ALAN Kelly has told Blackburn Rovers ‘save yourselves’ – after warning they can’t afford to rely on their relegation rivals to secure their top flight status.

The former Rovers stopper was on the wrong end of the tightest Premier League battle in history in 1994 when his Sheffield United side were condemned to the drop in the last minute of the final game – and it was left to him to deliver the news.

Kelly’s United had never been in the drop zone all season, like Blackburn Rovers this campaign, and went into their finale expected to stay up with a number of teams needing results to send them down.

Mark Stein’s injury-time winner for Chelsea stunned the Blades though as they ended up losing out in the final day six-team shoot out – the most teams ever involved in an end of season dogfight.

Kelly believes there are more parallels to that season this time round than ever before, with Rovers one of five teams still in danger of joining West Ham in the fall to Championship.

Just one point separates all five as Rovers travel to Wolves tomorrow afternoon and, despite being favourites to survive, Kelly insists his old club can’t afford to take anything for granted.

Even defeat for Rovers at Wolves tomorrow leaves two of Blackpool, Birmingham and Wigan needing wins from tough looking away games to overhaul Steve Kean’s men – but Kelly warns anything can happen.

Kelly said: “I think the first time we were in the relegation zone all season was in injury time of that final game. It just goes to show anything can happen in that last game.

“We were in control of our own destiny that day, like Blackburn are tomorrow, but we were unable to get the result and the five results elsewhere that had to go against us that day, did. We were relegated.

“You look at the games on Sunday and you do expect Blackburn to stay up, but people expected us to stay up. Strange results happen on the final day and the only way Rovers can be sure is by going to Wolves and winning the game.”

Kelly, 42, who spent the last five seasons of his career at Ewood Park, expects Rovers to win the battle at Molineux and insists the club deserve to be in the Premier League.

But, having been forced to experience his Sheffield United pain from the substitutes bench, Kelly expects plenty of twists and turns before teams now their fate tomorrow.

He said: “I remember we were all in the dressing room after we had lost the game 3-2 not knowing whether we were down or not. We were waiting on Ipswich’s game at Blackburn.

“I was the one who walked out of the dressing room to watch a TV screen with the game on and saw the game finish 0-0. I was the one who opened the dressing room door, with some force, and just said to the lads ‘we are down’.

“That is still a vivid memory and something that will live with me forever. It wasn’t just the players, it was the whole staff. There were probably about 35 in the dressing room and after I told them there was just an eerie silence.

“I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone. We were 2-1 up as well and for some reason just kept attacking, even though a point would have been enough. Everything went against us, including Everton coming back from 2-0 down to win, and I’m sure Rovers won’t want to have to depend on what happens elsewhere.”

Kelly also enjoyed a spell as goalkeeping coach at Blackburn Rovers and is now a coach for the Republic of Ireland and Preston’s academy.

He will be watching the battle to beat the drop closely and insists the players have a huge weight of responsibility on their shoulders.

“It isn’t just the players and the coaching staff,” he said. “There are so many people behind the scenes at football clubs who would be affected by relegation and of course the fans.

“I will never forget travelling back to Sheffield that night and the reception we got. It was humbling and you just felt so sorry for those people. They didn’t deserve that.

“I know a lot of people at Blackburn Rovers and I know there are some very good people at the club. The fans are great and hopefully the players realise what a great responsibility they have. Not just for themselves but for the club as a whole.

“I have experienced the better side of final day drama when I was at Preston and hopefully that is what Rovers are celebrating come Sunday night.”

The former Irish international has just set up his own goalkeeping website, www.goalkeepingskills.com, which includes coaching tips, expert analysis and ‘kelly’s Blog’.