RAY Harford's job was on the line today, as Blackburn Rovers counted the cost of last night's Coca-Cola Cup exit at the hands of Stockport County.

As a supporters' protest took place outside Ewood Park last night, there was no significant comment from Jack Walker or the board inside the ground.

And Rovers chairman Robert Coar declined to comment on the crisis situation today, other than to confirm that the events of a bitterly-disappointing evening would be discussed.

Harford himself, understandably, did not feel he was in a position to talk about his own future. That lies in the hands of others. But the manager's situation will, inevitably, be the focal point of talks by those in power at Ewood over the next couple of days.

And the increasingly forceful demands of supporters for a change of manager could well be answered. Harford has spoken openly about his position in the past few weeks, as the club have staggered from one crisis to another, still without a single victory in their worst-ever start to a League season. Last night's embarrassing defeat by Second Division Stockport could prove to be the final straw.

I do not believe that Rovers have started casting the net for a possible successor to Harford - primarily because they have not yet taken the decision to part company with a manager who had the "impossible" task of following Kenny Dalglish.

But that might not be far away.

Drastic action is certainly needed to halt the freefall back into the Football League and there seem to be few other options open than to try a change of direction from the manager's chair.

The fact that the next game is away from home - at West Ham on Saturday - may ease some of the pressure on taking an immediate decision.

For it is at Ewood where the major problems have arisen, on and off the field.

But the fans demand answers as to what the club intend to do about the present crisis.

And they want them now.

Teesside contacts today claimed that Rovers have been in talks with Middlesbrough about Nicky Barmby, who is believed to be unsettled at the Riverside Stadium.

But the present situation at Ewood suggests that transfer dealings might have to take second place for the time being.

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