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Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean has been warned he will be sacked if he loses three games in a row early on in the new Championship season.

Rovers dropped from the Premier League last season but Kean kept his job.

He faced criticism from some Blackburn fans, who have staged regular protests against him and the club's owners.

Director of football Shebby Singh said: "If, after three games, we have dropped nine points, then we'll only have a 50% chance of getting promoted."

Blackburn begin their Championship campaign away to Ipswich before home games against Hull and Leicester.

Kean has signed seven players since being relegated from the top flight, including Leon Best for £3m,Danny Murphy on a free transfer and Dickson Etuhu for an undisclosed fee.

Singh, a former Malaysian international player who was brought to Ewood Park by the club's owners Venky's in June, added: "I was possibly one of the worst critics [of Kean] last season.

"I'm sure the manager didn't like me much, but I say it as it is.

"I am working with the infrastructure that is already there and people need to prove to me that they can do their jobs."

In May, Singh wrote a column for the New Paper in Singapore in which he said Kean should be sacked, but he said he will not judge the manager on what has happened in the past.

Asked if he has the power to sack Kean, Singh said: "Yes. If the results are not forthcoming, I put the pressure on the manager and the players."