Rovers are still waiting to make their first move in the transfer window.

While fans’ patience will be tested as the wait goes on, a look back over the last 10 years doesn’t make for great reading for whoever is first through the arrivals door.

Championship clubs have until 5pm on Thursday, August 8 to complete both permanent and loan transfers, with Rovers returning to pre-season on Monday, June 24 before flying out to Austria two days later.

Tony Mowbray will hope to have as many new recruits on board as possible when the players head for their week-long training camp, though Joe Rothwell was the only new face on last summer’s trip.

Of the players who have become the club’s first in each of the last 10 summers, the 24-year-old could lay claim to be the most successful.

Despite making just 13 Championship starts after joining on a three-year deal from Oxford United, Rothwell has shown plenty of promise and a big 2019/20 campaign is expected from the attacking midfielder.

Rothwell arrived on June 22, and of the 11 players listed, he’s the only one to command a transfer fee, albeit a small six figure one to avoid a tribunal.

Mowbray’s first signing having taken permanent charge was Peter Whittingham on June 13 2017. Despite the initial wave of optimism surrounding his signature, the midfielder played just 24 times for the club and hasn’t been heard of since being released in August 2018.

Whittingham was approaching 33 when signing from Cardiff City and the way his signing panned out has been used by some supporters as a way to question any move for free agent Stewart Downing who turns 35 in July, and wanted by Mowbray.

Looking further back, in 2012, Danny Murphy was 35 when joining from Fulham, the first signing of that summer, but a deal which ended up hitting Rovers hard in the pocket.

Murphy lasted a season at Ewood Park, playing 35 times for his departure via mutual consent was confirmed, a regular occurrence with this crop of players.

Anthony Stokes, the first signing in 2016 on June 17 after Owen Coyle took over the reins, is another player to have been released after just one year at the club.

The Republic of Ireland striker has since had spells in Greece and Iran, and left Rovers after a troubled spell which included just 12 appearances and three goals.

The growing theme of players failing to fire at Rovers continues with the first signing of 2014, Chris Brown.

Brown signed on June 23 that summer, and although he did see out his contract at Ewood Park, he didn’t find the net in 41 appearances.

In the summer of 2015, Rovers fans waited so long for a signing that two arrived at once. On July 21, Sacha Petshi and Fode Koita were unveiled on the same day by the club.

 “It has always been my goal to play in England. I love English football and I think my physique will suit the English game,” said Petshi. Unfortunately for the French midfielder, he left after a season without making a senior appearance.

As for Koita, he didn’t fare much better, making 15 appearances before moving to Turkish side Kasimpasa six months later where he is still plying his trade.

In 2013, the wait was much shorter, with goalkeeper Simon Eastwood rejecting the offer of a contract at Portsmouth, with Rovers snapping him on May 13.

He would go on to spend three years at the club, but made just 13 league appearances with six more in the cup competitions.

For the first signings of 2009, 2010 and 2011 they made a combined three appearances. While two names may be unfamiliar to some supporters, one certainly won’t be.

In 2011, Myles Anderson made the switch from Aberdeen, joining on July 1, though the deal had been agreed in March.

He stayed until January 2013, despite spells out on loan, failing to make a single appearance for the first team before joining Exeter.

The earliest signing of the last 10 years came in 2010 when Hugo Fernandez joined from Union Deportiva Cornella in May 2012.

He was with the club for almost two years, released in April 2014, but didn’t appear for the senior side.

Elrio van Heerden, signed from Club Brugge, joined on June 2 2009 and managed two league cup substitute appearances before leaving for Turkish club Sivasspor on a free transfer after just six months at Ewood Park.

So Rothwell looks to have broken the ‘first signing curse’, but the wait for a new addition may go on for a little while yet if history is to be believed.