Adam Armstrong is destined for the top and there should be no surprises about his goal-laden 2019/20 season.

That’s the view of Tom White, whose connection with Armstrong dates back much further than the 12 months he’s been at Rovers.

The pair played for the same boys club from the age of seven, and lived within a 60-second dash of each other in their native north east, before reuniting at Rovers last summer.

Both 23, the pair are on different paths in their careers, with Armstrong bidding to get back to the Premier League after taking the decision to leave boyhood club Newcastle United two years ago.

For White, he’s set to embark on his first full season in the EFL, after agreeing a season-long loan stay with Bolton Wanderers. His path to where he is now has been a tough road due to injuries, but stellar seasons in the National League with Gateshead earned him a Rovers move 12 months ago, and he’s reunited himself with Ian Evatt this summer, looking to spearhead a promotion push for Wanderers in League Two, having done so at Barrow last season.

White sought advice from Armstrong when discussing his Ewood Park switch last summer, and despite the attacker having had a loan spell at the University of Bolton Stadium in 2017, that advice wouldn’t have been needed this time around, with White excited to link up Evatt again, a manager who this week described him as “the complete midfielder”.

But he took time to sing the praises of Armstrong who was this week nominated for the Championship player of the month for July, as well as walking away as Rovers’ top scorer with 17, and claiming the player, and goal, of the season prizes.

“I can’t say I’m surprised. He’s scored goals since he was about seven or eight,” White said.

“He works hard and is a very talented player and he can go the top again.

“I know he’s come back down but he’s an ambitious lad and it’s shown on the pitch.

“He’s picked up the goal of the season and he could have had about four different goals that would have finished goal of the season.

“It’s testament to him, he’s a talented player and I’m happy for him.”

White has 12 months left to run on his Rovers contract having agreed a two-year deal when joining from Gateshead. He’s yet to break in to the first-team, and made eight appearances for the Under-23s before his November switch to Barrow.

There he played 18 times in the National League, scoring twice, and will head out on loan again, this time to Wanderers.

And it is the 2020/21 season in League Two that is his focus for now, admitting that what will be will be when it comes to his Rovers future.

“For whatever reason I don’t think it really happened for me at Blackburn,” he added. “Whether or not they’ll give me an opportunity in the future or not I don’t know.

“I’m just concentrating my efforts on my season at Bolton and trying to perform on the pitch.

“Blackburn have allowed me to go out which I’m thankful for and we’ll just have to wait and see on that side of things.

“I’m just going to get my head down and work hard.”

Barrow and Rovers have built up a close relationship in recent seasons, with White one of three players to make loan switches to Holker Street. Another of those, Matty Platt, signed permanently for the Cumbrians this week, and those deals might not the last in what could become an interesting triangle between the two clubs, and Bolton.

White was a transfer target for both Carlisle and Barrow before moving to Rovers, and White added: “I chose to go down a different route at the time and he (Evatt) has always stayed in contact.

“That’s the type of man he is, never mind manager.

“He is a good guy, who looks after his players. I loved playing for him last year.”