COUNCIL bosses are to decide whether to allow a special memorial garden to built in honour of Jack Walker.

A planning application has been submitted for a statue and a garden paved area within the Ewood Park complex in memory of the late Rovers owner.

The club hope to have everything in place to unveil the memorial in time for the start of the new premiership campaign.

The garden will be created in front of the Blackburn End of the ground.

Work has already started on the specially-commissioned bronze statue of Mr Walker, which, according to the plans, will take centre stage in the memorial area.

The statue will be nine feet tall, and is described as being a 'triumphant pose'.

Rovers' chief executive John Williams said: "The statue itself is now ready for casting.

" I think everyone will like it. It's going to be set in a memorial garden and I think it will transform the whole Blackburn End of the ground.

"It's hard to think of anything which might be a fitting tribute to Jack, but this is probably as good as it gets in terms of the nature of the tribute.

"I think it will provide a place where people can keep in touch with Jack on a match day and even come down and have the odd quiet contemplation during the week."

Council bosses opted not to erect a memorial after club bosses said they would be arranging for a statue to be cast.

Mr Williams and then council leader Malcolm Doherty both agreed at the time of Mr Walker's death last August that is was more appropriate for the club to arrange tributes.

The scheme has the backing of fans, who want something similar to the famous Bill Shankly statue which is situated outside Liverpool's Anfield ground.

Fans have contributed to the cost of the project through a series of donations and the Jack Walker Memorial Fund will remain open over the course of the summer for anyone wishing to make a further contribution.