Tony Mowbray believes Bradley Johnson’s commute has played a part in the midfielder’s dip in form that saw him left out of the side for almost two months.

Johnson returned to the starting line-up with a goal and an assist in the 2-0 win at Bristol City that moved Rovers to within one point of the top six.

The summer signing was arguably Rovers’ star man in the opening month of the season but hadn’t featured since being replaced in the defeat at Birmingham on October 22.

Johnson, signed Derby on a two-year deal, travels in from his Midlands home as well as staying in a hotel during the week, with his manager feeling that has had an effect on the 32-year-old.

“Bradley Johnson, I thought he was brilliant the first five or six games. But I think the travelling is catching up with him,” Mowbray explained.

“When you’re 32, you don’t sell your home and buy a new one for two years somewhere else in the country, he commutes and spends a couple of nights a week in a hotel. I think the travelling wore him down.

“Over a period of six to eight weeks, he looked a bit heavy to me. He looked as though as he was living in hotel, eating hotel food.

“I think travelling two hours to training, and two hours back every day, I tried that for a while and in the end I had to buy an apartment because I was feeling asleep in my office in the afternoon before I decided to buy somewhere. 

“I’ve said that Bradley, I’m not telling him that he has to go and buy a house, but this is his job, we pay his wages, and he has to be fit.

“However he does it, he has to show the athleticism and power that we know he’s got.”

Johnson’s goal was the eighth time in which Rovers have struck inside the opening 15 minutes of a league game this season, the joint-most in the EFL.

Seven of those eight have come away from home, including in each of their last three.

Johnson’s strike came courtesy of a well-worked move that saw him lash home a short corner routine that Rovers had worked on 24 hours earlier.

And Mowbray says scoring early on their travels is by no means a fluke.

“It doesn’t happen by accident,” he added.

“You have to give the players a game-plan, get inside their heads, give them a mentality how we play. Don’t have any fear because if you come here and sit off then they will pass you to death.

“Play to your strengths, play forward, be aggressive, run in behind, and we did that.”

  • Prices have been announced for Rovers’ FA Cup with fellow Championship side Birmingham City.

The two sides have been paired together in round three, with the tie set to take place on Saturday, January 4 at St Andrew’s. The game has been selected for overseas television coverage and will kick off at 12.31pm.

For season ticket holders, adults are priced at £10, seniors at £5 and £3 for Under-18s. There is a £2 increase for non-season ticket holders on all adult and senior tickets.

Tickets are now on sale for season ticket holders with an 1875 Club membership, and any remaining tickets will be available from Monday, December 23. Birmingham won the league meeting 1-0 in October.