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Billy set for debut
From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Tuesday 24th Oct 1995.
BILLY McKinlay looks set to make his full debut for Blackburn Rovers at Watford tonight and the Scottish international is eager to impress his new employers.
McKinlay, a £1.75 million signing from Dundee United, is the likliest candidate to replace Lars Bohinen in the attacking midfield role for tonight's Coca-Cola Cup third round tie at Vicarage Road, though he faces competition from Paul Warhurst.
And he is keeping his fingers crossed that he gets his chance, after being on the substitutes' bench in two previous games.
McKinlay (pictured above) wasn't used against Southampton but made his first appearance in a blue and white shirt at West Ham on Saturday and he said: "Although we left it late, we still got a result and that was pleasing.
"It was good to get on and to get a draw, because you don't want to be beaten on your debut."
Both manager Ray Harford and point-saver Alan Shearer praised McKinlay's contribution at Upton Park but the Scottish international said: "I wouldn't say that I made that much difference.
"There are so many good players here that someone is always likely to do something.
"But I have settled in well, everybody has been very helpful to me."
Meanwhile, Mike Newell is NOT a £1.2 million target for Bolton Wanderers as claimed in some reports today.
In fact, the Blackburn Rovers striker could well feature in tonight's Coca-Cola Cup third round tie against Watford at Vicarage Lane.
And Rovers' own transfer ambitions do not seem to have made much progress, with John Collins apparently not as desperate to get away from Parkhead as seemed the case a few weeks ago.
Newell, unable to claim a regular first team place at Ewood, has had discussions with Rovers boss Ray Harford about his situation.
But the club are most unlikely to consider letting any senior players go until around Christmas, when their Champions' League fixtures have been completed.
Besides, Bolton today made it clear that the stories were nonsense, with the word used to describe them by a source very close to Burnden Park unprintable in a family newspaper!
"We won against Southampton and got a good result at West Ham and if results are right, then everything else takes care of itself.
"I just have to try to impress and establish myself here."
McKinlay could get that chance tonight, because Bohinen has played for Nottingham Forest in the second round of the competition.
Ironically, McKinlay has also played in the Coca-Cola Cup this season - but that was in the Scottish version for Dundee United and doesn't count in England.
Warhurst is also a contender but he was a big disappointment when he filled the role in Poland last week, both Bohinen and McKinlay being ineligible for the Champions' League.
Rovers boss Ray Harford will not name his team until shortly before the 7-45pm kick-off but he expects a tough game.
"It will be Watford's cup final, a big game for them and a hard game for us," he said.
"But I feel we are a bit more stable now which is exactly what we will need going into a game like this."
In the LFA Youth Cup, they are at home to Everton with a date yet to be fixed.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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