We can rise to the challenge of being a big fish in League One says Rovers assistant boss Mark Venus

Venus was appointed to his role last week and is under no illusions how tough life will be in the third tier having had a spell in caretaker charge of Coventry City last season.

The 50-year-old was assistant manager to Rovers boss Tony Mowbray at the Ricoh Arena at the start of the 2016-17 campaign before taking over after Mowbray’s resignation.

And he knows that Rovers must learn to relish their status as a big side in the division.

He said: “We’re going to be a big fish in that league and I think we have to come over with the aspirations and the demeanour that we are a big fish.

“I think that’s the attitude that Tony wants to go into the season with – that we’re the biggest team in the league.”

Venus spent 15 months with the Sky Blues and admits that Rovers will face hardworking sides as they attempt to bounce back at the first attempt following relegation last season.

Rovers have already been installed as the bookmakers’ favourite for the title ahead of the likes of Wigan Athletic, Portsmouth and Bradford City but Venus says the strength of the third tier was highlighted when Millwall, who won promotion in the League One play-offs last month, and Oxford United enjoyed fine runs in the FA Cup last season.

“There’s some big clubs in League One, some decent teams, and there’s some really small clubs.,” he told Rovers’ official website.

“They all work really hard for each other and they’re all really honest.

He added: “You know how difficult it is going to be by looking at the cup games where the lower league teams knock out the bigger teams.

“We have to be able to stand up to what their strengths are and then impose our strengths on them.”

Rovers, who are in the third tier for the first time in 37 years following relegation, will find out their first opponents for the new season when the Football League fixtures are released on Wednesday, June 21, at 9am.