TONY Mowbray admits personal off-field issues are behind Anthony Stokes’ absence from the Blackburn Rovers squad.

The head coach says there has been no fall-out between himself and the Irishman, who has played just 19 minutes of first-team football since December.

Stokes was named in Mowbray’s first squad at Burton Albion but hasn’t been involved since, despite Danny Graham’s recent three-game absence through injury.

But the Rovers boss revealed the striker, who arrived from Celtic on a three-year deal in the summer, is back in first-team training and looking sharp.

“We have had a few personal issues with Anthony from the day that I walked in really,” Mowbray said.

“I don’t think it’s a place for me to discuss his personal situation, but what has probably kept him out of the picture is stuff that has been going on off the pitch rather than on the pitch.

“I’m trying to manage that situation the best I can and the supporters should know that there’s no fall-out between me and Stokesy, everything is fine, he’s just looking after certain aspects of his life at the moment and if and when he’s ready to come in and impact on the team we’ll get him ready.”

The 28-year-old was handed a two-year suspended sentence in February for assault following an incident in Dublin back in 2013.

The incident pre-dated his arrival at Rovers, and he club said the striker remained part of their plans.

And Mowbray added: “He’s not far away from impacting again, but we talk quite a lot me and Stokesy on how he is feeling and what’s going on.

“What I would say is that he has worked extremely hard in the last three weeks, he’s done a lot of training on his own with the sports science department and a lot work in isolation which is always difficult to do but he has trained the last week or so and I would have to say that he looks a finisher.

“He looks as if he’s direct and fast with the ball cutting in off the left side and he knows where the back of the net is.”

Graham is expected to come back in to the squad to face Barnsley today after missing the last three games with a groin injury.

His return will add competition to attacking trio Lucas Joao, Marvin Emnes and Sam Gallagher who have battled it out for a starting spot in Graham’s absence.

Rovers failed to score at Brighton last weekend, the first time they hadn’t since the Boxing Day trip to Barnsley.

But Mowbray believes his side have been carrying a goal threat in recent games as they look to get back to winning ways against the Reds.

He added: “I feel as if we’re a threat, we’ve been showing them lots of positive play over the last four or five weeks and there have been some amazing chances that didn’t go in the back of the net.

“I’m thinking of the home games in particular, the Cardiff game was one that we should have won really with the chances we created even though we got a late equaliser and Preston was a heartbreaking game for us because I felt we did more than enough to win that football match.

“What we need to do is find the same levels, and the games against Derby and Wigan in which we came out on top.

“We’re four unbeaten at home and we want to come out with hopefully three points, a good performance and a good win.”