Graeme Souness underlined his determination to sign Hakan Sukur on a permanent basis after he inspired Rovers to a stunning 4-0 victory against Fulham on this day in 2003.

The former Inter Milan star scored twice – his first goals in a Rovers shirt – as Souness made securing Sukur’s signature one of his top priorities that summer.

“I hope Hakan will be with us next year because I think he has just shown us what a good player he is,” said Souness after the 4-0 win at Craven Cottage.

“We’ve yet to sit down and talk about that because, to be fair to him, he hasn’t played a lot of football this year and in the next six games I’m sure we’ll see him improve with each game.

“But I’ve worked with him before and I want to sign him because I know what he’s capable of and I’m a fan.

“I’d like to think we are in pole position anyway because of the relationship I have with him.

“Obviously, he’s very comfortable financially given the football he has played and where he has played it, so I don’t think money is the most important thing in his life.

“He wants to feel wanted, like we all do at times, and he wants to be relaxed and happy at a football club and he feels that with us, because he likes it in England.

“If you look at his track-record, both in the Champions League and international football, that tells you what a good player he is and I was delighted to see him break his duck for us because he’s been through a rough time in the last year or so.”

Sukur’s career in England got off to a bad start when he broke his leg in a training-ground accident shortly after joining the club, before spending two more months out after undergoing hernia surgery.

Sukur was the inspiration behind this victory with two exquisitely taken goals either side of half-time – his first since a move from Parma the previous December. It was the perfect way to silence the Fulham boo-boys who had jeered his every touch as a result of the acrimonious scenes surrounding Turkey’s defeat at the hands of England the previous week.

It wasn’t so much the fact he broke his scoring duck but the manner in which his goals were taken which had Rovers fans drooling.

His first, in the 42nd minute, bore the hallmark of a world class predator as he pulled down a cross and outfoxed a defender before keeping his composure to beat Maik Taylor.

But if that was impressive, it was merely an aperitif compared to his second which had Dennis Bergkamp stamped all over it.

Seizing onto a flick from Andy Cole, the talismanic Turk floated into the box where he cast a spell over the hapless Steve Finnan before caressing the coollest of finishes into the bottom corner.

“Hakan is capable of scoring any type of goal,” purred the Rovers boss.

 Rovers offered little going forward until they scored from their first meaningful attack in the 36th minute, with Lee Clark handling a Garry Flicroft cross, allowing David Dunn to score with customary aplomb from the penalty spot.

The home side never recovered after that as Rovers, and Sukur in particular, began to turn on the style.

His first goal on 42 minutes was a sublime effort, taking down Lucas Neill’s deep cross, before sliding the deftest of finishes under Taylor

Any hopes of a Fulham revival were then well and truly extinguished seven minutes into the second half as Cole won an aerial battle with Finnan before laying the ball into the path of Damien Duff, who raced through on the left and fired a low drive under Taylor.

Just to rub salt into the wounds, the visitors then breached the Londoners’ flimsy defences once again barely 60 seconds later.

Cole’s flick broke to Sukur and the Turkish international did the rest, stroking a low shot into the corner having rounded defender Finnan.