LOAN star Ryan Tunnicliffe is loving life at Blackburn Rovers and believes a play-off place should be the minimum of their ambitions for the season.

There has been speculation that Championship rivals Fulham will trigger break a clause in Tunnicliffe’s season-long loan deal to take him back to Craven Cottage in January.

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New Cottagers manager Kit Symons has been in touch with the tenacious midfielder to check on his progress at Ewood Park.

Tunnicliffe has a lot of time for Symons after an unhappy spell playing under his predecessor at Fulham, Felix Magath.

But the 21-year-old is also full of praise for Rovers boss Gary Bowyer and he insists his sole focus is on helping the club achieve a top-six finish at the very least.

“I’m massively enjoying my time here,” said Tunnicliffe, who made his 10th appearance in the blue and white halved shirt in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion.

“It’s a great group of lads and everyone is playing with a smile on their face.

“Team spirit is massive and I think we are going onwards and upwards.

“It’s always good to play in a good side and I’m enjoying it a lot.

“I think the minimum aim has got to be to get into the play-offs.

“I think we’re good enough, we’ve played all the decent teams in the league now, and gone to a lot hard away grounds, and we’re not far off.”

Tunnicliffe admitted after the Brighton match, which left Rovers seventh in the standings and a point off the play-offs, that Symons had contacted him after his promotion to the Cottagers’ hotseat.

Tunnicliffe followed Rene Meulensteen from Manchester United to Fulham in January.

But after former United coach Meulensteen was sacked just two months into his reign, it soon became clear that Tunnicliffe did not feature in new boss Magath’s plans and, before joining Rovers on loan on transfer deadline day, he dropped down to play with the Cottagers’ U21 team, which was then managed by Symons.

“Nothing has changed but I’ve spoken to Kit a few times because I liked him when I was down there and I played a few reserves games for him,” said Tunnicliffe.

“He was nice to me when I was still at the club when a lot of people weren’t.

“I’ve kept in touch him, I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and he’s just text me to say ‘let me know how you’re getting on’ and vice-versa.

“My concentration is here and he knows that but obviously it’s my parent club and Kit wants to know how I’m doing and how I’m settling in with the team.”

Bowyer is pleased by Tunnicliffe’s performances at Rovers.

And the feeling is mutual.

“I rate Gary massively,” said Tunnicliffe.

“What a job he’s done with this team.

“When he took over the club it was down in the dumps and near the relegation zone. Less than a couple of years later, he’s turned it around.

“Last season the club just missed out on the play-offs and this season we’ve been doing good up to now.”