LEWIS Travis hopes his versatility will increase his chances of more involvement in the Rovers first-team.

The 20-year-old made his third FA Cup appearance of the season in the 1-0 defeat to Hull City on Saturday, all of which have come in central midfield.

His two Checkatrade Trophy outings came at right back while he has been a regular for Damien Johnson’s side on the right of a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Unsurprisingly Travis said he would play anywhere so long as the first-team opportunities kept coming, and he’s hoping to use that flexibility to his advantage moving forward.

And with Rovers boss Tony Mowbray a regular at Under-23 fixtures, Travis wants to keep impressing the first-team boss.

“As long as I’m on the field I don’t mind where I’m playing,” he said after impressing when replacing Corry Evans last weekend.

“It’s good to be a versatile player, left-back, right-back, centre midfield, it just increases your chances of playing first-team football.

“Damien and Dunny (U23 assistant boss David Dunn) always say that if we can keep improving in our performances for the Under-23s then the gaffer will be looking and seeing that we’re playing very well and might be able to pick from us and use us in his squad.

“It’s always good to have a gaffer that comes and watches the games, ultimately if you didn’t have a gaffer that did he would have to take people’s word for it.

“But he likes to see for himself what he has coming through and if he could use them in his squad.

“It’s good to get praise from the gaffer and other people – to come and do well is great.”

With Evans and Peter Whittingham struggling for fitness Travis may well be involved in the matchday squad against Shrewsbury on Saturday.

Travis has been a regular for the Under-23s this term but if the opportunity for a loan move came about would he be open to it?

He added: “I felt this season from the start that I’ve been ready to play first-team football so if the opportunity did come to play week in week out maybe that would be good for me.

“But if I can put in performances like that (against Hull), you never know. You don’t get many opportunities when you’re a footballer and when you come on you want to show him (Mowbray) what you’re about and what you can add to his team and hopefully I did that.

“I’ve been in and around the squad for the first half of the season and got a few minutes but it great to push on and help the team to promotion.”

And while the first-team remains his aim, Travis is looking to finish off a good season for the Under-23s.

He added: “So far it’s been a good start to the season, we’re at the halfway point now and we’re doing well.

“The aim is to get more games for the first-team and to keep doing well for the Under-23s. The gaffer is always there watching so if we can show it for the Under-23s hopefully I can get more games.”