TONY Mowbray admits he is ‘conscious’ of the development of the club's youngsters and believes they can provide a bright future at Ewood Park.

Mowbray handed first-team debuts to four Rovers Academy graduates in the Checkatrade Trophy win over Stoke City Under-21s last month, while Jack Doyle and Willem Tomlinson also made their first starts.

Despite bringing in 17-year-old Rekeem Harper, and 20-year-old Sam Hart, to the club on deadline day, Mowbray says that won’t stem the development of the likes of left-back Doyle and central midfielder Tomlinson.

“I would like to say I’m conscious of that,” Mowbray said of concerns about blocking the youngsters’ development.

“I have long conversations with Damien Johnson and David Dunn about bringing such young players in to the club.

“I feel as though these players are more experienced, Rekeem has played in the Premier League, Sam has been out on loan, and they have a bit more experience of what is required.”

Mowbray watched the Under-23s’ Lancashire Senior Cup win over Wigan Athletic on Monday and has been impressed with Johnson’s side who have won their opening four games.

Andrew Fisher, Scott Wharton, Lewis Hardcastle and Tomlinson all travelled with the first-team squad to their pre-season training camp in Austria. And Mowbray admits it is only a matter of time before the club’s Academy graduates are handed further opportunities at senior level.

He added: “I have seen every game they have played, we have some very talented and driven Under-23s and I feel that in Damien and David they have the right coaches with them.

“I talk to them every day and try and make them aware that they need to keep the likes of Lewis Travis, Joe Grayson, Lewis Hardcastle, Willem Tomlinson, Jack Doyle, Joe Nuttall, they have to believe that there will be an opportunity for them around the corner and they have to keep pushing.

“I’m pretty sure their opportunity will come, but they have to understand that football isn’t about playing two good games, you have to play well over a period of time and if they are still producing the performances and drive that they have shown early in the season then I’m sure that when opportunities come about through injury or suspension then they will get thrown in.”

Fisher, Lewis Travis, Matty Platt and Joe Nuttall all made their debuts in the Checkatrade Trophy win, and will be expecting to feature in the next two rounds of the competition at home to Bury on October 3 and the trip to Rochdale on November 7.

The Under-23s beat a Wigan side on Monday packed with nine senior players, and as well as praise from Mowbray, the opposition were also thoroughly impressed by what they witnessed.

“The Checkatrade Trophy I thought Travis was fantastic first-half, joining in, running in behind the opposition, and the ability he showed was great,” the Rovers boss said.

“The other night I sat and watched them with Paul Cook and Peter Reid from Wigan and they were eulogising over our midfield two of Hardcastle and Tomlinson, the best two players on the pitch, yet they had a massively experienced team out.

“It’s looking bright, I do enjoy watching the Under-23s, they have some real talent in there, the coaches that are working with them have the perfect personalities to drive them forward and I am sure that they will make a success story of the young players at the club.”