PIRATES LINKED WITH RANKIN BID

BRISTOL ROVERS have been linked with a £400,000 move for Bradford City striker Isaiah Rankin, although the club have insisted that they do not expect to make any new signings in the next fortnight.

Pirates boss Ian Holloway has been using his side's break in fixtures to scout around for new blood to bring to The Memorial Ground in a bid to bolster their Second Division campaign this season.

As part of this scouting mission Holloway visited Ireland last month, to run the rule over a pair of trialists that had been recommended to him in the Eircom League, but he is now reportedly setting his sights closer to home.

Rankin has struggled to establish himself at Bradford since joining them from Arsenal for £1.3 million in 1998, and he has twice been allowed out on loan in the last year, joining Bolton for a spell earlier this season.

It had been reported that Rovers were ready to come in with a bid to resurrect the 22-year-old's career, but vice-chairman Geoff Dunford has stressed: "Ian is out scouting again tonight and he has enquired about a number of players in recent weeks.

"I would say that we are still about a couple of weeks away from signing anybody as we still haven't had time yet to properly assess all the players that we have been looking at."

Rankin is known to prefer a permanent move away from Valley Parade, as he has only recently turned down loan moves to Port Vale and Swindon, and it would seem that this is the only option for Rovers if they want to secure the player's services.