Tony Mowbray feels he leaves behind a talented young squad who can help move the club forward.

Rovers’ squads have become progressively younger under Mowbray, with established members of the club now moved on, with an Academy-dominated side looking to become the next household names.

Charlie Mulgrew, Craig Conway, Elliott Bennett and Danny Graham were on the books when Mowbray arrived and were fixtures in the side during the League One promotion season and subsequently Championship campaigns.

As they, along with David Raya, Richie Smallwood and Corry Evans have moved on, there has been the emergence of Scott Wharton, Lewis Travis, John Buckley and Ben Brereton who have helped forge a new side that saw Rovers to their highest league finish since 2013/14.

Mowbray hopes the values he has instilled on the club will help shape those players as they help the club embark on the next chapter.

“I think we managed to create a few different teams,” he said.

“The Charlie Mulgrew, Elliott Bennett, Craig Conway, Danny Graham team, as that drifts away, you have to build another team and I think Buckley, Wharton, Nyambe, they can create the culture moving forward and are the next bunch of names that are attached to this football club.

“Then below that hopefully young (Adam) Wharton and (Jake) Garrett are bubbling under and going to be the next group to come through.

“I think there’s a core of talented young players and below them lots more talented young players and I think you have to get the expectation right.

“They are all young players, those that you mention, and that’s a core, but as long as there’s an understanding from the fanbase that you’re going to have a young core of footballers if you can keep them together.”

Mowbray has forged a close bond with the players, as seen by the response to his departure on social media.

And he added: “I’m going to miss these players.

“John Buckley, he needs to keep growing. He needs to keep learning, keep believing.

“I tell him before every game to be the best player, because he has the potential to be.

“He has to keep learning.

“I don’t want to let them down, and I hope the club make the decision that a football manager/coach comes into the club that wants to help them grow and give young players the platform to be as good as they can.

“My thoughts patterns are for them, for Wharton, Buckley, Nyambe.”

Mowbray has instilled his personality on the club and has made a lasting impression.

He says that is something he has always tried to do at the club he has managed, and will wherever his next job is.

“Wherever I’ve managed, I just bring my values and personality and my experience to the players,” he explained.

“Then your football knowledge is how you want to play, what your beliefs are.

“Football is about people, connecting with them, and taking them on a journey.

“I think to be a football manager you have to have a strong personality, and I feel as though I’ve got that, but the values are what wraps the personality up in a big ball and hopefully takes the club in the right direction.

“That’s what I’ll do at the next place I go to and what I’ve done here for five years.

“Turn up every day, set the standard, try and be the first in.

“I think we’ve created a competitive team who cares about the club and the supporters, had values, that knew the team had to be built on hard work and honesty.

“Of course we were going to lose games along the way but we also brought some joy and entertainment.”

Take out a subscription...

Gain unlimited access to the Lancashire Telegraph website with a premium digital subscription from just £1