BRIAN Kidd is a shock contender for the Carling manager of the month award - after just four weeks in charge at Ewood Park!

The Blackburn Rovers boss took the job on December 3 when the club were rock bottom of the Premiership table.

And he has helped to mastermind a climb out of the relegation zone, with Rovers finishing the month of December unbeaten in 16th place; having taken nine points from their five matches.

The Carling No 1 Awards Panel, who decide on both the manager of the month and player of the month nominations, are currently sending in their votes with the winners expected to be named later this week.

Although he dabbled in management in the 1980s, the Ewood post is Kidd's first major appointment and he could hardly have made a better start, yet in the most testing circumstances.

It would be quite an accolade if he was named for the Carling award, though there is fierce competition from elsewhere, notably Chelsea boss Gianluca Vialli.

The Italian has also led his team to an unbeaten December in the Premiership.

So too has Derby County manager Jim Smith.

But Kidd's credentials are good after making an immediate impact at Ewood.

Although he was not officially in charge of the team against Charlton on December 5 - Tony Parkes choosing the side and giving the teamtalk - it took only a matter of minutes before Kidd had raced down to the touchline from the directors' box to make his presence f elt.

And he was involved from then on. The Carling Awards panel consists of a broad section of representatives from throughout the game, including England coach Glenn Hoddle. Ironically, previous Ewood boss Roy Hodgson was the winner of the managerial prize in his first month in charge of Rovers in August 1997.

That was to recognise his flying start to the season, whereas Kidd - if he was to get the vote - would be honoured for having picked an injury-hit team up off the floor.

Meanwhile, Rovers chief executive John Williams and chairman Robert Coar are expected to attend a Premier League meeting in London later this month to discuss a number of issues, with far-reaching implications for the game in this country.

A meeting of clubs has been arranged for January 28 when it is expected that proposals to reduce the Premiership to 18 clubs could once again be on the agenda. There has been speculation in the national Press that such a move could even be brought in at the end of this season - with as many as five clubs dropping out of the top flight.

But it is difficult to see enough Premiership clubs voting for such a hasty change - not least the ones in the bottom half who are vulnerable.

New signing Ashley Ward will return to his old school, William Hulme GS, this week to relaunch their participation in football after a gap of nearly 70 years.

Ward and Sheffield Wednesday's Andy Hinchcliffe are both old boys who will be at the school on Thursday to end an era during which pupils concentrated on Rugby Union and lacrosse during the winter months.

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