Hayden Carter follows a previously trodden path, a fledgling Rovers centre half making the move to Burton Albion to work under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

This bears similar hallmarks to that of Darragh Lenihan, an Academy graduate in need of first-team experience, with Hasselbaink and the Pirelli Stadium seen as the best destination.

There are differences, not least that Carter has already made his senior debut for Rovers, and the Brewers are fighting off relegation from League One, rather than chasing promotion to it.

Hasselbaink is now into his second spell with the Brewers and has turned to Rovers, and Carter, as his first signing in a bid to plug a defence that has seen them ship 50 goals in their 22 matches, including five in the weekend defeat to Oxford United.

They are eight points from safety, a real baptism of fire for Carter, but he will take heart from Lenihan’s loan, and the development of Scott Wharton.

The Irishman played 15 times for the Brewers before being recalled by Rovers and since established himself as a first-team regular, while Wharton was heading for something similar until injury struck.

Wharton spent three full seasons out on loan, albeit in League Two, and looked to have really stepped up in level, and physicality, since his last Rovers outings, with Rovers having wanted similar experience for Carter for some time, only for injury to hamper that in the summer, and subsequently injuries in defence.

A delighted Hasselbaink said of the deal: "I am very happy to have signed Hayden on loan.

“He is a good player with a lot of potential. I like what I have seen of him so far and we are grateful to Blackburn for allowing him to come here.

“He is a tall, confident and likes to get the ball down and play.

“I am looking forward to seeing him play for the club and fully believe that he can have a successful loan spell.”

It would be hard not for Carter’s confidence to have taken a knock in recent weeks, with Bradley Johnson having twice been preferred over him alongside Darragh Lenihan, while at Stoke City, he failed to make the matchday squad, leaving Rovers without any central defensive cover.

He will look to his first loan move as an important one, and is excited by the task at hand.

"I'm obviously excited to be here. Being the gaffer's first signing, I'm proud of that because we know what he's done in his playing career and last time he was at the club,” he told his new club’s website.

"A few nights ago I got a call from the gaffer at Blackburn to say that the gaffer here wanted me to come down and train a few times, sign me on loan and get a few games in.

"As soon as I found out about it I wanted to get down here and get into it."

Burton’s situation is a perilous one, with just two wins all season, and none since the middle of September.

They have lost their last five matches, conceding 19 goals in the process, and are on the road on Saturday as they head to Gillingham where Carter could make his debut.