Adam Armstrong’s social media has been a hive of activity in recent days but he admitted a tweet from Alan Shearer meant just that bit more than most.

The former Rovers and Newcastle striker commented: “Great news, and good luck” when the 21-year-old secured a return to Ewood Park on a permanent basis.

Social media has been a platform for which Rovers fans and players alike have used to let Armstrong know just how keen they were for him to come back.

And on receiving a message from Shearer, Armstrong told the Lancashire Telegraph: “It was brilliant.

“I have grown up watching Shearer from when I was a young lad at Newcastle. He’s a legend for both clubs.

“It meant a lot coming from him.

“I spoke to a few of the past players and they wished me luck and told me to enjoy it.”

Armstrong, known as 'mini Shearer' to some of his team-mates posted a classy message of thanks to Newcastle and their fans having been with his boyhood club from the age of nine.

On re-joining a strong Rovers dressing room, he added: “I have kept in touch with quite a lot of them. It’s a real tight-knit group here, everyone gets on well and we’ve been speaking in the off season.

“They were desperate for me to come back and I was desperate to come back so I’m happy it’s done now.

“It was a factor, I’ve been here before and knew the lads and the group here which made my decision a lot easier.”

Armstrong joined for a fee understood to be an initial £1.75m and signed a four-year deal.

On what that represents, the England Under-21 international said: “The four-year deal was massive for me and it is a club which is going in the right direction.

“I don’t think I would have signed here if I didn’t think that was the case.”

“The gaffer here gives me confidence to go out there and do what I do best and hopefully I can bring goals and assists to the team and progress as a player.

“I’m delighted to be here. I’m here to strive to do as well as I can and help this club push on.”

Armstrong scored nine times in 21 Rovers games last season but knows he may have to bide his time to break into the starting XI.

“The lads did well at Ipswich and like with any club, if the team are doing well it’s going to be hard to get in to.

“I’m working hard and doing all I can.”