TOM Cairney says it is going to feel strange lining up against Blackburn Rovers – the club where he enjoyed the ‘best time of his career’.

Cairney will face Rovers for the first time since his shock summer switch to Fulham when the Championship rivals go head to head at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

And the midfielder, who was a fans’ favourite during his two-year stay at Ewood Park, said: “I had a great time at Blackburn, probably the best time of my career and I played 80-odd games. I really enjoyed it.

“The management and the staff were great with me but in football things move on and you just have to go with it.

“It’s going to be a bit surreal lining up in the tunnel against my mates. I’ve had a few texts already.

“It’s a bit earlier than I thought it’d be so it’s quite fresh and I hope I get a positive reception from the away fans.

“I didn’t leave on bad terms or anything so I’m sure it should be positive.”

Cairney was named player of the year in his first season at Rovers and won goal of the season in his second.

He admits, then, that it came as a surprise when the club’s owners Venky’s accepted a bid of in excess of £3m from Fulham.

“I’d heard little bits about it towards the end of last season but it was still a little bit of a surprise,” said Cairney, who scored nine goals in 85 appearances for Rovers.

“The bid went it, got accepted, and then the next thing I’m doing a medical.

“I suppose the big moves drag out a little bit because you’re talking about extortionate amounts of money but mine went through quite quickly to be fair.”

Cairney was followed through the Ewood Park exit door by Josh King and Rudy Gestede.

Without the trio Gary Bowyer’s side have yet to win so far this season.

But, with Venky’s rejecting a £12m bid from Middlesbrough for Jordan Rhodes, Cairney is confident his former club will soon move up the table.

“It’s not been the best start but I don’t worry about them, I think they’ll be fine,” said the 24-year-old, who has netted two stunning strikes in his first seven appearances for Fulham.

“They’ve kept Jordan, which is massive, and I think they’ve still got a good back-four.”

Cairney also has words of praise for his old manager.

Rovers boss Bowyer signed the playmaker for £600,000 from Hull City during his first full season in charge of the club.

And Cairney said: “The first season I was there, after Steve Kean and what went off at Blackburn, what he (Bowyer) did in terms of stabilising the club was brilliant.

“To get Blackburn back on the fans’ side like did, if a big manager like a (Nigel) Pearson had done that, then he’d have got more credit.

“But because he’s not a name I don’t think he got the credit he deserved in his first season.”