BLACKBURN Rovers boss Owen Coyle has backed returning winger Liam Feeney to show why he is a ‘far better player’ in his second spell with the club.

Feeney was unveiled as Coyle’s fourth signing of the summer on Saturday after penning a two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.

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The 29-year-old, who was out of contract after leaving Bolton Wanderers, first played for Rovers at the back end of the 2013-14 season.

Feeney made just one start and five substitute appearances after joining on loan from Millwall before moving to Bolton on a free transfer.

He impressed at struggling Wanderers, scoring eight goals in 88 appearances, before joining Ipswich Town in March until the end of the 2015-16 campaign.

Ipswich’s Mick McCarthy was interested in snapping up Feeney on a free transfer.

But the former Bournemouth flyer has decided to give it a second crack at Rovers much to the delight of his new boss.

Coyle, who used to manage Bolton, said: “We think we’ve got good players in the wide areas but we wanted to add some real, real pace, which Liam has in abundance, out there.

“We’ve had to get in front of a lot of competition from the Championship to get his signature and we’re delighted to do that.

“It always vindicates your opinion when you’ve got loads of other teams who are your competition trying to bring a player in.

“He’s an exciting player and, in a tough year for the team, he was the shining light for Bolton, so much so that when they had to raise money, he was the one everybody wanted to know.

“He went to Ipswich and did well, so much so that they were one of the clubs that wanted to sign him permanently. Mick McCarthy is a very good judge of a player so we’re delighted to get him.

“And I do think he’s a far better player now than when he was first here because he’s matured and he’s developed. I think the penny has dropped in terms of how to utilise his ability.

“I’ve got a lot of friends and people I know who watch Bolton and they said to me if the strikers would have had their shooting boots on last year they would have scored a lot more because of the amount of good crosses Liam was putting into the box.

“That’s testament to his wing play and the good thing about him is that he’s honest too. He works both ways, both for and against the ball.

“I think he’s a tremendous addition to our squad and he’ll give us a different facet and dimension to our play.”

Feeney will face competition from fellow wingers Ben Marshall, Craig Conway, Elliott Bennett and youngster Connor Mahoney for a starting spot.

And Coyle said: “Conway I know well from his years in Scotland and down in England, Marshall’s a terrific player, and then we’ve got Elliott Bennett, and young Mahoney, too.

“I think we’ve got very good wide players and, as anyone who knows me, I love my wingers.

“But what’s important is to have different styles and attributes and who complement each other and, with Feeney’s blistering place, I think we have that.”