Elliott Bennett underwent surgery on his ankle ligaments this week and is expected to miss the remainder of the calendar year.

But that won’t stop the Rovers captain playing his part around the dressing room, with Bennett meeting up with his team-mates at their West Midlands hotel on Friday night.

Bennett was keen to meet the club’s four deadline day signings for the first time, having not been around the squad because of his injury problems.

While the 31-year-old has made just one substitute appearance this season, Mowbray says the versatile Bennett is still a key figure at the club, and someone keen to play his part even when not available.

“I’m sure it’ll be less than what the medical department think it will be. Elliott is very driven,” Mowbray said of how long Bennett would be out for.

“He’s going to be out for a while, let’s say a couple of months minimum, not before Christmas.

“But when he’s back I’m sure he will be strong, he’ll be strong during his rehab and hopefully try and force his way back into the team.

“He’s a loss to the personality of the team, he hasn’t played a lot this year for us, but he’s a big influence around the dressing room on a daily basis.”

That personality is felt on social media, tweeting an update of his rehabilitation earlier in this week in which he said: “In the meantime I will be supporting the boys any other way I can.”

And Mowbray revealed: “He was up early texting me to see if he could come to the hotel and have dinner with the team and meet the new players so everyone knows him.

“I think it’ll be a boost for the group. They do miss Benno’s opinions on everything.

“It’s a lot quieter place without Elliott.”

Bennett has had limited game-time this season, with just a handful of minutes towards the end of the 4-0 win at Derby County last month his sole senior action.

He was handed the armband after Charlie Mulgrew’s departure to Wigan Athletic in 2019, and continued in that role even after the Scot’s return from the DW Stadium in January.

While Darragh Lenihan has captained the team on the field for much of this year, Bennett remains a big figure around the club, and Mowbray says his opinions on a whole range of issues highlight his strong personality.

Mowbray added: “That’s what Elliott Bennett is all about. I don’t follow him on social media but I’m sure you’ll be able to feel his opinions on things and they are very considered, very logical, he’s a good human being, a good guy and someone who has been around football a long time.

“He knows what’s right and wrong, knows the standards that need to be set and he tries to drive them for the coaching staff, that these are the standards and you can’t drop below them.

“Elliott is someone who leads and sets the example himself.”