Elliott Bennett’s heat maps after a 90-minute performance are often a sight to behold.

Against Brentford, operating from a role behind a lone striker, he covered as much ground in the defensive third as he did in the attacking areas.

In the 0-0 draw with Millwall he touched the ball 49 times, fewer than all but one of Rovers’ outfield players, but judging by his heat map, you’d be hard pressed to work out in which position he played such was the ground he covered.

Only Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen (24) has made more than Bennett’s 20 tackles in the Championship so far this term, while he is fifth in the list of players to have blocked the most passes with 10.

Those are characteristics which have earned him the respect of the Rovers fans and put him in a position where Tony Mowbray simply has to find a spot in his team for him.

Whether it be at right back, wing back, out wide or centrally, Bennett has started every league game under Mowbray, barring three separate suspensions, since the boss took charge in February 2017.

He has proved to be a man for every occasion, and position, a far cry from when he was frozen out under Owen Coyle and considered a move away in January last year.

Fast-forward 18 months and it would be a surprise should Bennett’s place be under threat in the immediate future.

His goal return - he had to wait until February last season to break his duck - or assist count, may not be the highest but few in the Rovers side cover more ground.

“That’s the least anyone on a football pitch can do,” Bennett explained. “Fans pay their money to come and watch their team and everyone wants to watch Manchester City and Barcelona, glittering football, but at the end of the day you have to work hard, and if you’re not in those teams then you have to work even harder.

“The manager has instilled that in us since he’s been here.

“Hard work is the least you can do and then hopefully your talent can come through as well.”

Bennett played 47 times for Rovers last season, 41 of those coming in League One as Rovers secured promotion back to the Championship.

A tough run of fixtures lies in wait on their return to Championship action with Aston Villa visiting Ewood on Saturday night (5.30pm).

After that comes trips to Derby County and Stoke City, before Rovers host big-spending Nottingham Forest, with a Carabao Cup tie against Premier League Bournemouth also squeezed in during a hectic September.

All of those games come within 14 days, but for the 29-year-old that’s what gaining promotion was all about.

“That’s what we worked so hard for last year, to be back involved in this,” said Bennett.

“We’ve got a really good group of players, we will rest up and get back to work and look forward to Wednesday.

“That’s what you want as players.”

Rovers made seven summer signings, including three in attack as Adam Armstrong, Kasey Palmer and Ben Brereton joined, while midfield trio Harrison Reed, Jacob Davenport and Joe Rothwell also arrived.

They will provide competition for places with Bennett but it is a challenge he’s willing to meet head on.

“It makes you raise your game,” added the former Norwich City man.

“The quality in training has gone up and hopefully they can settle in well and hit the ground running.”