Charlie Mulgrew insists Rovers are ready to embrace the challenges ahead as he prepares to lead the side in the Championship.

The Scot says Rovers are ‘happy to be back’ after last summer’s successful League One promotion campaign which returned a feel-good factor to Ewood Park.

The challenge for Rovers now is to re-establish themselves in the second tier, with Mulgrew having great confidence in Tony Mowbray’s group that they can make the step up.

This time last summer Rovers were preparing to head into the unknown of League One, 37 years after their last appearance in the third tier of English football,

But this time around, Mulgrew told the Lancashire Telegraph: “There’s excitement. We’ve moved up a league. Last summer we were excited going into a new league but this year it’s a new challenge for a few boys and there’s that excitement in the changing room.

“We’re looking forward to getting going and looking to get off to a good start.

“It’s a better league, more exciting, better places to play, better stadiums, so it makes it more excitement.

“Last summer we had got our heads around what had happened, we were focussed for the season, but this year there’s better games and more excitement.”

Mulgrew was installed as club captain last summer following the departure of Jason Lowe.

He will take on the armband once again, a proud honour for the defender who is also skipper of the Scotland national team.

“I’m very honoured, very proud to be the captain of this club in the Championship,” the former Celtic man said.

“I want to go as far as I can with this club, I’m enjoying it.

“It’s a great group of lads to captain and a great club all around.”

Mulgrew joined Rovers on a free transfer in August 2016 but his first season at the club would end in disappointment with relegation on the final day at Brentford.

Injuries restricted the 32-year-old to 28 league appearances, though he stuck around to help the club back to the Championship, playing a key role as he was named in the EFL and League One teams of the year after hitting 14 goals from central defence.

So on a personal and team level, he admits: “We’re happy to be back.

“We didn’t do too well when I first came in but with the gaffer now we kicked on, our form was ninth in the table.

“But it wasn’t to be, we went down but got our heads together and came back up.

“We’re looking forward to this season and starting a clean slate with the new manager and new players and seeing where we go.”

Another difference between last summer and this is just what is expected of Rovers.

Last season they were installed as favourites to win promotion, a tag which boss Mowbray told his side to embrace.

There is, though, a confidence within the group they can handle the step up in both level and quality.

Key to their chances once again could be strong home form, having lost just twice in front of their fans last season en route to promotion.

“We have to make it difficult for teams to come to Ewood and not an enjoyable place to play.

“We have to do that every game we go into, home or away, we need to be ready for the battle.

“There will be some difficult games, but it’s about hanging in there, it might not always be pretty at times, but we need to be ready for all types of football.”

Mowbray won promotion in his first full season in charge, having narrowly avoided guiding Rovers to safety in 2016/17 following a haul of 22 points from his 15 matches in charge.

Mulgrew, who opened the scoring in that final day win at Brentford which saw Rovers relegated, says that is of little relevance now.

And he admits some fresh faces coming through the door before the respective transfer windows close on August 31 will aid their cause.

“We can’t rely on anything,” he said.

“We know how much hard work it takes, we need to be at it every game.

“The manager will have us at it, we’ll be well prepared but it’s down to us to put the work in and turn up when the matchdays come.

“It’s a great group.

“We get on well, we’re tight-knit, we work hard and it’s a good, honest bunch of lads,” said the Scot.

“I’m sure one or two more will be added to that and sure it will help us through.

“We didn’t start well last year but we gathered together and turned it around.

“It’s not everything but it’s something we would like to do.”