SAM Allardyce wants his Blackburn Rovers side to become the Premier League’s bogeymen as he looks to build on the Ewood Park fear factor.

The Rovers boss was delighted with the manner of his side’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Saturday and is relishing the thought of his side becoming the team everyone wants to avoid.

Their battling display at the City of Manchester Stadium led to the inevitable accusations of ‘long ball merchants’ and ‘bully boys’ from some quarters, but Allardyce won’t be phased by the critics.

He insists his team will continue to play to their strengths and isn’t about to let the usual ‘rubbish’ divert him from his game plan.

“Are we a side that no-one wants to play now? I hope so,” said Allardyce.

“It brings us some adverse publicity at times because we get the old Sam Allardyce long ball, all that rubbish. But we play to our strengths if they’re needed.

“We didn’t play long ball on Saturday, we played through midfield when we could. We played up and in behind when we had to.

“Robbo knocked some great long balls into the box and Chris Samba uses his aerial power. You use the assets you’ve got and we used them very well today to get a result.

“We hope that puts a little bit more fear in everybody else that has to play us.”

Former Rovers boss Mark Hughes brings his Fulham side to Ewood Park on Saturday, looking to become just the sixth team to win at Ewood in a Premier League match in Allardyce’s 21-month tenure.

Fortess Ewood was the major driving force in Rovers securing a top half Premier League finish last time round, with their away form a huge disappointment for the club.

Allardyce is now targeting a turnaround on their travels, while continuing their home form, and believes Saturday’s draw at big-spenders Manchester City is the ideal platform to build on.

The Rovers boss said: “We’ve managed to create that fear factor at home.

"Since I’ve been here I think in nearly two years we’ve lost only six at home.

“So we’ve created that little bit of fear from the opposition coming to play us at Ewood.

“If we can be hard to beat away from home then we can start having a good run of results and start looking at where we can go this season.”

Meanwhile Ryan Nelsen is expected to be fit for Fulham’s visit on Saturday, but Michel Salgado remains a doubt after injuring his thigh.