Lewis Travis has told the club’s other young players to stay patient and believes going out on loan isn’t always the best way to improve your first team chances.

Travis looked set to leave on a temporary basis last summer, and again in January, but the young midfielder has since started 10 of the last 11 first team games, as well as coming off the bench in the defeat to Middlesbrough.

Boss Tony Mowbray has hinted the 21-year-old could be joined in the first team by more of the club’s impressive crop of youngsters before the season is out.

Travis told the Lancashire Telegraph: “Selfishly, I thought going out on loan would help my career massively. Every first team manager wants players with experience and whether they can they handle it in first team games?

“I think I’ve shown, (Ryan) Nyambe and (Joe) Nuttall have shown it’s not always the way to do it. If you can do it in the first team then that’s the best way to do it.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for my chance and it’s just about taking it when you get it.”

Travis could return to the starting line-up at Birmingham today in what would be a 20th appearance of the season, double the amount he made in 2017/18.

He added: “I was waiting two years for my chance, that was when I was around the first team, coming off the bench.

“It’s just about being patient for those lads. Once one of the youngsters gets in it gives everyone that bit of hope.

“Everyone knows that the gaffer will play young players which is good.”

Oldham, Fleetwood and Bradford were among those chasing Travis during the summer window.

And the midfielder added: “I was expecting to go out on loan. It’s been great for me so far this year and is something I’ve wanted and worked for since I was a boy.

“I’ve always thought that I’d do well in the team, I always trusted in my ability, it’s just been about showing the gaffer and everyone what I’m about and hopefully I’ve done that.”

Rovers head to St Andrew’s to face Birmingham this afternoon looking to end a four match losing streak.

Travis believes the performances have been better than the results of late suggest, but sees today’s game as an ideal chance to put things right.

“Everyone recognises we are a good team, we’ve shown it from the start of the season,”he said.

“Throughout the season we’ve played worse than we have in the last four matches but have won games.

“We all set ourselves high standards and I think were disappointed with our performance in the first half against Middlesbrough. We see Birmingham as a game we can win.  We should have beaten them earlier in the season.”