Bradley Dack finds himself in a new territory in that he is no longer guaranteed a starting spot when fit.

Dack hopes goals in successive Carabao Cup ties, and having proven his fitness, will see a recall to the Championship starting XI.

The 28-year-old captained a youthful side in the win at Bradford City in midweek, having done likewise against Hartlepool United earlier in the month, finding the back of the net in both.

With Rovers having been short of attacking threat in their successive 3-0 defeats to Reading and Sheffield United, Dack will be hoping to have done enough to force his way into Jon Dahl Tomasson’s starting line-up.

He feels fitter than at any stage since his first ACL injury in December 2019 which kept him out for a year, while the same injury to the opposite knee in March 2021 saw him sidelined for a further year.

A minor quadricep injury saw him miss a week of pre-season training, but it wasn’t until the final friendly at Lincoln City where he got minutes under his belt, once again finding the net in a 1-0 victory.

It is that goal threat, as well remaining a firm favourite with supporters, that will see calls grow for his inclusion.

Yet Dack was unused in the defeat at Sheffield United, a scenario he has faced in three of Rovers’ opening five Championship fixtures.

Before this season, he had previously been an unused substitute only once in his five years with the club. That came in the 1-0 defeat to Stoke City last April where he had been primed to come on, only to suffer a jarred back in the half-time warm-up.

Otherwise, Dack has got on the pitch in the other 133 times he has featured in a matchday squad for Rovers, with 106 starts and 27 substitute appearances.

In his 10 appearances in a matchday squad last season, he was brought on in nine of them, with the Stoke defeat the exception. Following his previous comeback in 2020/21, Dack made seven starts and nine substitute appearances before injury struck again.

In 2019/20 he started all 22 of Rovers’ matches before injury struck in December, while he clocked up 77 starts and seven substitute appearances from the 84 matches in which he was available, missing eight through injury or suspension, in his first two seasons.

Even prior to his move to Rovers, at former club Gillingham he was only an unused substitute four times in three seasons.

So Dack finds himself in new territory.

“It’s a difficult position for me because I’ve never really been in that position where I’ve been on the bench,” Dack explained.

“Before when I’ve been fit I’ve always played so it’s kind of new for me.

“I haven’t played as many minutes as I’d have wanted but I’ll keep working and if I keep scoring goals then I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t be in the team.

“It’s part and parcel of football. I’ve got to keep providing the goods on the pitch and hopefully it shouldn’t be too long.”

Trademark, first-time finishes in the Carabao Cup wins have provided a timely reminder of Dack’s goalscoring ability at a time when Rovers have struggled for threat in their most recent Championship matches.

Dack has now found the net 52 times for Rovers, moving him level with Benni McCarthy.

He told RoversTV: “I’ll never get tired of scoring goals and it was nice to see it hit the back of the net.

“I thought I did well, trying to do what the gaffer is asking of me and I feel good, I feel fit.”

Every player, whether in Dack’s position or not, would want to be playing, but competition in his favoured No.10 role is strong. The addition of Sam Szmodics from Peterborough United and early season form of Ryan Hedges has added to Tomasson’s options.

“I think everyone will tell you they think they should be playing,” Dack said.

“I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do and when I get the opportunities hope that’s enough.

“I feel really good, the best and fittest I’ve felt in two-and-a-half years.

“I run way more now than I did before I was injured and I feel ready to go.”

Rovers are in the midst of a new era and style, yet Dack believes that Tomasson’s preferred way of playing is something that can get the best out of him.

“I think it’s something that can help me, winning the ball higher up, playing one and two touch around the box I think that’s good for me and suits my game,” he said.

“It’s nice to know that I can still put the ball in the back of the net.”

Rovers will look to get back on track against Stoke City this weekend following the disappointment of back-to-back away defeats.

Another three-game week is on the horizon, with home games with Stoke and Bristol City sandwiched by a trip to Blackpool in midweek, with Dack targeting a healthy points return.

He said: “It was two poor performances from the standards we set at the start of the season.

“It’s been a disappointing two games and we had to make sure we bounced back and we did.

“We’re going into a big week, two home games and a derby in midweek.

“If we have aspirations of getting to where we want to then we need to be picking up a lot of points this week.”

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