Tony Mowbray admits Under-23s football isn’t giving Lewis Travis what he needs as he considers whether to allow the Rovers midfielder to leave on loan this month.

Travis impressed on his first Championship start in the weekend defeat Sheffield United and will hope to have kept his place for today’s visit of West Brom.

A host of League One clubs are keen to sign the 20-year-old, who is on the fringes of the first team picture at Rovers, on loan.

A three match ban for Richie Smallwood could see Travis in and around the senior side for the next few weeks, with Mowbray happy with his impact, as well as the six other players who came in to his side against the Blades.

“Lewis Travis is a young boy that we have high hopes for,” the Rovers boss said.

“We talk about him going out on loan and playing 20 games from now until the end of the season and coming back more of a man and ready to play next season.

“Under-23s football isn’t giving him what he needs but I have to be conscious about our group, the rotation of the squad.

“But I don’t have any complaints with anyone who came in to the squad (against Sheffield United).

“For the vast majority of the game we competed well but just fell away in that last 20 minutes.”

Striker Joe Nuttall, an unused substitute in the Boxing Day defeat at Leeds, has eight goals in his last four Under-23s outings and is another who is interesting League One and League Two clubs.

Rovers are yet to make a decision on whether to allow the 21-year-old out on loan with Mowbray not wanting to leave himself short of options.