ROVERS boss Owen Coyle has spoken for the first time about the departure of former skipper Grant Hanley.

The 24-year-old Scotland international sealed a move to Championship rivals Newcastle United last week, with the fee believed to be around £5.5million.

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Coyle commented in the days before the deal was finalised about the Magpies’ ‘persistent’ pursuit of Hanley, after they also tabled bids of £3.5m and £4.5m for Rovers’ reigning player of the season.

And he accepted that there was little the club could do once the player decided to move to the North East, although he was keen to point out the vital role Rovers played in Hanley’s development.

“It’s like anything else,” he said. “We all know that Grant’s a very good player and I said that we certainly didn’t want to lose any of those players.

“Newcastle were very persistent and kept coming back with offer after offer, and Grant told us that he wanted to go, that he wanted that move to Newcastle.

“As a manager, you want players who want to be at your club.

“He’s been here as a kid and he’s been a very good servant to the club, and equally, Blackburn Rovers have been very good to Grant Hanley in respect of giving him his chance and looking after him with contracts through the years.

“So that’s the point it got to. It came to the offer they made and it was accepted by the owners and that’s where we are.”