KEVIN Davies is set for his home debut for Blackburn Rovers on Friday night with Ewood boss Roy Hodgson claiming the best has yet to come from the £7.25 million new boy.

And it could be a few more weeks before the former Chesterfield and Southampton striker really peaks.

Hodgson, looking forward to Rovers' final friendly against PSV Eindhoven - a rare Ewood pre-season game - feels Davies needs more time than the rest of the squad because of the injuries which wrecked his first Premiership campaign.

"Kevin Davies is getting better and better. With every game he gets fitter," said the Rovers boss.

"He is still lacking some match fitness and sharpness but that is due, of course, to the long lay-off last season when he missed the last six months.

"We probably still won't see the best of him until maybe the end of August or the beginning of September.

"But it's coming with every game."

Hodgson has already lost one of his summer signings, Jim Corbett with a thigh injury. But he is pleased with the way the new boys are settling in - praising Darren Peacock and Sebastien Perez for their performances at Ipswich.

Meanwhile, Hodgson also now has to start chasing a replacement for Colin Hendry who began training with Rangers yesterday after his move was completed. Neither Rovers nor Rangers will disclose full details of the fee, which Ewood insist is £4 million. Ibrox chairman David Murray did reveal that the figure was based on Hendry playing a certain number of club and international games.

But I understand that the bulk of it does not have any such strings attached. Murray admitted: "It's a bit expensive but we believe Colin can bring a lot to this club." The deal was finally done between Mr Murray and Jack Walker, long-time friends and former business competitors.

Hendry said he was "ecstatic" to achieve his dream of playing for Rangers at some stage of his career.

"They are the biggest club in Scotland, arguably Britain," he said. "I told Jack Walker I would never leave Blackburn Rovers for any other club but Glasgow Rangers." Rangers boss Dick Advocaat revealed that he had tried to sign Hendry when he was at PSV - "But we couldn't afford him," he said.

Goalkeeper Tim Flowers has been called up to an England training camp which starts the day after the opening Premiership fixtures on Saturday week. The Ewood star, who misses the first two League games through suspension, is one of four keepers called up by Hoddle.

Arsenal and Liverpool players are absent from the 29-man squad because of club commitments. The players will get together on Sunday, August 16 for two days.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.