Stephen Warnock has left for Aston Villa.

It is with great sadness I bid Stephen Warnock farewell as he leaves for Aston Villa.

He has officially signed for the Midlands club tonight to end weeks of speculation surrounding his future.

For once, I can fully understand the decision of one of our top players to move on. Warnock has always been loyal to Rovers, given 100 per cent and repaid the faith shown in him when he was signed by the club by becoming one of our best players.

Moving to Villa at a time when the club are in a position to challenge higher up in the table represents a good career move for the defender and I wish him well. It will also bode well for his England ambitions as, with Rovers, England careers are a practical impossibility.

With the sad news of Warnock’s departure comes the better news of Big Sam’s latest recruitment, Pascal Chimbonda. I’m assuming Allardyce made sure the signing of Chimbonda was wrapped up before the sale of Warnock was officially sanctioned, and I hope the money from the sale of Warnock will be used to strengthen even further.

Chimbonda is a good defender. A solid performer with proven Premiership credentials. He has signed from Spurs for about £1.5-million.

Stephen Warnock

My dad runs a dry-lining firm (anyone in the north west wants some dry-lining doing, let me know), and his firm will be dry-lining David Dunn’s new castle mansion palace house.

He was over there on Friday chatting with the Rovers midfielder and, although it’s no secret something’s going on, Dunny told him he reckons Stephen Warnock is on his way to Villa.

I know it’s not the most ground-breaking, shocking secret ever to emerge from Ewood Park, but, horses mouth and all that…

It’s been in the news today that the left back, who has been a revelation since reviving his career at Ewood, was left out of the Sunderland game because he ‘wasn’t in the right frame of mind’ because of the constant talking about his future.

Now, it seems, we may be resigned to losing him. Which is sad. Warnock is one of those players that seems like a genuine nice guy. Not someone who’s in it for a year only to take the money and run. One for the fans to love.

In other news, The Rovers Return has been given the highly-prestigious honour of being Wsn.com‘s best independent Rovers blog. I’d like to thank God, I’d like to thank my daddy…

Franco Di Santo could be on his way

I keep holding off posting in the hope I’ll have a nice new striker to write about. Unfortunately, that day is still yet to come.

It doesn’t mean there has been no press coverage though, we have been linked with half of the football world this summer.

We’re still in the hunt to take Franco Di Santo on loan from Chelsea. It’s a win-win situation if we can get hold of the lad. He’s obviously a talent, although I know very little about him, you have to be to survive in Chelski’s youth set up.

If we can bring him in it will benefit us for the time he’s here, his own personal development by surely playing on a regular basis, and ultimately Chelsea who will see if he’s worth keeping hold of. On the other side if he turns out to be shite we can just not play him and it’s no big deal.

Other strong links at the weekend were made regarding Zenit St Petersburg’s Pawel Pogrebnyak (how much will that be to get on the back of your shirt). Apparently the 25-year-old turned us down in January but could now be keen on a move to the Premiership.

The success of Russian Arshavin at Arsenal proves that players from that part of the world can adapt to play in the Premier League quickly and I think he’d be a good acquisition, and at £9-million he’s about the cheapest ‘biggish name’ player we’ve been linked with yet.

Today, Sky Sports say we are after Algerian Kamel Ghilas who plays for Spanish second division side Celta Vigo (what happened to them?!) and may well have the ‘hump’ (get it – camel… Never mind) at not playing in the top flight. He scored 13 goals last season and reports suggest we’ve already agreed to pay £1.7-million.

On the defensive front we are reportedly looking into signing Pascal Chimbonda. The player who set the world on fire at Wigan is on his way out of Spurs. He’s only 30 and would complete a very strong looking defensive team with plenty of competition for places! I would imagine Sam will try and take him on loan though if possible.

We’re out of the race for Zigic, who wants to stay and fight for his place at Valencia.

In outgoing developments, Keith Treacy has gone out to Sheffield United and already voiced his desire to stay, so I will, here and now, voice my desire for him to stay in Sheffield. Apparently Van Heerden can play anywhere across midfield, so if he can provide adequate cover on the left wing I am satisfied.

Also, Warnock has been linked with a move to Aston Villa, which comes as little surprise. But to me, Warnock comes across as a genuine guy who seems to really like playing at Rovers and has won the fans over since we rescued his career from the brink of oblivion at Liverpool and I can’t see him leaving.

Come on Sam. It’s 18 days to the start of the season. Give me something to look forward to!

“Stephen Warnock yesterday made a gesture that will live long in my memory, and I’m sure I speak for countless Liverpool fans who feel very much the same.

“As he walked across the Anfield turf, carrying a floral tribute from his club Blackburn Rovers to our ninety-six victims, he was walking through an atmosphere heavy with the kind of emotions that really should never have been present inside any kind of sporting venue.

“It’s always a difficult time of year. But this year the anniversary of Hillsborough somehow feels more intense.

“Stephen battled back from two broken legs during his time as an Academy player for Liverpool, eventually breaking into the first team right at the beginning of Rafael Benítez’s time as Liverpool boss.

“He made 67 appearances for the club but was unable to convince Benítez to make him a regular first-choice, at a time when few players could describe themselves as first-choice. His competition on the left-hand-side of the pitch included John Arne Riise, Fabio Aurelio and Mark Gonzales.

“He nearly moved to Blackburn when Liverpool made an offer for Lucas Neill – he’d have been used in part-exchange – but when Lucas chose higher wages and a relegation battle over a move to Anfield that move fell through. But by then Blackburn were very interested in Warnock, and Warnock was craving regular first-team football, so it was only a matter of time before he moved there.

“Perhaps if the Champions League “home-grown” quota rules had been in place at the time his career would have gone a different way and he’d have stayed at Anfield, but he is happy at Blackburn.

“However, as a Liverpool player from the age of 11, he knows, understands and feels just what the anniversary means.

“And the Liverpool supporters know he does.

“He walked over to the Kop, and placed the tribute, a “96″ made up of red flowers on a background of white flowers, in front of them. The Kop isn’t just the stand; it isn’t just the people in that stand on a particular day. The Kop has been there a long time.

“And it knew what it meant that Stephen Warnock had walked over on behalf of his new club to pay tribute. He applauded the Kop, they sang his name, and another special moment had happened in the name of the ninety-six we lost.

“Thanks Stephen.”