Blackburn Rovers: Fleetwood time change & Ash’s international honour

FLEETWOOD FIXTURE

Rovers have announced a change to the kick-off time for next month’s friendly at Fleetwood Town.

The game at Highbury will now get under way at 7.30pm, rather than the previously advertised 7pm.

The date will remain at Friday, July 21. Ticket details are yet to be released for the game/

It is the first of two matches that weekend, with Rovers due to play Barnsley on Saturday, July 22 (3pm).

They are in action on successive Friday’s, with Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side due to face Stockport County which had already been announced for 7.30pm.

Rovers round off their pre-season matches with a home fixture against Girona on Saturday, July 29 (3pm).

ASH’S INTERANTIONAL SUMMER

Ash Phillips rounded off his international duty by playing 90 minutes in England Under-18s’ draw with Portugal.

The result meant it was hosts Portugal who won the International Tournament of Lisbon trophy after the round robin matches.

Phillips played in all three matches, including captaining the side in the opening game draw with Norway.

He was a late substitute when Neil Ryan rang the changes for the second game, which saw the Young Lions scrape past Australia 3-2.

That meant they went into the final game with hosts Portugal needing a win if they were to come out on top, but the two sides played out a stalemate.

Phillips’ next international action is set to come in October when the Under-19s get their European Championships qualification period under way.

LEEK LEAVES

Rovers Ladies have announced that Ellie Leek will leave the club following the expiry of her contract.

Leek has decided to step away from professional football ahead of the 2023/24 to focus on her career outside of the game.

She played 38 times for Rovers across the course of the last two seasons having joined in August 2021.

Leek scored five times, including matchwinners against Coventry United, Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Sunderland.

A club spokesperson said: “We thank Leeky for her all of efforts and wish her the best for the future.”

HORNETS IN FOR HEALEY

Watford look set to sign former Rovers transfer target Rhys Healey following his departure from Toulouse.

Reports say the Championship club are set to land the 28-year-old on a three-year deal.

Healey missed much of last season with a knee injury, but returned on the final day to score the winner against Monaco.

That would prove to be his final contribution in Toulouse colours however, leaving at the end of his contract.

He scored 39 times in 77 appearances for the club, but looks set to return to the Championship where he previously played for Cardiff City.

Rovers were linked with a move for Healey in 2021.

CARLOS LEAVES CELTA

Carlos Carvalhal, who Rovers spoke with during their managerial search last summer, has left La Liga side Celta Vigo.

Celta secured their La Liga status with a final day win over Barcelona. Carvalhal was appointed as boss on November 2, but despite having a year left on his contract, he has now left the club.

That was the second job of the season for the journeyman boss who was named as Al Wahda FC boss last June. However, he lasted just four games before being sacked in October.

WARNOCK STAYS ON

Neil Warnock, another former Rovers managerial target, has agreed a one-year extension to stay on as Huddersfield Town boss for the 2023/24 season.

The 74-year-old came out of retirement in February for a second spell in charge of the Terriers, having previously been their manager from 1993 to 1995, and guided them to safety in the second tier.

Huddersfield recorded seven wins and four draws in their final 15 matches of the campaign as they moved out of the relegation zone and finished 18th in the table.

Warnock, whose assistant Ronnie Jepson has also agreed a one-year extension, said on Huddersfield’s official website: “After having conversations with (the club’s new chief executive) Jake Edwards, it became obvious that this was going to be a difficult job for me to leave and for anybody new to come into after what we’d built at the end of last season.

“Once I knew that Sharon (his wife) was okay with me continuing, I’ve been fully concentrating on knuckling down to do the best we can in trying to get this great club up the league.”