many to fear a disappearance of real competition in the Premier League.

But as Rovers bid to push into the top half of the table, with a rare away win this afternoon, the Rovers boss believes the promise of youth is ultimately their best chance of defying the odds.

“You want to be winning,” said Allardyce. “We do this game for winning games of football, we do what we do to experience success because that is why we do it.

“We can not produce that type of finance so building your own youngsters is very important for us and that means you have a squad capable of competing at the highest level on a consistent basis.”