STUART Ripley is lined up to play against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday after signing on a month's loan for Barnsley today.

The winger, who played five games on loan at Burnden Park 15 years ago and has since won a Premiership title with Blackburn, goes straight into the Tykes team at home to Blackburn tonight.

He joins fellow short-term signing Neil Maddison in the starting line-up.

Barnsley, beaten by the only goal by Wimbledon at Oakwell on Sunday, tonight welcome back two former players in Blackburn pair Craig Hignett and John Curtis.

"They were two very good players, who did well for us. John got his career back on track and Craig can easily be a Premiership player," said Barnsley coach Eric Winstanley.

"But the most important thing for us is to start a winning run and to make their return to Oakwell an unhappy one."

Hignett, who joined the Ewood Park club for £2.25million in the summer, scored a last minute winner against Stockport on Saturday to open his account for the Ewood Park club.

"This is a fixture I've had my eye on since the season started," said Hignett.

"I have a lot of friends at Barnsley and they have been sending me text messages all week. I am sure I will get a mixed reception.

"It was great to get my first goal for Blackburn, the first one is always the hardest.

"But after missing so much of the early season with injury I am still struggling, and to be honest I've been a little disappointed with my form at times."

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Friedel has joined Blackburn on a free transfer, but manager Graeme Souness could stick with John Filan.

Striker Matt Jansen, who has been out with an ankle injury, is back in the squad but might do no better than a place on the bench.

"Brad comes here as our number one and the rest is up to him. To get him for nothing represents good business for the club and improves our goalkeeping position," said Souness.

"I have worked with him before and he is a very good all-round goalkeeper. The other goalkeepers here may feel hard done to, for they haven't done anything wrong, but managers are paid to make difficult decisions."

Nottingham Forest's scheduled match at home to struggling Huddersfield tonight was called off yesterday for safety reasons because of the threat of the River Trent, which passes right by the City Ground, bursting its banks due to flood waters.