AFTER those four successive draws earlier this month, Blackburn could easily have given up.

They could have said, ‘Right, we’re not going up, we’re not going down, we’ll just play the season out’.

But they haven’t done that and now there is a chance, albeit a small one, that they could still get in the play-offs when this time last week it looked all over.

The players deserve great credit for that but particularly the manager, as he is the one driving them on and challenging them to finish on a high.

If they can do that, they can then take their momentum into next season if, as it looks, they are to remain in the Championship.

A strong finish will also leave the fans in good spirits going into the summer and that will help, what with that lot from up the road looking like they are going up.

But who knows?

If Blackburn can win four or five of their final games they could yet make the top six.

They’ve just got to carry on winning and don’t worry about what other teams are doing.

And the great thing is they go into these final five games really confident.

When you have that confidence there is a real buzz around the dressing room and a feeling that you can get a result in any game you play in.

Whereas when you’re on a bad run of form you can sometimes panic about going on to the pitch and, if you concede an early goal, it’s a case of ‘here we go again’.

Blackburn certainly won’t be feeling that after seven games without defeat.

Big reasons behind that is the form of January signings Rudy Gestede and Craig Conway from Cardiff.

Like most of the players Gary Bowyer has brought into the squad, they look absolute bargains.

I think Gary has done really well in the transfer market.

He hasn’t paid massive money for players, most of who are young, have got a future, have got the right work ethic and who fit into the way he wants his team to play.

That’s not easy.

The easy part is spending the money, the hardest part is identifying the player and then making sure he’s the right player for the club.

And I think Gary does that very, very well.