JASON Lowe is one of six first-team players that have been released by Blackburn Rovers following relegation to League One.

Lowe leaves Rovers having played 196 times for the club since his debut in the FA Cup win over QPR in January 2011.  He played in 32 of Rovers’ 38 Premier League games in the 2011/12 season in which they were relegated, with his one goal for the club coming in the 1-0 win against Middlesbrough at Ewood Park in November 2013.

Adam Henley, who also represented Rovers in their Premier League days is released, along with fellow defenders Wes Brown and Gordon Greer.

Central midfield pair Hope Akpan and Danny Guthrie, who both joined the club in the summer of 2015, have also been allowed to leave.

It means Rovers have 15 players who have represented the first-team already under contract for next season.

Rovers say they have made ‘offers of re-engagement’ to Connor Mahoney and young full-back Lewis Travis, while contracts have also been offered to Academy graduates Charley Doyle, Joe Grayson, Tyler Magloire and Stefan Mols.

However, Josh Askew and Ramirez Howarth, plus scholars Ben Ascroft, Alex Curran, Mason Fawns, Callum Hendry, Matthew Makinson, Tre Pemberton, Joel Steer and Ben Williams have all been released.

A club statement read: “Rovers would like to place on record their thanks to each player for their hard work and dedication during their time at Ewood Park and wish them all the best for the future.”