Blackburn signing sets target after deadline day switch

The experienced midfielder signed on a free transfer from Sheffield United on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

It was a quick turnaround with Fleck completing his medical in Sheffield before signing on transfer deadline day. He trained for the first time with his team-mates on Friday and was an unused substitute against Queens Park Rangers.

Fleck has only played 90 minutes of football for the Blades in the Premier League and a desire to feature more regularly was the core reason for ending his eight-year spell with the club.

"I'm delighted to be here and I'm ready to help the team get up the table. It was a long day for myself so I'm happy to get it sorted," he told RoversTV.

"It's the first time I've had it, moving on deadline day. It was quite mixed emotions, I've been at Sheffield United for eight years, my family and I have made a lot of friends.

"I got to the point where I had to make an important decision and hopefully I've made the right one.

Fleck spent eight years at Bramall Lane (Image: PA)

"I want to play as much as I can and help the team, most importantly. Right now, it's a disappointing position but the Championship is a strange old league. Two or three wins and you can get up there again.

"This league, you can be 18th, two or three wins and you're just outside the play-offs. The lads have experienced it over the last few years and it's just about being consistent."

After a relatively injury-free career, Fleck has been hampered by several difficult issues in the last 12 months, limiting his game time.

With those behind him, the 32-year-old wants to be on the pitch as soon as possible. He's fit and ready to go, albeit he may need some time to get up to match speed.

"It's always about playing football, I've had injury problems in the last year or so and, hopefully, I am over that now. It was really difficult," he explained.

"I haven't had any serious ones in my career until the last year or so. I pushed myself a little too quickly to get back to playing, earlier than what I should have done.

"That's the type of person I am. Every player is the same, they want to play week in, week out. It's disappointing when you're out and you can't do that."

"It's a huge club, I played against Blackburn a lot of times over the last few years. They make it very difficult in terms of how the manager wants to play. They have a lot of good players.

"The only disappointing thing is where we are in the table but hopefully, we can push up. I've played against them and we've had meetings this morning, I'll try to learn as quickly as possible how he wants to play."

Rovers moved to bring Fleck in with Adam Wharton departing for Crystal Palace. At the age of 32, he will provide an injection of experience into the dressing room.

That was something Jon Dahl Tomasson has been crying out for, with Kyle McFadzean also signing from Coventry City. 

Fleck admitted he's quiet in nature but hopes to help guide some of the younger players in the Rovers squad.

"I'm quite a quiet person but naturally you try and bring experience, I don't think you need to shout and moan at people but if standards need setting for training and the week then I try to do that.

"It's a young squad so for those players, it's up to the more experienced lads to help them moving forward."