Steve Waggott says the changing of shirt sponsor midway through the season is ‘far from ideal’ but says the Totally Wicked deal has helped plug the gap in the club’s finances.

Recoverite Compression had agreed a two-year deal with Rovers in 2020 but that has since been cut short due to what the Lancashire Telegraph understands is payment schedules not being met.

Blackburn-based E-cigarette company, Totally Wicked, already the club's training wear sponsor, has now stepped into the breach, with their logo to be worn on the front of the club’s shirts for the remainder of the season when the contract will be up for renewal.

Fans are being offered the chance to have a new sponsorship patch put on their shirt free of charge, with the new sponsor worn for the first time in Wednesday night’s defeat at Hull City.

It is the second successive shirt sponsorship deal that has ended early, with 10Bet having pulled out in 2020, two years into a three-year deal.

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, chief executive Waggott said: “It’s another far from ideal situation.

“We signed with Recoverite for two years, the first year was obviously behind closed doors.

“We had a discussion in the summer, they said they wanted to continue, thought they could continue for the rest of the season, but as we didn’t quite hit the heights as a partnership it was felt that they couldn’t continue after Christmas.

“Where could we go next? Well, who are the partners close to us? Fraser (Cropper) at Totally Wicked is a huge supporter of the club, used to sell programmes as a youngster, local business, wanted to step in and thought it was an unbelievably proud moment.

“We quickly plugged the financial gap in our budget by moving over to Totally Wicked who will take it on for the rest of the season.

“Really disappointing that we couldn’t carry on with Recoverite, didn’t quite work out, never ideal mid-season to change your shirt sponsor, other clubs have done it of course, but we’ve had to take it on the chin and move with a great partner and hopefully as they’ve been on the training wear for four years this is the next phase of a development with them.”

There will be no more shirts manufactured, with Waggott revealing that sales of all three kits have been the most combined over the last decade.

That comes after Macron took over the manufacturing and design of the shirt from Umbro as their latest association with the club ended after five years.

Waggott says there has been work done to improve the Totally Wicked patches, with supporters offered the chance to have the replacement logo on their shirts available from next week.

He added: “You can turn up next week, we’re getting the patches developed. I think the first wave were a little bit thin, some of the Recoverite logo writing still coming through, so we’re looking at what they call a twill patch which will be put on more professionally.

“We’ll be putting something out on the website and on social media that supporters can come in, free of charge obviously because they have already paid for the shirt and thank you for doing that, we’ve sold a lot of them, I think it’s a record selling shirt the whole three for at least the last 10 years.

“Great design, new shirt manufacturers in Macron and the fans have really taken to it.

“Obviously the form of the first team has helped generate the commercial activity as it always does, when you win people are fully engaged.

“It’s great to see people around the club smiling, supporters getting pride back into the club and it’s great for the town and the area.

“The amount of people who contact me and say ‘Rovers are doing well’, it’s great to hear those words because it has been a struggle at times.

“It’s great to see people fully engaged and Tony Mowbray and the players kicking on, a young side as well, five players from the Academy which is great to see.

“I’m always a great advocate of the Academy at whichever club I’ve been at.”

Rovers said in a statement: “Fans who have already bought an adult shirt this season will be given the opportunity to get a Totally Wicked patch printed onto the front of their shirt free of charge from next week.  

“From Tuesday, January 25, supporters can bring their home, away or third shirt into the Roverstore at Ewood Park and have the new Totally Wicked logo added to cover the existing branding.

“Rovers will not be able to print our new sponsor’s logo onto the front of any shirt for Under-18s or any junior sizes.”