Ex-Blackburn striker Graham Fenton admits he is enjoying his brief return to the big time thanks to Blyth Spartans.

Fenton, who spent almost two years with Blackburn from 1995 to 1997, is now assistant manager at Blyth and preparing the Blue Square North strugglers to face his old club.

Part-time Blyth are second-bottom of their division and facing a relegation battle but will forget all that on Monday as they host Premier League Rovers at Croft Park.

It is a reunion Fenton, 34, is eagerly anticipating and memories of his time at Ewood Park are sure to come flooding back.

"It was obviously a good one to get out of the hat," Fenton said.

"When I saw the draw I was over the moon - although we had to get through the replay against Bournemouth.

"Fortunately we were able to do that and it's been good to deal with the other side.

"You don't really have to deal with the media in non-League so it's great to have a little bit of the high life of the Premier League."

Blackburn were champions when Fenton joined them but the former Aston Villa trainee failed to establish himself at Ewood Park and moved on to Leicester.

That move failed to reignite his career and it eventually petered out after stints with Walsall, Stoke, St Mirren, Blackpool and Darlington.

There were highlights, however, not least when he fired a late double to hand Blackburn a dramatic 2-1 win over Newcastle in 1996.

That is something he is constantly reminded of now he is back in his native north-east with Blyth - as it effectively killed off the hopes Kevin Keegan's men had of winning the title.

Yet despite growing up as a Newcastle fan, Fenton has no regrets about that or indeed any other aspect of his career.

He said: "I had a good 20 months at Blackburn, it was a great club to play at under very good management and with fantastic players as well.

"It was a little frustrating only getting nine starts in 20 months but it was still a good experience.

"You can only try your best. I certainly made some bad decisions in my life by signing for certain clubs when I should have taken the safer option but I have no regrets.

"I enjoyed the first part of my career and I am thoroughly enjoying this part."

Fenton's most pressing task now is to help manager Harry Dunn plot a huge upset.

With the clubs separated by 118 league places that would seem an unlikely scenario, but it is one Fenton is not ruling out.

He said: "We've been looking forward to it for a while but unfortunately the league campaign has put a dampener on it.

"The squad have been a little flat but if you can't get up for a game like this you have something wrong.

"In the FA Cup you have always got a chance. If everything goes our way, an error, them being a little bit off their game - you just never know."