Tony Mowbray says he did what was right for Paul Downing by sanctioning a loan move to Doncaster - but won't be sourcing a replacement in the January window.

Downing became the third centre half to leave the club on loan this month, following Joe Grayson and Scott Wharton who joined Grimsby and Bury respectively.

However, the boss is happy with the central defensive options at his disposal, helped by some strong showings from Jack Rodwell in wins over Millwall and Ipswich.

Downing has played just three times for Rovers in the Championship and regularly missed out on a spot in the matchday squad, having fallen to fifth in the pecking order following Rodwell's arrival. 

On whether Downing's exit would see Rovers enter the market before next week's transfer deadline, Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph: “Where do you get someone who’s better than the four we’ve got and someone who would sit as fifth centre half? That is really difficult.

“I like our young centre halves, Wharton and Grayson are out on loan and Platt has been on loan, but Tyler Magloire is a really good footballer.

“So I’m not in a rush to just add another player who would block the pathway of our talented young players, so I’m pretty relaxed with four centre halves and a batch of young ones sitting behind them.

“If they need blooding before then, then we will have to put them on the pitch and see how they get on.”

Downing sees his current deal at Ewood Park expire in the summer, though there is a 12 month option to extend that, in the club’s favour.

The defender signed for Rovers in the final hours of the 2017 summer transfer window, initially on loan from MK Dons. That was made permanent last January given the impressive form shown by the defender when deputising for Darragh Lenihan, who missed much of last season through injury.

In all, Downing played 30 times to help Rovers over the line, but has seen his opportunities be limited this season.

“Paul fancied this move, he wants to play football, ”Mowbray added.

“It’s no good smudging it, he found himself as fifth choice centre half at our club at the moment.

“I wanted to do what I thought was right for Paul Downing, someone who came on the last day of a transfer window 18 months ago and helped our club immeasurably really to pick up results and get out of League One.

“He was there for us and works extremely hard and is a model professional.

“When he knocked on my door and asked if it was possible for him to move on, because he never moans when he’s not in the squad and has to do extra running at the end of the game, he comes in on a Sunday and work, that’s tough as an elder pro, he wanted to play.

“For me it was a balance of what’s right for Paul and what’s right for the club. That’s a difficult decision because we didn’t need him to go to save his wage, we could have kept him here as a comfort blanket in case we needed him.

“But my decision was to let him go and play some football and give himself a chance of getting a deal moving forward.”