Division One: Blackburn Rovers v Tranmere Rovers - Peter White's match preview

TONY Grant is hoping that a loan spell across the Mersey with Tranmere can revive his career and, at the same time, help turn round the fortunes of the Prenton Park club.

Everton midfielder Grant will play his second game for the First Division's 'other Rovers' at Ewood tomorrow and believes that it could prove an ideal stage for Tranmere to relaunch their season after a faltering start.

Grant - a lookalike for 'Rodders' from Only Fools and Horses - was tipped to be a major Premiership star in the making when he first emerged at Goodison.

But things have not gone as well as he would have hoped and he is now trying to rebuild.

Appropriately, so are Tranmere after taking only three points from their first six games.

Brian Kidd's side are also looking for a first home win after breaking their duck at Norwich, but Grant is optimistic that Merseyside's third club can upset the odds tomorrow.

He made his debut in a 3-0 defeat at Barnsley last weekend but said: "I enjoyed it, even though it was a bad result.

"Now I'm really looking forward to going to Blackburn.

"That's the perfect place for Tranmere to turn it round. Tranmere are a good club with an honest bunch of lads.

"They just need to turn the corner with their results.

"From what I've seen, there's not much difference between most teams in the First Division and all Tranmere need to do is put a little run together to build some confidence."

Grant will feel at home tomorrow as he sees a number of old opponents from the Premiership and a former clubmate in Craig Short. But he has no regrets about swapping reserve team football at Goodison for a regular, albeit temporary, spot with Tranmere.

"I was keen to go out on loan and get some competitive action," he said.

"It's a chance to show everyone I'm still playing. I still think of myself as a Premiership player but I've been in and out at Everton over the years."

Another new Tranmere man, who also appeared for the first time at Barnsley, has already been selected once (as a sub) against Rovers this season.

That's striker Wayne Allison, who signed on loan from Huddersfield last week before completing a £250,000 move on Monday. Allison is a more permanent addition to manager John Aldridge's squad and can prove a handful for any defender.

Lack of first team opportunities at his hometown club, where Clyde Wijnhard and Marcus Stewart are forging a useful partnership, forced him to consider leaving and Tranmere needed some presence up front.

"There wasn't an opportunity for me at Huddersfield. These things happen at clubs," said Allison.

"Players have to move on and that's the situation we arrived at.

"At my age, I have to be playing regularly, so, effectively, I have left for first team football."

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