Charlie Mulgrew returned to training today and is expected to lead Rovers out for their trip to Stoke City on Saturday.

Mulgrew missed the midweek draw at Derby County through illness having been sent home by Mowbray in the lead up to the game at Pride Park.

But the 32-year-old, who had started all of Rovers seven matches prior to Tuesday, was back training and Mowbray expects the Scotland international to resume his place in the heart of the defence.

“Charlie was back training today with the group,” the boss said.

“There were a few aches and pains, knocks and niggles, whatever you want to call them, but they were all out training.

“I think it’s important they were all back on the grass but it was a very light day.

“We’ll do the tactical work for Stoke tomorrow and then head off to the Potteries to see how we get on.”

Derrick Williams, who had missed a month with a foot injury, was recalled in place of Mulgrew alongside Darragh Lenihan.

The pair helped Rovers to a fourth clean sheet of the season, and when asked about his choice in defence, Mowbray said: “The skipper is the skipper, he scored 14 goals last season and has scored three this year.

“I don’t think Charlie needs to fear too much for his position at this moment.

“I’ve said that to him. Certain players you want to put pressure on and others you have to make them feel like we’re relying on them week in, week out, they have to be consistent and do their job.

“Some people like that responsibility, others like to live on the edge.

“Without giving too much away, Charlie trained today and let’s see how he goes tomorrow and then pick a team and see how we go.”

It was the first time in 100 games that Mulgrew, Elliott Bennett and Danny Graham were all not included in a Rovers starting line-up.

Bennett took his place on the bench because of a foot injury, but was sent on in the second half as Rovers battled their way to a goalless draw.

“He’s a really important player for the team and he sets the standards of the workrate and ethic of the team,” Mowbray said of the 29-year-old.

“It is very difficult with the run of games that we’ve got coming to pick one where he would sit on the bench, added to the fact he had a huge bruising on the top of his foot. There are indentations in the top of his foot, obviously where he’s been stood on pretty badly. It was pretty sore.

“That was the deciding factor for me, not to tell him to get it heavily padded and play but to sit on the bench and if we needed him then go down that route.

“The Derby we saw the other night was not the Derby I had seen in the three or four previous games.

“They played with a huge greater intensity. We know they have some quality players and maybe as a reaction to the Rotherham game they produced a performance that I hadn’t seen from watching their videos this season.

“It isn’t common place for me to make a change in the first half but it’s a decision I had to make. We were going to lose a goal playing the way we were and we needed to change something.

“It was a tough decision but one I felt the team required.”