Tony Mowbray felt the time was right for Andrew Fisher to leave on loan in a bid to push his credentials to become a regular Rovers ‘keeper in the future.

Fisher has been third choice at Rovers for the last three seasons but is yet to make a league appearance.

His three outings to date have all been in the Checkatrade Trophy, with a loan spell in National League North with FC United of Manchester his sole senior football to date.

Mowbray felt that needed to change, allowing the 21-year-old to join League Two side Northampton Town where he will compete with David Cornell for the No.1 shirt and join up with fellow Rovers youngster Scott Wharton.

Christian Walton signed for Rovers on a season-long loan following the sale of David Raya, but Mowbray had hinted another goalkeeper was on his wishlist so to allow Fisher to move out on loan.

That didn’t materialise but even so, the Rovers boss felt the opportunity to further his experience out on loan was the right decision to make for the player at this stage of his career.

“He’s got a recall after the first month,” Mowbray explained.

“You only have to think back to last season at West Brom when Raya was stretchered off and Richie Smallwood ended up in goal. It’s quite a pertinent time to be talking about goalkeepers.

“But I think Fisher has to go out and play some games and grow up and become more mature, have big centre halves screaming at him for not coming for crosses and fans moaning at him if he lets a soft goal in.

“I think it’s time to see if he can become a goalie for Blackburn Rovers and I think rather than keeping him around and playing the odd game for the Under-23s it’s better for him and more important that he goes out on loan.”

Jayson Leutwiler is expected to start in the Carabao Cup game at Sheffield United having had the gloves for the round one win over Oldham Athletic.

As well as Walton's arrival, there has been plenty of change in the Rovers goalkeeping department over the summer.

Charlie Albinson finished last season in goal for the Under-23s while Fisher was out on loan but he has since left the club and joined Southport.

Joe Hilton was brought in from Everton and has started the opening three games for the Under-23s.

Fisher will now spend the next five months with the Cobblers and could make his debut in tomorrow night’s Checkatrade Trophy game with Arsenal Under-21s.

He will compete with Cornell to be first-choice at Sixfields, with Cobblers boss Keith Curle saying an injury to No.2 Steve Arnold was behind the decision to bring in Fisher.

“I am a big believer in competition for the goalkeeping position,” he told his club's website.

“We planned to have that this season with Steve Arnold and David Cornell, but with Steve sidelined through injury I felt we needed to strengthen that area of the squad.

“Bradley Lashley is an excellent young keeper, but we think he will be better suited getting games rather than sitting on the bench, so Andrew will come in and compete with David Cornell. We will then be looking at loan options for Bradley.”

“Andrew is a good young keeper, and we are pleased to welcome him to the club.”