Day of Judge-ment at Ewood Park

As swansongs go, they don’t come much bigger for Alan Judge than Manchester City’s visit to Ewood Park today.

Although the 25-year-old Irish winger realises he’s on his way out the Blackburn Rovers door in the coming days, he’s determined to leave on loan with another cup scalp pocketed. Judge, who was only two years old when his father Dermot lifted the FAI Cup for Bray Wanderers in 1990, was in the Notts County side that travelled to the Stadium of Light two years ago and shocked Sunderland at the same third round stage of the FA Cup.

With Blackburn back in the Championship promotion hunt following a run of just one defeat in their last six matches, manager Gary Bowyer is set to shuffle his pack for the distraction of this cup tie.

One of those poised to benefit is the former Ireland U21 flanker.

“I’ve not been in the manager’s plans for quite a while now – only coming on as sub last week against Birmingham – so this could be my opportunity,” said Judge. “Manchester City are a world-class team, as their form in the Premier League at the moment proves, but we won’t fear them. I’ve played in a team that caused a cup upset before and big teams can off days. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for them if that happens.”

What started as a dream summer return to Blackburn, the club he developed at as a teen, has turned sour for the Dubliner. Judge was the main casualty of Rovers’ November slump by being shunted to the sidelines for seven weeks until last Saturday’s reprieve.

Bowyer, Judge’s former youth manager at the club, didn’t give the Irishman any reason for the sudden change of direction, only acceding to his request for a fresh start elsewhere.

“I started the first five matches but it went downhill from there,” explained the playmaker nicknamed the ‘Irish Messi’ by Notts County fans during his stay at Meadow Lane.

The manager (Bowyer) told me I have to work hard in training but the team doesn’t get picked based on what you do on the training ground. The manager has the group of players he wants and I don’t see myself, certainly in the short-term, getting back in on a regular basis.

“It’s a horrible situation not playing — and it has to change.”

Nigel Clough’s Sheffield United are favourites to recruit Judge until the end of the season, though he’s revealed some Championship clubs have expressed interest too.

“A move should be sorted by Monday,” he admitted. “I’ve a young family but I don’t mind relocating, if it means I get games. Sure, I went on loan way down to Plymouth during my first spell at Blackburn.

“This isn’t nice but I’m still young and have been through this before. When I left Blackburn first, it took two years at Notts County to rebuild my career and earn a move back to the Championship.

“I’ve still another two years on my Blackburn contract and I don’t see it that I’m finished there. During the loan, I want to show the manager (Bowyer) that I’m up to this level.”

Winning a duel against City’s left-back Alexander Kolarov would be a nice start.