JASON Steele is determined to repay the faith shown in him by Gary Bowyer after he completed a permanent move to Blackburn Rovers last night.

The on-loan goalkeeper penned a three-and-a-half-year contract after Ewood Park bosses agreed an undisclosed transfer with Middlesbrough for his services.

Steele becomes Rovers’ first signing of a transfer window in which they will be prevented from paying fees for new players after failing Financial Fair Play.

But their ‘FFP embargo’ has not stopped them from capturing Steele.

As rules state that Rovers could sign players they have on season-long loans before the embargo comes into force today.

Steele joined Rovers on a season-long loan from boyhood club Boro on the final day of the summer transfer window.

The former England U21s international, 24, has made 15 starts and kept four clean sheets since dislodging Paul Robinson as the club’s number one.

Steele, who had six months remaining on his Boro contract, said: “I’m delighted and I’m grateful to everyone at Blackburn Rovers and also to Middlesbrough for allowing it to happen.

“I’m just glad it’s gone through and I can concentrate on football.

“When you go into your last six months of your contract you sort of put yourself in the shop window and I’m pretty happy I’ve managed to do that over the last few months.

“As soon as the opportunity came then there was going to be nowhere else I wanted to go other than Blackburn Rovers – no matter who else would have been involved.

“I’m a man of loyalty and the faith that the gaffer, Gary Bowyer, and the goalkeeping coach, John Keeley, have shown in me has been brilliant, and it’s about repaying them now and keep playing football and keep enjoying it.

“I’ve certainly not taken a step backwards. I’ve come to an absolutely massive club and I’m just raring to keep playing and kick on.”

Steele hopes to be available for selection for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at Charlton Athletic after being ineligible for last weekend’s league clash with Boro at Ewood Park.

The 0-0 draw means Rovers will start 2015 in ninth place in the Championship and five points behind the play-offs.

Steele said: “I think we’ve got to kick on now – we’ve not got a choice.

“We’ve got to make winning a habit over the next few months and if we can do that we can make the play-offs at least.

“I don’t think we’re far away and I do think we’ve been playing well.

“We went to Bolton on Boxing Day and should have won comfortably but we gave a couple of sloppy goals away.

“But we did well to steady the ship against Middlesbrough and in the second half we were very good.

“I just think we’ve got to keep ticking over and the wins will come – and that’s when you build a bit of momentum. “

Rovers also have defender Alex Baptiste and midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe on season-long loans from Bolton and Fulham respectively.

Like Steele did both have break clauses in their deals that their parent clubs can activate this month.

Fulham manager Kit Symons has already indicated that he wants to take Tunnicliffe back to Craven Cottage while Bolton boss Neil Lennon has said he is monitoring Baptiste’s situation.

Rovers are awaiting FA clearance for Steele to feature against Charlton on Saturday.