Dominic Samuel could yet feature for Rovers in pre-season having resumed full training with the squad.

The striker has been out for 11 months with a knee injury and has been eased in to training so far this summer.

Tony Mowbray had hoped the 25-year-old would be able to get minutes under his belt in pre-season, and he still believes that could be the case, with Rovers having two more friendlies left to play.

They head to Bury tomorrow night (7.45pm) and then Blackpool on Saturday ahead of next weekend’s season opener against Charlton at Ewood Park.

Samuel played just three times in 2018/19 before suffering the season-ending injury but Mowbray has been impressed with his application in training.

“I think so. If it’s not Bury then maybe Blackpool off the bench,” Mowbray said when asked if Samuel could feature in pre-season.

“He’s done alright. He’s in full training.

“We’ve had to drip him in bit by bit but he’s looked extremely fit, lean, fast, agile. Let’s wait and see.

“Let’s hope he’s a real bonus ball for us. I’m pleased with how he’s looking in training.”

Mowbray says Samuel could benefit from behind closed doors games, or with Under-23s matches, in a bid to get himself ready to make his first-team return.

He wasn’t part of the squad who travelled to Austria last month, but has been putting in the hard yards at the club’s Brockhall training base.

“It’s a long time he’s been out,” Mowbray added.

“Sometimes you’re tempted to throw them in but you have to give them time to get the confidence to go out on the pitch and challenge and do the things you’re good at it.

“He needs to be able to do that in an environment where there’s not too much glare on him.

“He’ll probably play some Under-23s minutes, or some bounce games that we’ll have, and could play some minutes in the pre-season games we’ve got left.”

Rovers travel to Gigg Lane to face a crisis hit Bury side, who although promoted from League Two last season, have been beset by financial difficulties.

The Shakers lost manager to Ryan Lowe to Plymouth, while several mainstays of their promotion campaign following him to Home Park.

They have played just one pre-season friendly to date, at non-league Nantwich Town, with the team including a host of trialists.

Bury have a match scheduled at Port Vale on Saturday ahead of their opening game against MK Dons.