BLACKBURN ROVERS will not be signing Newcastle defender Robbie Elliott due to the player's medical history. Blackburn's move for the 22 year old was called off late yesterday after they made a revised offer for the player which took the findings about his fitness into account.

Club chairman Robert Coar said. "We have withdrawn from negotiations to buy Robbie Elliott.

"Having had the opportunity to study the player's medical records in detail, we made a substantial offer to Newcastle but it was rejected.

"The only way forward from that situation would have been to go to a tribunal, but we were not prepared to risk being told by a tribunal to pay what might have been a substantially higher fee for a player with his history."

Elliott, out of contract at Newcastle, is understood to have had knee ligament problems earlier in his career.

He was expected to sign for Blackburn in time to join the squad for the FA Premiership opener against Spurs tomorrow but the deal now looks unlikely to go ahead.

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan said he was bewildered by the breakdown of the move and is keen to find out exactly what has gone wrong.

"It is impossible for us to comment on the Robbie Elliott situation because we simply don't know the details.

"Blackburn have hardly been in touch with Newcastle and until we have spoken to the player to find out exactly what has been going on, I just cannot say anything."

Meanwhile, former England goalkeeper Ray Clemence has quit as manager of Barnet to join Glenn Hoddle's international coaching set up.

The 38 year old, one time Liverpool and Tottenham star succeeds Mike Kelly as specialist goal keeping coach.

But, like Under 21 boss Peter Taylor, he has taken the job on a full time basis and will, have wider duties in the new regime.

The chief executive of the FA, Graham Kelly, approached the Barnet board this week and was given permission for Hoddle to talk to his former team mate.

Skegness born Clemence, who won 61 caps between his debut in 1972 and his farewell against Luxembourg 11 years later at the age of 35 jumped at the chance to join Roddle's young looking team.

With John Gorman as his assistant, the new England boss now has the nucleus of his staff for the opening World Cup qualifier in Moldova on September 1st he will name his squad in six days after just two rounds of Premiership matches.