BLACKBURN have allayed fears that £5 million striker Chris Sutton sustained a broken leg in Saturday's friendly defeat at Colchester.

Sutton, expected to lead the Blackburn attack in the wake of Alan Shearer's departure, was taken to hospital with an ankle injury but Rovers assistant manager Tony Parkes said yesterday: "It's definitely not a broken leg and the injury is not as serious as first thought, just soft tissue damage.

Sutton, a 21-goal success in his first season at Ewood, had a nightmare year as Blackburn faltered in their title defence, failing to score a league goal and losing his place alongside Shearer to Mike Newell.

With Newell departed as well as Shearer, Sutton is expected to reclaim his place after missing practically the second half of last season.