YOUNG Rovers fans got the chance to see their heroes up close as the first team trained at Ewood Park yesterday.

Hundreds of supporters packed the lower tier of the Jack Walker Stand to see Gary Bowyer put his players through their paces.

As well as seeing stars including Jordan Rhodes and Grant Hanley train there was a bouncy castle, face painting, stilt walker and balloon modelling.

Adam Leigh, 26, from Shadsworth, said: “It’s great to be able to see the team training and also to get the signatures. I managed to get most of the team to sign my shirt. The ones I really wanted were Grant Hanley and Jordan Rhodes and I got both of them.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“It would be great if the club could do this more often. It’s a chance for children to meet the players and see them training. A lot of younger fans can’t go to games so this really helps.”

The squad played an 11-a-side match, and then spent half an hour signing autographs and posing for pictures with the young fans.

Jason Fernandez, 41, from Whalley, was at the open day with his six-year-old son Riley. He said: “It’s good the children here can get right up to the players.

“They can see them train and get photographs with them. The kids were all really excited. The club put on plenty of entertainment as well which makes it a good day. They needed to rebuild the relationship with the fans and events like this help.”