The sense of relief that greeted the final whistle as Rovers finally reached the 50-point mark was palpable.

They did so courtesy of only a second win in 16 games and a first at home since the end of January. Then, a 1-0 success over Luton, left them on 39 points from 26 matches, eighth in the league, and it would have been unfathomable to think that matchday 42 they were scrambling for a result to ensure their Championship safety.

But so far has been the decline in results in these last three months that it was the case Rovers were presented with.

There was a feeling that Rovers had failed to recognise the trouble they were sliding into after taking eight points from the last 45 available. The summer felt a long way off as they stumbled to the finish line.

And while they were relegated with 51 points in 2016/17, victory courtesy of a second comeback win of the season means we can finally put this season to bed and think about the future with a matter of certainty.

This is undoubtedly a pivotal summer for Rovers. VLL losses of £20.8m up to March 2020, that included just a small part of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, offered a stark reminder of the financial position the club find themselves in.

The financial model has been unsustainable for some time, yet unlikely to change in the near future. Already spending £1.58 on wages for every £1 earned in revenue, and this with a wage ceiling the club have pushed hard to control, owners Venky’s must work out what the best way forward is for Rovers.

Do they want to become a club who loans in the best talent available from the Premier League and supplement those with free transfers? Do they want to maximise the talent within their Category One Academy, accept the inconsistencies that will bring, but reap the benefits of future sales?

Do they go down the route of recruiting experienced Championship campaigners who know what it’s like to be at the top end of the league? Or do they back their data-led recruitment system and look to become a club reliant on player trading?

They have tried a mix of all those, bringing mixed success, the squad having now reached a point whereby it does feel lopsided in some areas and short in others. The summer offers Rovers a chance to address that.

While there has been concern about the number of players out of contract this summer, it does offer Rovers the prospect of trimming the squad, and freeing up wages, amid a summer turnover of players that will have been unlikely seen since the League One preparations.

And all this comes in a climate where those with parachute payments seem to have more of a leg up than ever before, a gap growing even greater to plug, it seems savvy, not spending, will give Rovers the best hope of challenging.

As for supporters, there will be those eager to get back to Ewood Park, others less inclined because of the fortunes of 2021, and some possibly waiting to see what the summer brings. Being a fan is an investment in itself, not a financial commitment, and to them results and league tables do matter.

That’s not to say they can’t recognise a side that has played well in defeat, or not be blinded to accept a poor performance rewarded with three points. Their judgements of the team come from what they see in the 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon or midweek evening.

And for too long, they haven’t seen their side, at this level, win consistently enough to be at the top end of the league, a problem that pre-dates Mowbray’s time in charge. The eighth-placed ceiling has existed before his 2017 arrival, he just the latest manager to have found it too hard to crack.

Whether that be a quality, or mentality, issue is something for those at the club to reach a conclusion, if Rovers are to become a force in this division, rather than one that can give any team a game on their day.

This season has felt particularly draining, almost as much a 55-game season with the nine tagged on from the disrupted 2019/20 campaign, rather than what is already a gruelling 46 game fixture list.

We can soon, finally, box off this season that many have wanted to see the back of for some time, before the hard work really starts.