Ethan Brierley will have endured all series of emotions in his young career, and 2023 will have tested his resolve to the limits.

A potential move to Sheffield United, where he spent time on trial, couldn’t proceed due to the Blades’ transfer embargo.

A switch to Rovers was all but done on deadline, only for paperwork issues to see that fall through, though confirmation of that didn’t arrive until some six weeks later.

In the meantime, Brierley was left on the sidelines as Rochdale, the club where he progressed through the ranks to become one of their great hopes, were rooted to the bottom of the League Two table and facing relegation out of the EFL.

With Rochdale reliant upon the incomings funds, which albeit a small sum to Rovers, will have meant a lot to Dale and their long-term future, Brierley sat on the sidelines as he awaited the outcome of his potential move to Ewood Park.

Both parties were reluctant to use him given the circumstances, but eventually the green light was given to Brierley to play for Dale, and with it came an upturn in results.

His four starts back brought five points, with the teenager chipping in with three assists.

However, a damaging defeat to Crawley Town at the weekend leaves them 10 points from safety with eight games to play, bringing an end to Jim Bentley’s time in charge.

Prior to his departure, Bentley praised the attitude and application of Brierley, stating: “He’s just sampled a different environment having been up at Sheffield United and he’s had interest from a Championship club, and a good one as well, in Blackburn.

“They’re good with their young players and he’s had the injury, and the potential move, and he’s come back and he’s trained well.

“We’ve been a little but reluctant - obviously we can’t have Blackburn dictating our side - but ultimately, you’ve got to think of player’s career.

“It’s a dream move from the lad financially and a stepping stone as they could be a Premier League club soon, and it’s also finances into the club as well.

“But whatever has happened has happened, he’s come back and we’ve made the decision that we’re going to get him back in the team, and 100 per cent where Ethan was probably a 19-year-old boy in the building, he’s suddenly now, having had that spell away at a different club and the interest from a Championship club, he’s come back as a man.”

In the aftermath of the deadline day fall-out, director of football Gregg Broughton discussed a number of options available to Rovers.

At the forefront of that was doing right by the player and Rochdale, hence the club going down the appeals process.

The hope was that an agreement could be reached between the clubs that would see Brierley make the move to Rovers in the summer.

He still has a year left on his contract, but his performances won’t have gone unnoticed, and Rovers could face competition for his services should they not be able to get anything tied up.

Brierley has senior experience in National League North with Spennymoor Town, and now has 36 appearances for Rochdale, with the prospect of eight more before the end of the season.

Rochdale have been pleased with the rise in his physicality and that has enabled him to play all but three minutes of their last five matches since coming back into the fold.

He would have added to Rovers’ list of midfield prospects, and was seen as a long-term project for the club who haven’t brought any players into their Under-21s group since the signing of Ethan Walker.