BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer and his players have sent messages of support to Alex Baptiste after their former defender suffered a double leg break on his Middlesbrough debut.

Baptiste, who enjoyed a successful year-long loan at Ewood Park last season from Bolton Wanderers, was stretchered off 22 minutes into Boro’s 1-0 win at York City on Saturday.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Rovers were in action at Accrington Stanley at the time but, as soon as they learned of the 29-year-old’s plight, they were quick to contact him.

And, while ‘devastated’ for Baptiste, Bowyer is backing him to a make a full recovery.

He said: “I found out during the game, it was Matt Kilgallon who told me, and as soon as we could, we gave Baps a ring.

“And all the lads have been texting him and that just shows what an impression he made on everybody here.

“We’re devastated for the boy and we just hope everything goes well with his rehabilitation now.

“He is a strong lad mentally and this won’t beat him for sure.”

Bowyer was keen to sign Baptiste on a permanent basis.

But with Rovers restricted to free transfers and loan signings after the club failed Financial Fair Play, the only way they would have been able to do that is if Bolton had released him from the final year of his contract.

And, even then, there was no guarantee that Rovers, who cannot pay new signings more than £10,000 per week, would have been able to match his wages.

Instead Baptiste joined last season’s beaten Championship play-off finalists Middlesbrough after Bolton accepted a nominal fee for his services.

Bowyer said: “Baps is an example of the situation that we’re in.

“He was brilliant for us and we would have signed him straight away but unfortunately we’re not allowed to pay the money Middlesbrough offered Bolton.

“There’s no bad feeling towards Baps, in fact I’m delighted he got a good move, so it’s a real shame what’s happened, but he’ll get better, that’s for sure.”

Middlesbrough confirmed yesterday that Baptiste has sustained a double fracture of his leg.

The ex-Blackpool man underwent a successful operation at the weekend and has begun his recovery.

Boro boss Aitor Karanka, speaking after the victory over York, said his side will use Baptiste’s injury as further motivation to go one step further this season and win promotion to the Premier League.

“This is the kind of day where I don’t want to speak about football,” said Karanka, who is re-signing Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas on a season-long loan after losing Baptiste.

“We are all very disappointed, and after Alex was injured, I (mentally) left the game.

“Sometimes, it’s difficult for me to understand how unfair football is. One week ago, I was together with Alex in my office. Now, he is in the hospital.

“If the feeling from Wembley is a motivation, then we have another motivation now to dedicate it to him.

“I don’t know exactly what has happened, but it is going to be a serious injury and he will be out for a long time. I think it is a complete break, although we will have to wait and see.”