LIFE as a Blackburn Rovers columnist is pretty miserable these days, so it is with great pleasure I can announce that this week’s installment will be positive.

I don’t know what Gary Bowyer and Terry McPhillips have done in training that previous coaching teams seemed incapable of, but it certainly seems to be working.

The players have a new confidence and already you can feel there seems a better atmosphere in the dressing room.

On Saturday we controlled the game against lacklustre opposition, and you can’t help but feel that despite Bristol City doing their best to lose the game, under Berg or Kean we wouldn’t have been so comfortable Memories of the glory years when Tony Parkes would step into the breach come streaming back.

On numerous occasions the Sheffield-born Rovers legend would get his caretaker’s sweeping brush out to clear up a mess left by the previous incumbent and often turn results around.

Three consecutive wins in a season marred by mediocrity and consecutive clean sheets for a team who apparently couldn’t defend is no mean feat.

And Bowyer, who it turns out has gone one step further than his father who went for the Rovers job when Don Mackay got it in 1987, has put his name well and truly in the frame for when a permanent appointment is made.

Personally, though I like the way things are going, I think we still need to turn to someone proven.

Bowyer has done a great job in a short space of time, but you never know how long it will last.

He deserves recognition and appreciation, and indeed we shall see how things stand come the end of the month, but to permanently employ a coach as manager would be yet another gamble.

I find it bizarre that Venky’s have delayed any appointment until after the transfer window closes.

The only explanation I can think of for for such a move, apart from that they want to give Bowyer a chance, is that they don’t want to stump up any transfer cash.

Meanwhile, an amusing Facebook post came from former Rovers midfielder Mark Patterson last week.

The 47-year-old from Darwen threw his hat into the ring for the manager’s job in tongue-in-cheek fashion.

He said: “I’m gonna send my CV to Singh. It reads: Over 500 league games, 70-plus goals, never been relegated, captained several teams, had promotions, lots of bookings.

“Still owe the FA £250 for getting booked 13 times in 23 games during my last season as a pro.

“Laid more than 100 patios, over 50 driveways, put up lots of fencing, grass is a speciality, work long hours.”

Surely worth a punt . . .