John Collins of Fulham

John Collins, who rejected the chance to play under Graeme Souness at Rangers more than a decade ago, will tonight aim to deal a severe setback to the Blackburn Rovers manager's chances of leading his current club to the Premiership.

In 1990 the midfielder, now player-coach at Fulham, opted against joining Rangers from Hibs during Souness's trophy-laden spell in charge at Ibrox, signing instead for Celtic - the team he supported as a boy. Souness headed to England a year later to take over at Liverpool, and since then his and 33-year-old Collins' paths have rarely crossed.

All that changes tonight at Ewood Park, however, where the two former Scotland internationals will be on opposing sides.

Blackburn are three points clear of Bolton and have a game in hand on their closest rivals for the second automatic promotion spot.

But victory for Jean Tigana's Fulham team tonight would leave them just one win from the top division for the first time since 1968.