Tony Mowbray is hoping for a return to normality when Rovers players are back in pre-season training and longs for fans back in stadium after over a year without them.

Rovers have played just one game infront of fans since February 2020, and none at Ewood Park, the joint-longest wait for supporters of any of the 92 clubs.

The club are one of four Championship clubs yet to put season tickets on sale, but are expected to within the coming week, launching their #BacktoLive strapline to coincide with the planned return of supporters for next season.

Rovers have adapted their training schedule, and facilities, to meet the relevant guidelines, and the restrictions in place has affected plans to have a training camp away from their Brockhall base this summer.

“I hope that the environment that the players work in every day returns to normal for the beginning of pre-season,” Mowbray said.

“It would be great to return back to normal, for the stadiums to have fans in and for the supporters to return and back their team.

“That’s a core thing in football, the supporters. It’s interesting when we’re watching clips of players and the crowd are cheering as the goals go in.

“The crowd are jumping on the fences and it will be strange when fans do return again, but it will undoubtedly be a massive improvement. It’s not been enjoyable without the fans in.”

The unique nature of the season has seen Rovers forced into different routines at away grounds, changing in concourses on several occasions, while the social distancing has also reduced the ability to do large group video work.

“Getting changed in corridors, in private boxes, it’s not been ideal either," Mowbray added.

“To have players in the dressing room together and eating lunch together, breaking down games together, it will be great for that to happen again soon enough.”