BLACKBURN Rovers’ £1.1m deadline day signing Jordan Slew is taking inspiration from Junior Hoilett as he bids to follow the Canadian into the first team at Ewood Park.

Slew completed 90 minutes on his first appearance for Rovers’ reserve team on Monday night, having scored in a behind closed doors game against Celtic last week.

The 18-year-old, who just beat the deadline to sign from Sheffield United two weeks ago, has been told by Steve Kean that he can push for a first-team place this season despite competition from a number of other strikers at the club.

And the pacy striker knows the recent progression of Hoilett from reserve team to first team key man is evidence that he can secure Premier League action if he continues to improve.

"I didn’t know him that well until I came here but obviously I’ve heard how he’s come through and it’s inspiring," said the enthusiastic Slew.

"It shows that it can be done.

"I definitely believe I can be a Premier League player. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come here.

"I’m high on confidence right now, I feel good and I feel I’ve got a good chance of playing.

"I want to fight for a first team spot. All I can do is keep working hard in games and training, and score goals in matches, and hopefully the gaffer can see that and put me in.

"I’m grateful for everything Sheffield United have done for me but the time had come where I had to move on.

"To be at a Premier League club is great, you can’t do anything better, it’s the best league in the world. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity really."

Kean sat down with Slew last week to discuss his plans for the forward and said: "We’ll feed him in slowly and bed him into the group, but I spoke to him for about an hour and I said you adapt quickly and get in.

"It doesn’t matter about your age, don’t think you’re sixth choice because you’ve got the four established ones there and Nicky Blackman here before you.

"Just get in, hit the ground running, get your goals and he’s got a great chance to play.

"He has strength, he wants to get in behind defenders and I think he’s a dynamic powerful young striker. He’s certainly one for the future."

The England under 19 international, whose striking hero as a youngster was Thierry Henry, made seven Championship appearances for Sheffield United last season and had already started three games for the Blades this term following their relegation to League One.

United boss Danny Wilson admitted finances were the major factor in the Yorkshire club’s decision to sell - claiming Slew’s development would ideally have been better served in his home city, where first-team opportunities might have been more frequent in the short term.

But, after a whirlwind deadline evening that started with him sat at home watching Sky Sports News, Slew’s focus is now on Rovers and he hopes Tuesday’s Carling Cup tie at home to Leyton Orient might possibly provide a chance for his first-team debut.

"Hopefully, it’s up to the gaffer if he wants to put me in or not but hopefully I’m going to be doing enough to get in there," he said.

"Obviously the move was a rush at the time on the deadline. It was a hectic day. The last three hours I was just sat at home, I was actually watching the deadline itself to see who was moving everywhere.

"Then I just got a phone call from my agent saying Blackburn were interested. I thought, ‘Well it’s a bit late now, isn’t it?’!

"I never thought they were going to say, ‘You need to hurry up and come quickly’.

"I was still sat there thinking ‘Oh, that’s nice, maybe next time!’.

"But obviously they agreed the fee, it went through on time and I had to rush up to Blackburn to get everything sorted.

"I’m just happy to be a Blackburn player."

Read Kevin Gallacher's column only in today's Lancashire Telegraph newspaper.