BRYAN Douglas has told his former Ewood team mate, Dave Whelan, Blackburn Rovers only have themselves to blame – as the Wigan chairman fears delivering the final Premier League blow.

Whelan knows a draw for Wigan this evening would effectively secure his side’s top flight safety. He also knows it would seal relegation for his other footballing love – Rovers.

While the Latics owner has to be rooting for a win for the club he bought back in 1995, he is the first to admit his celebrations would be dampened by contributing to Rovers’ own downfall.

The 75-year-old, who retains a close affinity to the Ewood outfit he played for between in the 1950 and early 60s, has already admitted the last thing he wants to do is send Rovers down – but close pal Douglas knows the fault lies very firmly at Rovers’ own door.

Whelan, who played 78 times for Rovers in said earlier this week: “Hopefully another three points should keep us up. But one thing I’m really not looking forward to is going to Blackburn.

“I had 10 fantastic years at Blackburn Rovers and I’d hate for Wigan to put them down. But that’s football and maybe it has to be so.”

Rovers legend Douglas, who remains a huge fan of the club having made more than 500 appearances for them between 1952 -1969, has stayed close friends with Whelan from their days together at Ewood.

He often attends Wigan matches with Whelan, when Rovers aren’t in action, and knows how much relegation would hurt the former full back.

Douglas, said: “It would break Dave’s heart if Blackburn Rovers went down, especially if he felt he played a part in. Blackburn are his second club after Wigan.

“It is like me. Because of my friendship with Dave, Wigan are my second club after Blackburn Rovers. It would be a very sad night for both of us.

“Of course it wouldn’t be his fault or Wigan’s fault though. It wouldn’t be this result that sends them down, it would the season as a whole. After a whole season, you can only blame yourselves if you do go down.

“I think Wigan are safe though. I saw them play against Newcastle and they were brilliant. Maybe they could do us a favour?”.

Douglas himself is still hoping Rovers can find a way out of their predicament, although he admits that scenario looks unlikely.

He fears Rovers’ run of just one win from their last seven games could be too much to come back from, but has called for Steve Kean’s men to at least ‘go down fighting’.

He said: “I have to admit I am just so disappointed with the way they have lost games in recent times. I know going to Tottenham is a hard place to go but we didn’t look as though we were going down fighting.

“I was watching that Tottenham game in a public place so I had to bite my lip. I just could not believe that we did not even have a go at them.

“If you approach the game like we did against Tottenham, and one or two others recently, then it seems as you are just accepting relegation. I’m sure that is not the case but that is the impression it gives.

“The first thing we have to do is to go and beat Wigan at home, if we don’t do that we can wave goodbye. Then we have to go Chelsea and get something and we all know that is very, very difficult.

“I want to see Rovers coming out and giving it everything. That is what people want to see. I have said it before but if we are going down, lets go down fighting, not the way we have been in recent weeks.

“People will forgive players if it looks as though they are trying their hardest but anyone has to admit that performance at Tottenham was so very depressing.

“I hope this isn’t our last Premier League game at Ewood Park. I think we all hope something can happen to help us but if is, we have to go down with a show. We have to.”

So what does the future have in store? The view from most Rovers’ fans is worst is still come and, after the last 18 months of Venky’s chaotic ownership, Douglas admits you can’t blame them for thinking that.

He said: “People keep asking me what is going on, they think I’m involved. But I’m not,” he said. “I’m as confused as everyone else. I only see what everyone else sees.

“It is all so depressing because no one knows what is going on. All I can say is you look at the league table and Blackburn Rovers deserve to be where they are, just like Wolves deserve to be where they are.

“If we go down we deserve to go down, it is as simple as that. Like I've said before though, I just want us to at least do it fighting.”