BLACKBURN Rovers are facing a serious fixture pile up if they beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup on Monday night.

Chief executive John Williams today admitted the Ewood club may already have to face Charlton as well as Manchester City in the last week of the season due to international call ups.

And should Rovers beat Bobby Robson's men on Monday then that could plunge the club into further fixture congestion over the vital Easter period.

Rovers were already a game behind most of their promotion rivals before this weekend's First Division clash with Norwich was called off due to Cup commitments.

And the Easter clash with Charlton could be affected because of international call ups with Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Denmark all set for action on April 26.

Further Cup progress could mean more rearrangements, leaving Rovers facing a punishing schedule as they fight for a play off spot.

But Williams today accepted that's the price a team must pay for success in the competition.

"It's inevitable we'll have a bit of a fixture problem if we win on Monday night - that's a consequence of success," said Williams.

"But then I'd be delighted to have to sit down and discuss that problem with Tom Finn and Tony Parkes if it meant we won. "It's already possible we could have Charlton as well as Man City to play in the last week of the season because of international friendlies.

"So any fixtures we lose between now and the end of the season are going to become more and more difficult to fit in.

"But we'll just have to deal with these things as they happen."

Meanwhile, Rovers were given a boost in their behind closed doors friendly with Bradford City yesterday when Garry Flitcroft and Billy McKinlay stepped up their comebacks.

Both players lasted more than hour in what proved to be a very productive exercise, despite the 4-0 scoreline.

But Rovers' Youth Team crashed out of the Times FA Youth Cup last night as current holders West Ham United underlined their tag as competition favourites with a crushing 4-1 win.

Two goals apiece for strikers Jermaine DeFoe and Richard Garcia booked the Hammers a fifth round tie against Middlesbrough at Upton Park.

And Rovers boss Rob Kelly admitted the occasion seemed to get the better of his players on the night.

"It was very, very disappointing," said Kelly.

"The fear you have with young players is that they build it up as a big game in their minds and, as much as we try to play it down, unfortunately a significant number of our lads froze. "We were beaten by a better team on the night - there's no doubt about that.

"But it tells us a lot of things about the players.

"If they are going to play at the level we demand and ask of them then they've got to handle playing at Ewood, under floodlights, in front of people.

"It's the next stage in their development and it's something we've got to get over.

"It happened to us last year in the Youth Cup but we then went on to the Academy final and handled it much better.

"Players have got to relish coming playing at a place like Ewood, not fear it.

"And I felt one or two of our lads got caught in the headlights a bit last night."

Elsewhere, Monday's FA Cup opponents Newcastle returned to England last night after a four-day break in Spain.

And former England midfielder Rob Lee looks set to be fit to rejoin Bobby Robson's squad in time for the eagerly anticipated clash.

Striker Duncan Ferguson has also been given a timely boost with the news that the Scottish FA are ready to hand him an olive branch. The former Everton forward retired from the international scene in 1997 after a bust-up with the SFA over his 12-match ban for headbutting Raith's John McStay.

But new SFA chief executive David Taylor insists that the door to international football remains open for Ferguson and he believes Robson could play a significant role in his return to Craig Brown's team.

"Craig speaks to Duncan Ferguson's manager at Newcastle, Bobby Robson, on a regular basis and this would be the route for a return," said Taylor.

"If Robson has an influence and the player has a willingness to come back then he will be made welcome. Things are changing at the SFA."

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