As the dust settles on Northampton’s promotion from League Two boss Keith Curle is preparing for life in the third tier next season.

Those plans will include speaking to Rovers about the possibility of Scott Wharton returning to Sixfields after a successful season-long loan spell.

The Rovers defender was a key part of the Cobblers side who lifted the League Two play-off trophy on Monday after a resounding 4-0 win over Exeter City.

That made it three promotions in 12 months for Wharton who was also part of the Lincoln City and Bury sides who got out of League Two last season.

But his stand-out season came with Northampton, playing 43 times in all across the 2019/20 season on the left side of a back three.

Rovers have monitored Wharton’s progress closely this season, with the 22-year-old under contract at Ewood Park for a further two years.

Tony Mowbray and the defender himself have stated he will come back to Rovers in the summer with a view to competing for a spot in the first-team squad.

But Curle says Northampton will approach Rovers over the possibility of a return for Wharton, and for striker Callum Morton after the West Brom striker scored eight times in 12 games.

"Considering the players on loan did so well for us, we will be having discussions with their parent clubs over the course of the summer," he told the Northampton Chronicle.

"This is a difficult summer with the impact of COVID-19 on the industry and we have been very transparent about that from the very start with the players.

"The industry is having to make adjustments and that is being reflected across the game. As a club, it is important show good housekeeping in these difficult times.

"They (the recruitment team) know what I'm looking for and they know the credentials and the type of characters that I want and they're not easy to find.

"We don't just want good players. They've got to fit into what we're trying to create and what we want to build here.”