NEW Rovers defender Stephen Hendrie has revealed he wasn’t taking any chances when informed about the interest from Owen Coyle, telling his agent: “I definitely want to go there.”

The 21-year-old full-back has arrived at Ewood Park on a year-long loan from Premier League club West Ham.

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He’s looking forward to the challenge of the Championship and playing for what he considers to be a ‘massive club’.

And with last season’s first choice left-back Tommy Spurr having departed for Preston North End earlier this week, Hendrie should realise his aim of playing more first team football.

He said: “My agent phoned me and told me (about Rovers’ interest), and as soon as he told me I wasn’t taking any chances and just said, ‘Yeah, I definitely want to go there’.

“That’s because I know it’s a massive club, a massive fan base, and the right place to be. There’s a good manager here and all the boys are brilliant.”

Hendrie came through the ranks at Hamilton and played more than 100 games for the Accies before moving to Upton Park last summer.

But he struggled to displace first choice Aaron Cresswell and went out on loan to Southend United in January, making five appearances for the Shrimpers in League One.

Hendrie feels he has got unfinished business in East London, but first he wants to prove himself in East Lancashire.

He said: “It’s definitely going to be a big step up. League One is different from the Championship.

“I only played six games for Southend, so it’s going to be good but it’s going to be hard as well.

“It’s a challenge I want to take on and I’m looking forward to it.

“When I was at Hamilton I played 100-odd games and going to West Ham I knew I wasn’t going to go straight into the first team.

“So it was hard going from playing just first team football every Saturday to playing Mondays nights for the Under-21s.

“I’m looking forward to being here, playing Saturdays again and enjoying my football.

“To come to the Championship, it’s a great standard and a hard league. Blackburn are a big club, so there was never any doubt in my mind.”

Hendrie was pleased with his first impression of his new surroundings, and explained that Coyle’s reputation for developing young talent was a big factor in him choosing Rovers.

He said: “Obviously he (Coyle) has developed players’ over his career.

“It’s a great place to be, to work under a manager who’s willing to give young boys a chance and develop them.

“Hopefully I go on to do like some of the players he’s coached have done.”

He added: “It was good to meet all the boys - a great bunch of boys.

“You can see the mentality. Everybody wants to work hard for each other, everybody’s shouting at each other, helping each other out.

“That’s what you need at a football club; people who are there for you.

“Everybody here is helpful and they like to push you and push you.”