Jack Vale has been in this position before, scoring goals at Under-23s level and knocking on the door of the first-team.

But while he’s just one step away, it’s been a hurdle that the striker has failed to overcome so far. However, with an extra maturity after spells out on loan, the hope is that the time could be now for the 21-year-old.

Since returning to the club from a loan spell at FC Halifax Town, Vale has scored eight goals and contributed three assists, including two hat-tricks, in just six appearances for Rovers Under-23s.

Tony Mowbray watched on as Vale put in a man-of-the-match display in last week’s win over West Ham United, scoring the opening goal and setting up the second for Luke Brennan, catching the eye with both his hold-up play and willingness run in behind.

His two appearances for the first-team came two seasons apart, his debut against Reading in July 2020 and then a late run-out against Nottingham Forest in February.

Inbetween he has had time out of the side with injury, loan spells with Rochdale in League One and Halifax in the National League and also become a Wales Under-21 international.

Vale has long been tipped for a bright future at Rovers, signing his first contract in 2018 and then a follow-up deal 12 months later.

Both the first-team and Academy staff believe a first-team career at the club is in store for Vale, whose ninth of the season was a fine header from an Adam Wharton set piece to put Rovers on their way to an eighth game unbeaten with a win over the Hammers.

Coach Tony Carss said of Vale: “The challenge for him when he came back into the group was to produce consistent performances, score lots of goals, he got a couple of hat-tricks and a great header from a set piece.

“For a centre forward to get involved in goals from set pieces is important.

“We speak to the manager and the staff regularly and his performances in all the games have been really good, we’re really, really pleased with him, we think he’s on a good trajectory and we feel as a club he can threaten the first-team and get in and around it.

“He’s just got to transition this form into that first-team environment.”

Rovers have continued to hand opportunities to young players through the Academy, but many of those have been in the defensive positions in recent years.

Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Scott Wharton, Hayden Carter and Lewis Travis are defensive-minded players to have been brought the ranks, while Joe Rankin-Costello has also been utilised in more defensive roles than previously used in the Academy.

While John Buckley has become a firm fixture in the side, it’s been more difficult for attacking players, such as Vale, Dan Butterworth and Connor McBride to make their mark.

While Vale’s loan spells at Rochdale, in which he played just three times, and Halifax, where he managed only 10 appearances, might not have worked out how he wanted on the pitch, off it, they appeared to have worked well.

Carss has Vale has matured in his approach to the game, and an extra physicality is helping him lead the line well.

He’s shown glimpses of that before, but not for prolonged spells, but the hope is that the form he is on will continue into the summer.

That will then mean a big pre-season ahead for Vale who has another year left to run on his current contract with Rovers.

While injuries have previously curtailed his progress, Carss feels the last year has seen great development in Vale who can do no more than keep knocking on the door by producing for the Under-23s, with two of their remaining games coming at Ewood Park.

“This run he’s been on is the best he’s been on with this group for a couple of seasons,” Carss added.

“He’s had a run of fitness for a period of time, including his loan, and that’s bounced into his return with us.

“He looks fit, strong and sharp and we talk about loans and what the successes and how do they work, and I think the success has been proven by how he’s come back from his experiences at Halifax he’s more mature, really assertive on the pitch, a bit of a leader in the group.

“Those are the things he’s developed over the last six to 12 months.

“He’s just got to keep knocking on the door and wait for his opportunity.

“All he can do is keep doing what he’s doing and I’m sure when the manager thinks it’s the right time then he’ll get that opportunity.”

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