Tony Mowbray has hailed the consistency of the ‘phenomenal’ Derrick Williams as the defender prepares to play his 50th successive league game for the club.

Williams was player of the season in his first year at Ewood last term and has improved as the season has gone on this time around.

The 25-year-old has filled in at centre back and left wing back as well as his usual left back spot and has retained his starting place despite the arrival of Amari’i Bell from Fleetwood last month.

And Mowbray believes the former Bristol City man’s flexibility and fitness levels have helped him become a key member at Ewood.

“He has been a beacon of consistency,” said the Rovers boss.

“He has played centre half, he has played left back, he has played at wing back.

“I think the physical demand put on him is huge, for the different amount of running you do in a game when you play centre half to wing back, you might do twice as much running at wing back. For his body be able to sustain and do both from a Saturday to a Tuesday has been quite phenomenal.

“How he has the legs and the energy to gallop up and down as a wing back and then have the discipline to stay in as a centre half and concentrate is remarkable.

“His performance level remains really high and he deserves great credit.”