Harford, with the exception of Bohinen, has yet to sign a player capable of lifting the club, and appears content to recruit young talent as it becomes available.Given that Walker's cheque book helped build the club, it is is doubly galling that Newcastle's financial muscle has now delivered a blow to Blackburn. The signings of Billy McKinlay, a possible sop to Dalglish, and Lars Bohinen patently lacked Dalglish's eye for the spectacular transfer coup. Chris Coleman was signed only as a result of an injury to Ian Pearce, Niklas Gudmundsson merely padded out the squad while most of the money generated by David Batty's sale - to Newcastle - was spent on the precocious Garry Flitcroft. Moreover, manager and director were clearly at odds.Harford's signing policy has seemed hurried, in response to criticism rather than one of coherent team building.

The club's new director of football had wanted to bring in Jason McAteer and Alan Stubbs from Bolton, as he felt the side had shown signs of weakness even in their 1994-95 championship campaign.That McAteer chose Liverpool and Stubbs stayed at Burnden Park indicated that Blackburn's golden hue had dulled after Dalglish's elevation. "If it's not broken don't mend it" is Harford's attitude, one that did not find agreement with Dalglish. An abysmal display in the Champions' League combined with a seventh-place finish in the Premiership were seen by some as damning indictments of the inability of Harford - a lauded coach - to handle the demands of management.Few find it easy to comprehend that Shearer - who this week described Walker as a "father figure" - could turn his back on the club that broke the English transfer record in 1991 to buy the Southampton striker, pipping Manchester United to the player's signature.Criticism of Harford has centred on his failure to build on the team he inherited from the charismatic Dalglish. The club that has soared from Second Division mediocrities to Premiership champions due to a combination of Walker's millions and the former Liverpool manager's allure and tactical nous is not quite sure how to handle expensive failure.

Perhaps he is now wondering if the wily Scot had seen the troubles coming, and got out quick to leave someone else to take the strain.Last season would be regarded as a relative success in most quarters, but not at nouveau riche Blackburn. In a local radio phone-in, an overwhelming number of callers blamed Harford for Shearer's departure, although few of the arguments were reasoned.Harford wanted the job of manager when Dalglish moved upstairs in the surprise aftermath to winning the title. This week's sale of the prolific England striker, and undisputed idol of Ewood Park, to Newcastle United has sparked discontent in east Lancashire unknown since the steel magnate Jack Walker began heaping benevolence on the club six years ago. In the search for a scapegoat, Harford has been nominated in some quarters one year after he took on another unenviable role: succeeding Kenny Dalglish. Yet Ray Harford's unique - unenviable - circumstances are anything but ordinary, and even with such compensation replacing Alan Shearer has put the unassuming Blackburn manager in a position that none of his counterparts will envy. "If you are an ambitious club then 36,000 is just not enough," he said. In Bangkok yesterday, Faustino Asprilla responded to the threat posed by Shearer by scoring in Newcastle's 2-1 victory over a Thai national XI.

Robert Lee was the other scorer.Manchester United are hoping that Karel Poborsky, their Czech signing, will receive clearance in time to play in a four-club tournament in Nottingham this weekend. United are due to face Ajax on Saturday while Forest play Chelsea, with the winners meeting on Sunday. Poborsky is set to join his new team-mates in Milan today for a friendly against Internazionale.Everton have signed the goalkeeper Paul Gerrard from Oldham for pounds 1.5m. Joe Royle, the Everton manager, returned to his former club to buy a player whose arrival could signal the departure of Neville Southall. Royle moved for the 23-year-old after Leeds beat Everton to sign Crystal Palace's Nigel Martyn for pounds 2.1m last week.Sheffield Wednesday are poised to complete the signing of Wayne Collins from Crewe for pounds 600,000. However, the arrival of Attilio Lombardo from Juventus for pounds 4m has been put back 24 hours because the player is required by his club for a friendly in Switzerland.. The stellar sum of pounds 15m would, in normal circumstances, be considered a godsend by most managers.