RETURNING Blackburn Rovers midfielder Jason Lowe has warned his team-mates they will have to be on their guard against old boy Alan Judge in today’s trip to Brentford.

This clash of the promotion hopefuls will be the first time Judge has faced Rovers since he left the club for a second time.

The 26-year-old made a permanent move to the Bees in the summer after helping them win promotion from League One during a fourth-month loan spell at the back end of last season.

Brentford boss Mark Warburton believes Judge will prove to be one of the best signings he will ever make.

Lowe, who came through the Rovers academy ranks with Judge, is not surprised that he has been such a big hit at Griffin Park.

“We all know about Alan and I’ve known him since he was an academy lad,” said Lowe, who is hoping to be named in a Rovers squad for the first time since August 30 after recovering from a stress fracture in his foot.

“On the ball he’s got good ability so he’s someone we need to keep quiet.

“Hopefully we will do that on the day and we will come away with the result.

“But we’ve just got to concentrate on what we’ve got to do and if we do that, and do it well, we should be fine.”

Dublin-born Judge joined Rovers as a 17-year-old and made two first-team appearances before signing for Notts County in January 2011.

But he was tempted back to Ewood Park in the summer of 2013 by Gary Bowyer. Judge started the season in the new Rovers manager’s starting line-up and he scored his first – and last – goal for the club in the League Cup defeat to Carlisle United. The former Republic of Ireland U21 international pushed for a January loan move to Brentford after falling behind Tom Cairney and Ben Marshall in Bowyer’s pecking order.

Warburton, who is celebrating his first year in charge of the Bees, said: “Alan Judge is one of the best signings the club will ever make.

“His quality and consistency, his love of playing football is fantastic.

“I think he’s been one of the outstanding performers and any fan would agree with that.”

Rovers will be roared on by more than 1,500 supporters today in what is the club’s final away match before Christmas.

And Lowe said: “In the past when the club’s been going through different times the fans have always stuck by us, especially away from home, so it’s great to see that it’s still being maintained “It’s the last away game before Christmas so the fact that they’re coming down in their numbers, hopefully the boys can send them home happy.”