Yorke given shock recall at Blackburn

LONDON: Dwight Yorke has been given a shock recall to the Blackburn squad —  after it seemed his Rovers career was over. Former Manchester United striker Yorke was left out of Blackburn’s pre-season tour of Germany and has been training with the reserves. But the 32-year-old was included in a 17-man party for yesterday’s friendly at Stockport County.

Boss Graeme Souness revealed that Yorke was sixth-choice striker at Ewood Park —  before he sold Andy Cole to Fulham. It is possible that Yorke, a former team-mate of Cole’s at United and Rovers, has now moved up the pecking order but it is clear all is not well between manager and player. “His social life has taken over from the business side,” Souness said before the German tour. “I have Jon Stead, Andy Cole, Matt Jansen, Paul Dickov and Paul Gallagher —  that’s five strikers.” Souness, who signed Yorke from Manchester United for ?2 million two years ago, was involved in a training ground bust-up with the striker in March.

The Rovers manager added: “Unfortunately, although the lad might not see it now, he will be 40 one day and he will be unhappy with himself because he did not give it everything he should have done. “Once that time has gone, it has gone forever and, take it from one who knows, the best days of any footballer’s life are when you are playing. “He will regret it one day, and he will have to live with that. When we do fitness tests on him he is up there with the best. But sadly, there is no test you can do on his head to make him fully focused. “I have been around long enough to never say never, but he is now sixth choice as we stand today —  and that’s the reality of the situation.”

However, Yorke still blames his manager for the souring in their relationship. He said: “Souness came over the top of me in a tackle during training. He could have broken my leg. “I still have the scar on my shin to show what happened. From that moment, I just lost all respect for Souness. We have hardly spoken a word since —  apart from the occasional ‘Good morning’ if we pass each other in the corridor.”