Signed by Paul Lambert, an outcast under Owen Coyle, and made captain by Tony Mowbray, Elliott Bennett has had some journey at Rovers ahead of his 150th appearance for the club.

Since signing in January 2016 he has packed in a relegation, a promotion, a goal of the season prize and plenty of celebratory fist-pumps along the way.

He’s played right back, left back, right wing-back, left wing-back, central midfield, right wing, left wing, No.10, and were it not for a late intervention by Richie Smallwood at West Brom last season, he could have added goalkeeper to the list.

Things are a little more settled for the 30-year-old, a regular in 2019 at right back and handed the armband after Charlie Mulgrew’s move to Wigan.

As well as the 149 senior appearances, Bennett played two Checkatrade Trophy games in 2016/17 when Rovers were entered as an Under-23s side, showing how far he had fallen down the pecking order under Coyle.

But since Mowbray took charge in February 2017 he has become a trusted lieutenant of the boss, playing 100 of his 131 games in charge.

And just why that is comes down to his characteristics both on and off the pitch according to the boss.

“I like his versatility,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“A lot of times in League One he was playing off the left wing, off the right wing and was the balance on one side as a hard-working midfield player.

“Obviously he could play in central areas be competitive for the team, good athleticism and legs.

“He’s found himself at right back, mainly because we thought his distribution was better than Ryan. Ryan has amazing physical attributes, we just have to hone the technical side of his game and I’m sure the long-term future of the club at right back will be Ryan Nyambe.

“Elliott Bennett is doing an amazing job in the back four at the moment.

“He knows when to join in, when to defend, when to pass simply or spin things in behind.

“His experience, his knowledge, what he brings to the dressing room, the respect he has in the dressing room is very important and he’s a voice of reason.

“There are lots of reasons why Elliott has played so much football.

“Every football team is only as good as its senior pros is an old saying and at 30 Elliott Bennett is a senior pro and the morals and values he brings to the club are crucial to the spirit of the team.”

Fans can sometimes scoff at the importance Mowbray places on good characters in the dressing room and the values and morals he looks for, but the boss says that can play a big part in the on-field success.

In Mulgrew and Craig Conway Rovers have lost two key components of their dressing room in recent years, but Mowbray looks to someone like Bennett to help reinforce the messages that he is looking to get across.

He added: “As long as the overriding film over the top is good values, everyone is a different character. You can have bubbly characters but they can be as thick as mince, but if you have good values, a good human being, know what’s right and what’s wrong those guys are invaluable to your dressing room I would suggest.

“The more guys you have got who have good values they bring those who are in the middle, not sure which way to fall, they bring them on board and you have a dressing room then that’s generally with you and they understand your reasoning for making decisions, understand why you might say they might have to come in on Sunday because we have a massive game on Tuesday.

“They might want to have their family lunch and spend time with their kids but this is where you earn your living and we’re training Sunday morning so in you come. You might have an hour’s drive in, but those players sell the message to those who might be grumbling in the dressing room that if we’re going to win on Tuesday night that’s what we’ve got to do.

“It’s having people with the right values who understand the logic and the more of them you’ve got pulling for you in the dressing room, I don’t stand in the dressing room and listen to all their whispers, what you know is if you have good guys in your corner then you have a much better chance of succeeding.”