Jack Vale has been backed to take his chance after making his first Rovers start on the opening day.

Academy coach Mike Sheron believes the 21-year-old striker may well have dropped on ‘the right manager at the right time’ after being given his chance by Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Vale had made only three substitute appearances for the senior side prior to starting against QPR.

That came on the back of an impressive pre-season, in which he scored twice and added two assists.

Vale also finished the Premier League 2 season with 14 goals in 10 games, including four in a final day win over Chelsea, following his return from a loan spell at FC Halifax where he struggled for game-time.

Sheron championed Vale for a first-team impact last season, and while that wasn’t forthcoming, he has full faith the Wales Under-21 international can make the most of his opportunity.

“His consistency, maturity, desire to succeed, I’ve got nothing but praise for Jack.

“It was something I was delighted to see. We’ve had him since he was a 14-year-old lad, he’s 21 now, he’s not such a young lad and I do think his performances in the second part of last season I felt he should have been in and around the first-team, at least on the bench, to give that surprise factor.

“One thing he can do is score goals, but I’ve been so impressed with his link-up play, awareness, his pressing from the front which is a lot of what the manager wants.

“I hope he’s got the right manager at the right time and I think hopefully he can develop a career and score goals for the first-team because I think he can do that.”

Sheron has worked with Vale since his arrival at the club as a 14-year-old, with the striker long tipped for a first-team impact.

Injuries haven’t helped, but while a loan spell at Halifax saw him struggle for game-time, it has brought about an increased maturity in Vale

“I remember someone saying to me that his loan at Halifax was a failure,” Sheron added.

“I asked Jack himself and he said ‘I disagree, Shez. I genuinely feel it made me more aware of what is required to play in a first-team, what levels of fitness, the intensity’.

“He wanted a chance to show that.

“You have seen him score goals but there is so much more to his game than scoring goals. It’s a fair benchmark though as a centre forward that people will judge you on goals.”

Tomasson will demand plenty from his players, something Sheron says should help get the most out of the squad, including Vale.

“So he should, because you want your players to do as well as they can,” Sheron said.

“You want to get the maximum out of each individual.

“I always feel if your strikers are scoring goals then you’ve got a chance of winning games.

“Many a time you nick a winner but you might have had a poor game, that’s what goalscorers can do.”