Tony Mowbray says Richie Smallwood will be given every chance to ‘stamp his mark’ on the Rovers starting line-up.

Smallwood’s place in the team has been called in to question by some supporters, despite the 27-year-old starting 53 consecutive league matches since signing from Rotherham United last summer.

Mowbray has added competition in midfield with the signing of Harrison Reed on loan from Southampton, but the Ewood boss isn’t ready to break up the Smallwood and Corry Evans partnership which has started the last 15 league matches.

Smallwood is expected to start at Derby County tonight after a return to form in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday.

And, asked if the midfielder’s place was under threat, Mowbray said: “I would have to say I don’t think so.

“I call him a soldier, he goes to war every game for this team.

“If we had lost every game then I think you could question whether the players can get to the levels and the standards.

“Richie Smallwood will be given every opportunity to either stamp his mark all over this team in this division or fall short. I think he would know before I do if he’s starting to struggle.

“But that goes for every player. They will be given every chance after what they achieved with the football club last year and the effort they put in to try and get to the level required.”

Mowbray has stated it will take another two or three transfer windows for him to shape the side. Over time, the boss would like to see his team move towards a more possession-based style.

He is keen to increase expectation levels and sees the long-term goal as challenging for a return to the Premier League.

The Rovers chief added: “As we move forward, and I’ve talked about another two or three transfer windows, we have to progress this club forward from not just accepting winning and drawing a few games.

“Aston Villa, our counterparts on Saturday, are actually sitting above us on goal difference and their manager is under threat of losing his job.

“It doesn’t seem as though that pressure is here at this moment in time. Why? Because it’s about expectations.

“I want to get to the point where the expectation of our fans and our club and our owners is that we want to get promotion because we have invested and we are turning up every week feeling; with the money we’ve spent or the players we’ve got, we should get promoted.

“At the moment we’re not at that level, I’m not saying that we can’t be because we will compete in every game and if we win games then we’ll be very competitive.

“It’s just different expectation levels of clubs which was highlighted at the weekend.

“My job as a coach is to improve the playing staff over time and if we want to have aspirations of getting promoted and getting out of this league then at some stage the players either have to come on the journey and improve significantly or we buy better players.”