Jay after more Rovers Game Time

After making his first Blackburn Rovers appearance of the season in his start against Chelsea in the Carling Cup on Wednesday Jay McEveley is looking for further involvement.

Having featured in pre-season up until Wednesday (despite being an unused substitute in a few games this season) Jay had not been involved, so it was good to see him play the full ninety minutes. I have to admit I was surprised, but pleasantly surprised that he played. Jay himself was also surprised, speaking on Radio Rovers he said:

"It came as a surprise to me as the gaffer keeps the team news until very late. So I was quite surprised to get the nod as he told us in training that he wasn't going make too many changes.

"It was brilliant, I haven't played at this level for two years so just to come back at this level and to come back against the champions was a great test for me.

"I thought I came through it ok to be honest, I just needed to find my feet in the first half an hour which is understandable with the pace of the game as I've not been used to it for the last two years."

After making his debut as a 17-year-old in November 2002 in the 2-2 League Cup draw with Walsall he went on to make a further fourteen League and Cup appearances during the 2002-2003 season, but since then he has only made six competitive appearances for Rovers in the three seasons after.

During the past three seasons McEveley has had loan spells with fierce rivals Burnley, Gillingham and Ipswich Town, with most disrupted due to injury. His lack of first team opportunity with Rovers however has also been mainly due to trouble with injuries.

After playing his first competitive match for Rovers on Wednesday since May 2005, in the final game of the 2004-2005 season, with him now fully over his injury worries and fully fit McEveley is looking for further first team activity, with it his intention to stake a claim should he be given a chance:

"The gaffer keeps us fit in training, it is so intense, but it makes everybody in the squad ready when called upon like I was against Chelsea.

"He has also indicated that he needs a big squad this season with all the games, hopefully we can go further in the UEFA Cup so that there are lots of games and I need to be ready to be called upon and hopefully get my fair share of games this season."

Jay is a good footballer, so with Lucas Neill likely to leave be this in January or July and Michael Gray appearing surplus to requirement maybe we have a ready made replacement at left-back already with us in the Rovers ranks.

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