Tony Mowbray and John Buckley have both been nominated for awards after Rovers’ perfect December.

Rovers claimed four wins out of four to cement their place in the Championship’s top six and ended the year eight games unbeaten.

Key to that was the form of midfielder Buckley who has started all but one match this season, scoring his first goal in the win over Birmingham City and adding two assists as Rovers signed off 2021 with victory over Barnsley.

That has seen him shortlisted for the Championship player of the month prize, while Mowbray is up for the manager prize for the second successive month.

Of Academy graduate Buckley, the panel said: “With Buckley’s coming of age as a Rovers starter has arrived an exceptional ability to make interceptions, read the game and glide forward using his technically ability.

"He also added a goal and two assists as Blackburn went third.”

The 22-year-old faces competition for the award from Morgan Gibbs-White (Sheffield United), Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) and Harry Toffolo (Huddersfield Town).

Mowbray is up for the manager prize for the second month running as reward for Rovers’ excellent recent form.

They are nine matches unbeaten, including 12 points out of a possible 12 in December which included an impressive 2-0 victory at Bournemouth.

The panel said: of Mowbray's nomination “Consistency in the Championship is notoriously difficult to achieve.

"Managing it with a young side is an even more elusive feat, yet Mowbray inspired Rovers to a perfect four victories, which included a 2-0 win at high-flying Bournemouth.”

Mowbray, a 10-times manager of the month winner, is up against Carlos Corberan (Huddersfield Town), Wayne Rooney (Derby County) and Chris Wilder (Middlesbrough) for the award.

The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.