Jon Dahl Tomasson says he shares the fans’ frustration at Rovers January transfer window that saw only one signing and no new striker.

Sorba Thomas is Rovers’ only confirmed piece of transfer business as the club wait to learn if their appeal to the EFL about registering Lewis O’Brien and Ethan Brierley is successful.

Two attacking options in George Hirst and Dilan Markaday left the club, with Hirst returning to his parent club and Markanday loaned to Aberdeen on deadline day.

It leaves Rovers with fewer options than they started the month with, and Tomasson says there is a level of frustration across the club at how the window went.

He said: “I’ve said it a couple of times that you should never miss an opportunity and waste a window, did we waste it? Not totally, but it wasn’t great.

“We gained one player into the building, a different player if you compare to the players we have.

“A quality player who will help this squad.

“We had two players go away from the building, Dilan on loan to improve him and of course Hirst.

“So we are missing players in that way.”

Rovers saw deals for Brighton & Hove Albion striker Deniz Undav and FC Lorient’s Ibrahima Kone agreed, but fall down due to decisions out of their control.

An agreement was also close for a striker on deadline day, while other targets came and went during the course of January.

Tomasson had continued to stress that Rovers ‘shouldn’t waste’ the window, but was ultimately left frustrated.

“I think you should always try and see each window as an opportunity,” he said.

“It’s of course frustrating for the fans and for the players, the staff and personally, for me, that we’ve only brought one player in and two left the building.

“It’s true that we brought in a winger, we haven’t brought in a striker. It’s always good to have competition and to have goals in your squad to win games.

“This group of players is extremely motivated, they want to do well for Rovers.

“They always think about becoming better, to challenge, want competition in the dressing room and need new blood in the dressing room.”

While the club were trying to finalise deals at Brockhall, Tomasson and his squad were booking their place in the FA Cup fifth round with victory at Birmingham City, and that is where the head coach says his responsibility lies.

The only deal to be finalised on deadline day was the departure of Markanday to Aberdeen.

A move had been on the cards since the arrival of Thomas, on loan from Huddersfield.

Asked if he would have had reservations about loaning out Markanday had he known of issues with other deals, Tomasson said: “It’s a very good question.

“With football, especially the transfer market, you never know what will happen.

“At the end of the day it’s always important to have numbers.

“On the other hand it’s important to develop Dilan with game-time so you can imagine it’s been a difficult period, difficult days and also different roles.

“Tuesday in Birmingham, where I am responsible, that’s my responsibility on the pitch. The boys did an excellent job, came through to the next round where Rovers haven’t been for a while.

“Then of course all the noise regarding transfers, that was not at the same level.

“The performance the players did was excellent and the other thing wasn’t the same performance.

“I understand how frustrated our fans are, I’m frustrated personally, the staff we’re working with are frustrated, the players are frustrated.

“The only thing we need to do is stick together, we need the fans more than ever to help this young team.

“Of course it’s not been great.”