IT is a little over a year to the day since Tom Cairney made his move from Hull City to Blackburn Rovers permanent.

The influential midfielder describes it as “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made”.

But Cairney is hoping the next 12 months can be even better, both individually and collectively.

The target set out at Ewood Park is a top six finish, and halfway through the season that remains the aim. From a personal point of view, Cairney wants to do more to fuel that shot at promotion.

The 23-year-old scored twice in his first three Championship games this season, but since then the goals have dried up. Injury and suspension hampered his impact as he not only missed a month’s action but before and after his December absence he was hampered so much with problems in his calves and ankles that he was missing training sessions in between games.

Despite investigations the issue was undiagnosed, but Cairney has noticed marked improvement since Christmas and is ready to go into tomorrow’s clash with Wolves (kick-off 2pm) firing on all cylinders, and start firing in the goals again.

“I hope so. The gaffer’s given me a bit of banter about it, especially in training, so hopefully there are a few more to come,” he said.

“I haven’t been doing anything extra after training.

“My problem is I score a lot in training and not in matches at the minute.

“Hopefully my luck will change in front of goal and hopefully that comes quickly.”

Cairney hopes his improving fitness will help.

“I’m getting back there. My first game against Bolton was tough because I’d hardly trained in about two months,” he said.

“The last few days I’ve been getting there and I’m feeling good now.

“I’d been struggling with my calves and ankles for a few months and we couldn’t really put our finger on what it was.

“I went for scans and stuff but I just couldn’t get rid of it.

“I was playing games but not training the week after. I was just playing game-to-game really because I was struggling. But everything’s fine now, touch wood, and long may it continue. Hopefully I’ve turned a corner now and thankfully I’m playing football again.”

Cairney summed up the last year by saying: “I’ve loved it.

“It’s been a year since I came here, it’s gone really fast, and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

“We’ve got some great lads here. We’ve got a young, energetic side and it’s great to be a part of.”

But he wants more from the next 12 months.

“At the end of the season I want to be in the mix to go up,” he said.

“To be in the play-offs would be brilliant and a massive achievement from the manager, the staff and the players so hopefully we can do that.

“I think the way we finished last season everyone expected us to be maybe a touch higher, but performance wise for majority of the season we’ve been there or thereabouts without always getting the results we’ve deserved. But hopefully in 2015 that will change and we’ll be right up there.

“We’ve stepped it up and hopefully 2015 can be a big year for us.

“We’re still in the mix but obviously we’d like to be in the play-off places.

“We’ve got the squad and the depth to do that and the quicker we do it the better because I think once we get there we’ll stay there.”