Brolin, Blake seek recalls

TOMAS BROLIN and Nathan Blake hope for the chance to make an FA Cup fourth round impact tonight if Burnden Park beats the latest threat of snow.

The tie was one of II casualties on the original date and there is renewed concern about conditions as clubs prepare to clear the backlog over the next 48 hours.

Bolton's undersoil system will ensure the pitch is playable but secretary Des McBain admitted. The amount of snow we get will, determine whether there is likely to be a problem with the terracing.

Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson meanwhile may be forced to think again after leaving out £4.5 million Brolin for Saturday's 3-0 Premiership defeat at Aston Villa.

And Welsh international Blake could be back for Bolton in place of injured John McGinlay after being left out of Saturday's 3-1 setback at Blackburn after his failure to score in seven games following a £1 million move from Sheffield United.

McGinlay, the club's top scorer for the past three seasons limped off at Ewood Park after taking a kick on a calf and manager Colin Todd does not hold out too much hope. Todd, however, remains defiant despite Bolton being written off as relegation certainties.

History shows Manchester City (1926), Leicester (1969) and Brighton (1983) all won through to Wembley and were relegated in the same season.

Bolton, who went down by two goals when Leeds crossed the Pennines over Christmas, could have defenders Gerry Taggart and Andy Todd back in contention after injury, while Icelandic defender Gudni Bergsson has been freed from an international tournament in Malta.

Brolin will be in the Leeds squad after disappointing performances from Brian Deane and Rod Wallace at Villa Park and his chances of a recall improved when Tony Yeboah reported back from African Nations' Cup duty nursing ankle and thigh injuries.

Phil Masinga is in the running for a place in the attack on his return from Africa and Wilkinson said of Brolin "Tomas will be in the squad and has a chance of playing. He, like me, hopes his settling in period is as short as possible and that he is playing and contributing as fully as he can to Leeds United's success."

Gary Kelly, David Wetherall, Mark Ford and Paul Beesley are available after suspensions but defender Richard Jobson could be sidelined for up to two months with a knee ligament injury and versatile John Pemberton will miss several weeks with severe leg bruising.