Scott Wharton says the length of his injury absence has taken some acclimatising to.

Wharton is set to miss much of 2021 with the Achilles injury that saw him taken off on a stretcher at Brentford in December.

At the time the 23-year-old was starting to establishing himself in the team after five separate spells out on loan, chosen over Daniel Ayala at Brentford where his season would ultimately come to an end.

That was his fifth Championship start, adding to his two substitute appearances, and he had struck up a good partnership with Darragh Lenihan.

Rovers won three and drew one of the four matches they completed alongside each other, and made Wharton feel like he was becoming a key member of the side.

The Salesbury-born defender still has another year left to run on his contract, but his form in the side is set to earn him an extended deal that will allow Wharton to focus fully on his rehabilitation.

“It didn’t click straight away just how serious the injury was,” he told the club website.

“A couple of days later it sunk in and I thought it would be three or four months, but it’s obviously going to be longer than that.

“It was gutting because I’d worked so hard over the years by going out on loan and I’d come back to the club and felt really good.

“It was a big season for me and one that would determine whether I’d stay at Rovers for the foreseeable or whether it was perhaps time to move on.

“I had to be patient with the other lads playing, but I got my chance and it was just about taking it.

“We were on a good run, I was really enjoying it and was realising what it would take to play week in, week out in the Championship."