Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe sat down with attacker Adam Armstrong ahead of the new season. 

Adam Armstrong enjoyed a rare summer off. An Under-20s World Cup winner with England in 2017, he followed that up with a Toulon tournament winner’s medal last summer.

And when he’s not been away on international duty, focus has also been on where he would be playing his football the following season.

But after taking the decision to leave boyhood club Newcastle 11 months ago, there were no such concerns this time around.

No-one last year featured in more Championship games for Rovers than the 22-year-old whose trademark finishes in pre-season wins at Mansfield and Bury, and stunning goal at Blackpool, highlight his determination to maintain his key role in the side.

Armstrong had struggled in previous second tier loan spells, with Barnsley in 2016/17 and Bolton in the first half of 2017/18, but there are great hopes he can build on his five league goals and profit from a more progressive style of play.

After four separate loan spells, including becoming a League One promotion winner with Rovers, Armstrong has found a home and said he benefited from the pre-season training camp in Austria last month.

“It was nice and refreshing. Every other summer I’ve been away with England or thinking about my future,”Armstrong said.

“It was nice to have a month off and put my feet up and then work hard for the new season.

“I’ve never been away straight away, as we did with Austria, and it was really good for the lads and a really good bonding time and all the lads worked hard.”

While Armstrong took the decision to move from a Premier League club, on a good contract with still years left to run, last summer, Sam Gallagher made a similar call this time around.

Gallagher, like Armstrong, had been out on several loans but felt this was the right time to seek a permanent move.

And Armstrong said: “It’s a great move for him.

“I would say to any young lad, or anyone not getting in a first team, get your experience and if a club wants you then you have to take it with both hands.

“Me personally, coming to Blackburn I couldn’t turn it down.

“For me to be playing here, I knew I had to work hard to get in the team and now I have to keep doing that and proving why I’m here.”

Tony Mowbray was keen to add another forward to his ranks this summer and is excited by the potential within his attacking options.

Armstrong, Gallagher, Ben Brereton, Joe Rothwell and Danny Graham are likely to be fighting to make the team on the opening day but it promises to be a battle that will run for the whole of the season.

Armstrong’s additional pace, demonstrated by his two goals in pre-season, could well see him get the nod on the right against the Addicks having finished last season in good form.

But Mowbray has a history of picking teams based on the opposition, with Armstrong admitting: “All teams have different ways of playing.

“If the gaffer sees a weakness in the opposition then we’ll try and exploit that. I will play anywhere, I’m enjoying my time on the wing at the minute.

“We wouldn’t be footballers if we hadn’t come through competition.

“We all buzz off it and everyone is fighting for a place then all the better.”

Rovers returned to pre-season training on June 24 and have spent a week in the Austrian countryside working on their fitness, before completing six friendly matches, all in preparation for what will come over the course of the next nine months.

There appears to be a feel-good factor around the dressing room, boosted by some experienced additions in the transfer window, with Armstrong saying the players just can’t wait for the new season to get under way.

“I’m feeling good, all the lads are as well, and we just can’t wait to get started now.

“We have been working hard on the training pitch on tactics and been getting a lot of fitness work in as well.

“The lads are thriving off each other and it’s a good environment to be around.

“I look to get better every game.

“I’ve felt good in pre-season and hopefully I can get a start against Charlton.”

When Armstrong and Mowbray were named player, and manager, of the month for January after a run of four successive victories, things were looking promising at Ewood.

The 3-0 win over Hull City moved them up to eighth in the table, but that would prove to be their highest position of the season, post-August, as a run of one win in 11 followed.

In the end, Rovers had to settle for 15th place with 60 points after an encouraging end to the season saw them win four of their final six fixtures.

While Mowbray will speak of the possibility of a play-off push this term, and Armstrong can see no reason why that can’t happen, he says the initial focus has to be on improving on last season’s points return.

He said: “First and foremost we need to look at being better than last season.

“If we can work towards that, take every game as it comes, then I don’t see why we can’t push towards the top six.

“We have a good squad, new players coming in, so I’m looking forward to it and the lads can’t wait for Charlton.”

Not since 2010 have Rovers won on the opening day, a record they will look to put right on Saturday.

“It would give us a boost and we’ll be looking to do that,” Armstrong said.

“Looking at what we did last year, we were in most games, it’s just about kicking on.

“We need to be on our toes all the time.

“The Saturday-Tuesday games come quick and we need to be ready, use our squad and from what I’ve seen everyone is up for it and we’ll have a good go.

“I think we’ve added a lot more experience with the players coming in so let’s hope we can all work off that.”