Seven games separate Rovers and a return to the Championship at the first attempt.

An unbeaten 18 games from October 14 to February 4 saw Rovers haul themselves in to automatic promotion contention.

Seven wins from nine since the Plymouth slip-up have pushed their quest to lift the League One title and the numbers behind Rovers’ season since defeat at Oldham on matchday 11 are astonishing.

Twenty eight games, 18 wins, nine draws and just one defeat, firing in 57 goals and collecting 63 points out of a possible 84. They are unbeaten in 16 Ewood matches, won nine and drawn three of their last 13 away matches and netted at least twice in 12 of their last 14 outings. The stats are mightily impressive.

But for the unique nature of this League One promotion, Rovers would be looking forward to a seven game stroll to the end.

Instead, they must finish off this incredible campaign, one in which a club once divided has united. And huge credit must go to Tony Mowbray and the work in which he has done.

Yes Rovers were tipped to be title challengers, but how often have we seen the bookies odds upset?

Four defeats in their opening 11 games, they trailed leaders Shrewsbury by 12 points, though never was there a sense of panic.

Mowbray had to turn around a ship that had been sinking for years. Rovers simply hadn’t been used to winning. He said things would improve over time, and boy has he delivered on that promise.

Victory on Saturday against Southend would be a 25th of a highly productive campaign, matching the number they achieved in the previous two combined. They have done it with a style that has been pleasing on the eye, all built on a workmanlike determination.

It is quite easy to overlook the achievements of Rovers this season, partly because they have been talked down by Mowbray, a man always in control of his emotions.

He talks about 'ticking games off', 'clearing the next hurdle' and with that mindset it can sometimes be easy to look past their achievements. 'Let's keep going' is one of Mowbray's stock phrases.

Whatever the outcome of the promotion race, Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst will likely claim the League One manager of the year prize, and rightly so. Wigan too won many deserved plaudits for their FA Cup run.

But it feels the job of Mowbray can go unrecognised, with observers merely looking at the investment in players and summer recruitment as a stick in which to knock down their achievements.  But given the past failings in those departments, it is an area for which Mowbray should take even more credit. He was hugely influential in the January signing of Adam Armstrong.

And while Rovers have a clear short-term aim in securing promotion, there is an air of long-term planning with the players Mowbray has brought to the club.

Winning cures many an ill, and that has certainly been key to the Rovers revival.

The club’s recent accounts, showing losses of £4m and net liabilities closing in on £110m, demonstrated the financial reliance on owners Venky’s. They will be highlighted yet further next year given the further reduction in turnover after relegation.

But the honesty with which Mowbray works, and speaks, has resonated with the supporter base and the club’s owners. Signing him up to a new two-year deal may well be among their best piece of businesses in recent time.

Challenges lie ahead, certainly should Rovers secure an immediate return to the second tier.

If it is, it won’t have been done the easy way. But it's been made a lot easier by the humility and honesty in which Mowbray and his staff work.